This week, the T-TOTs took a field trip (better named a trail trip.) We went to Chandler Park and ran the trails on the land south and west of the park area.
A beautiful sunrise promised a good day on the trails.
I did not get a good count but I am pretty sure we had over 60 runners out today.
Many were first-time trail runners.
I had marked two different legs/loops for us to run. One leg was a three mile out-and-back with a mile loop thrown in. The other was a short out, then a loop with some sweet mountain bike trails, and then an out-and-back to some huge bluffs, and finally a long uphill jeep road that bypassed the tough uphill mountain bike trails we came down on--this leg was four miles.
To start the run, we climbed through or around an iron gate. I counted those in my group, and there were twenty-something. I put Deon in charge of sweep, and that worked out well.
My steady group (not slow, just steady) did the shorter 3-mile leg first.
The plan was to stay together and if we got too spread out, we'd wait to let those in back to catch up and catch their breath. Here, Brandon does a photo-bomb move.
The first leg has a lot of smooth runnable trail, but also a few very technical sections. There were definitely some steep climbs, but the worse climbs were on the other leg.
Spring, a new trail runner, had her first fall. I told her some trail wisdom--"It's never truly a complete trail run unless you fall down.) She was unhurt and good natured. :-)
See--she's still running, but concentrating on her footing.
Our final rest stop, and shortly after, we were back at the parking lot.
Most of the group called the 3 miles good for the day, and seven of took out for the second leg. We met some of the speedy runners on our way out. They had ran the harder leg first, and I heard they just hammered the easier leg, averaging 8 minute miles throughout their entire run. WOW!
This section has it all. We started with .3 miles of gravel road, and then 3/4 miles of nice single track winding through the woods and down a steep hill. Then, we had some jeep roads that were perfectly runnable, and then some huge steep climbs. And I do mean steep.
The payoff was some 40 foot bluffs and some amazing rock out-croppings. This area could be a state park with some development. This little known area is used by a few rock climbers in the know.
It also seems like it would have been a good outlaw hideout. Arena has that accomplished look. She covered some of the hardest trails she has ever ran, and made it look easy.
There's lots on narrow crevices and hallways in this area, and just west of here, there are some 60-70 foot bluffs. We'll check those out another day.
This picture was taken yesterday, on the way over to the bluffs. (I love my new camera!)
Stormy and I talked, and we are thinking we might plan many more trips over here--maybe coming back every other week. There are miles and miles of awesome trails/jeep roads here--and it's definately a good place to get some hill work in.
A beautiful sunrise promised a good day on the trails.
I did not get a good count but I am pretty sure we had over 60 runners out today.
Many were first-time trail runners.
I had marked two different legs/loops for us to run. One leg was a three mile out-and-back with a mile loop thrown in. The other was a short out, then a loop with some sweet mountain bike trails, and then an out-and-back to some huge bluffs, and finally a long uphill jeep road that bypassed the tough uphill mountain bike trails we came down on--this leg was four miles.
To start the run, we climbed through or around an iron gate. I counted those in my group, and there were twenty-something. I put Deon in charge of sweep, and that worked out well.
My steady group (not slow, just steady) did the shorter 3-mile leg first.
The plan was to stay together and if we got too spread out, we'd wait to let those in back to catch up and catch their breath. Here, Brandon does a photo-bomb move.
The first leg has a lot of smooth runnable trail, but also a few very technical sections. There were definitely some steep climbs, but the worse climbs were on the other leg.
Spring, a new trail runner, had her first fall. I told her some trail wisdom--"It's never truly a complete trail run unless you fall down.) She was unhurt and good natured. :-)
See--she's still running, but concentrating on her footing.
Our final rest stop, and shortly after, we were back at the parking lot.
Most of the group called the 3 miles good for the day, and seven of took out for the second leg. We met some of the speedy runners on our way out. They had ran the harder leg first, and I heard they just hammered the easier leg, averaging 8 minute miles throughout their entire run. WOW!This section has it all. We started with .3 miles of gravel road, and then 3/4 miles of nice single track winding through the woods and down a steep hill. Then, we had some jeep roads that were perfectly runnable, and then some huge steep climbs. And I do mean steep.
The payoff was some 40 foot bluffs and some amazing rock out-croppings. This area could be a state park with some development. This little known area is used by a few rock climbers in the know.
It also seems like it would have been a good outlaw hideout. Arena has that accomplished look. She covered some of the hardest trails she has ever ran, and made it look easy.
There's lots on narrow crevices and hallways in this area, and just west of here, there are some 60-70 foot bluffs. We'll check those out another day.
This picture was taken yesterday, on the way over to the bluffs. (I love my new camera!)Stormy and I talked, and we are thinking we might plan many more trips over here--maybe coming back every other week. There are miles and miles of awesome trails/jeep roads here--and it's definately a good place to get some hill work in.
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