But after deciding to run instead of ski this morning when I got up (a bit too much earth showing in proportion to snow) I had in my mind to attempt 25-30 miles and maybe top my previous max of 27+. Didn't happen. Basically I shortchanged myself on water, and frankly I don't deal that well with being overheated, and my run never recovered.
This is somewhere on Parmalee (trail named after Parmalee Gulch, which is the valley below) on the west side of the park:
I finally got some macro shots of flowers that didn't suck. I made an effort to keep the camera farther than 4" which is the minimum. Then I cropped the photos.
The Mount Evans massif visible from the west side:
Pasque Flowers are next, which are a pale violet that always catches my eye. They were all over the place today, with blooms open this time (I guess they close at the end of the day when I usually run -- ha!):
After two hours, I had gone 10 miles and was on track for 30 in 6 hours (not that I ever maintain pace that long).
However, I made the mistake of heading downhill for several miles on less than 1/2 a bottle of water, in the warm sun. The downhill was OK, but the effort of the uphill quickly drained my water supply. I could have consumed an extra bottle during that section, but I did not bring extra, and it wiped me out. Live and learn.
Later on there was a brief infestation of downhill mountain bikers (3 of them, high-school?) in full-face helmets and shin guards. I saw them pedal off downhill at top speed around a disabled guy with a cane and a family with kids. No joke. Way to go, ***holes.
For those who are not familiar, that is totally not how you are supposed to ride on a multi-use trail with dogs, horses, kids and old folks (do I count myself?). These are not downhill bike courses, which are specially-designed and isolated trails (usually at ski areas) that usually don't have foot traffic and are one-way downhill.
Most other mountain bikers were supernaturally awesome today. Gives you a great feeling when the good will goes both ways on trail!
The tally after 13 miles was dehydration and a nascent blister. I filled up the bottles, this time taking two, and headed out again.
The shot below was from my second time around Parmalee. Earlier a couple on mountain bikes that I had passed two times saw me taking flower photos and mentioned there was a cactus (Prickly Pear I'm sure) with a pink bloom on this trail, but I never saw it. That was nice anyway. I've only seen yellow blooms before.
About 4 hours in I was seriously thinking "I'd rather be doing something else".
I ran out of water by the time I got to my car at 18.7 miles, and the plan was to go get water at the 25-cent per gallon water dispenser downhill in Indian Hills, but A) I didn't have a quarter and B) on closer inspection the blister on my right foot was larger than I thought, and rather irritating. And the lack of water had hammered me.
On several occasions now, I've set out intending to go longer, and bailed out at 4-5 hours. Part of it is hydration and nutrition (the latter was OK this time), but part of it is just not wanting to invest the time. But I'm going to wait until I hydrate correctly to make that call; if I can do that and keep from bonking for 6 hours, I might reconsider.
Distance was 18.85 miles, time 4:39 (moving 3:53), elevation gain/loss 3,429 feet.
P.S. - OK, it is kind of silly feeling bad about cutting a run "short" at 5 hours, 19 miles and 3,400 feet of vertical. But... athletic pursuits are relative to an athlete's abilities, aren't they?
