Sunday morning, I ran with a few friends at Turkey Mountain. Um, make that about 75 friends! TATUR has kicked off it's trail running training group T-TOTs (TATURs Training on Trails.) Brian aka Head TATUR, or DIC-TATUR, would like to have everyone who runs experience running on dirt, and I agree. Of the 75 who came out at 7:30 am, many had never run off-road.
We divided into 4 groups--one f-f-fast group, one group who was nearly as fast, one slowish group, and a group of walkers. Do the math--each group had 15-20, and in fact, the slow runners whom I fell in with, had 35! That's a lot--I have ran in RACES with fewer runners. After a short .8mile loop, I suggested we split this army into a couple of more manageable groups. The ones who thought we were going a little slow went with Kirk, and those who were comfy or wanted to run a bit more cautiously went with me.
To get to most of the trails on Turkey Mountain, you have to get to the top of the hill. You can go the shortest way, which is also the steepest, or you can go the zombie way, which involves a lot of switchbacks and is a more gradual less steep route, and it gets you a few extra tenths, which is good for a mileage ho like me.
We waited for all of the group to catch up--did not want to lose anyone on their first trail-outing.
Then we ran the Bunny trail--about a half mile of sweet downhill single track. Where the Bunny runs into the Ridge trail (Upper Yellow), we headed back towards the parking lot. For the most part, we ran on the easier trails on Turkey, but we had a fair amount of rocks and roots--it IS Turkey Mountain.
At the parking lot, it was rumored Brian would be cooking pancakes. A quarter mile out, the trails is wide and smooth. Seems like everyone picked up the pace to finish up.
Derek looks like he has pancakes on his mind. Bobby ran sag, and made sure we didn't lose anyone. Thanks, Bobby!!
True to his word, Brian flipped griddle cakes and few a bunch of hungry runners--one flap jack at a time.
Later, Dana and I ran a few miles as well. I like running with a group, but running with my sweetie is the best!
We divided into 4 groups--one f-f-fast group, one group who was nearly as fast, one slowish group, and a group of walkers. Do the math--each group had 15-20, and in fact, the slow runners whom I fell in with, had 35! That's a lot--I have ran in RACES with fewer runners. After a short .8mile loop, I suggested we split this army into a couple of more manageable groups. The ones who thought we were going a little slow went with Kirk, and those who were comfy or wanted to run a bit more cautiously went with me.
To get to most of the trails on Turkey Mountain, you have to get to the top of the hill. You can go the shortest way, which is also the steepest, or you can go the zombie way, which involves a lot of switchbacks and is a more gradual less steep route, and it gets you a few extra tenths, which is good for a mileage ho like me.
We waited for all of the group to catch up--did not want to lose anyone on their first trail-outing.
Then we ran the Bunny trail--about a half mile of sweet downhill single track. Where the Bunny runs into the Ridge trail (Upper Yellow), we headed back towards the parking lot. For the most part, we ran on the easier trails on Turkey, but we had a fair amount of rocks and roots--it IS Turkey Mountain.
At the parking lot, it was rumored Brian would be cooking pancakes. A quarter mile out, the trails is wide and smooth. Seems like everyone picked up the pace to finish up.
Derek looks like he has pancakes on his mind. Bobby ran sag, and made sure we didn't lose anyone. Thanks, Bobby!!
True to his word, Brian flipped griddle cakes and few a bunch of hungry runners--one flap jack at a time.Later, Dana and I ran a few miles as well. I like running with a group, but running with my sweetie is the best!
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