not stopping now

I still can't decide what to do next, but I'm running in the meantime.

I took Boomer out to Palmer Park with me on Thursday afternoon and did the lot 13 to Overlook route via Kinnickinnick and GrandView trails.  I really enjoy that trail.  It's got some decent climbs and varying terrain, but it's not a total uphill slog that never ends.   I was in and out in 38:50.

On Friday, over beers, we decided to run Waldo Canyon at 9am on Sunday morning.  When I got up on Sunday, Michelle decided that she would go also and just hike to the loop and back.  We met Bucky and Ken at the trailhead and it wasn't long before we got moving.  I ran the majority of the trail to the loop only slowing down a couple of times to get my heart rate back to a sane number.  Once at the loop, I told Ken and Bucky to go ahead and I would catch them at the ridge where it starts back down.  This worked out nicely because the over loaded bagel I had for breakfast was trying to come back up once I started up the loop.  I power hiked the section of trail that runs along the creek.  Once it leaves the creek it's a very tame trail with mild grade that was an enjoyable section to run.  I ran that entire section and hooked up with Bucky and Ken at the top.

Once we started down, Bucky jumped behind me and I was able to pace Ken until we hit an uphill and he took off.  Bucky didn't let me walk it and pushed me to jog up the hill to the next downhill.  My legs were on fire but I didn't want to disappoint my Jedi master and I made it to the crest and started down the other side.

I guess I just give up too easily sometimes and take the easy way out.  It's nice having somebody around to yell at me motivate me  every now and again.  At the end of the loop, they took off again and I took my time going back up out of the canyon.  At the top, I ran the rest of the way down and finished the 7 miles in 1:58 and some change.  I had hiked it once last summer in 2:25ish so this was a nice improvement.   Ken said the trail is fairly passable in the winter as long as you do the loop clockwise so you are going uphill on the shady side.  I'll have to add this run as part of my regular training.  It's another rolling trail without too many long steep climbs.

I'm going to sign up for the Race for the Cure 5K on Sept 9 which will mark my one year "anniversary" of running.  It was the first race I had ever signed up for in 2006 when I ran it.  I didn't do much in the way of running during the winter so it's an unofficial anniversary of sorts.