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November 8, 2006
Snowrunning
Side Note: I'm moving my training logs to here instead of keeping a written one at home. I'm not spectacular at keeping written logs, but I seem to ramble prolifically here, so perhaps this will work out better. I'm starting with last week, the first week after my 50k.
The promised weather finally moved in sometime this morning while I was sleeping off the night shift. It was barely cold enough to snow at my house, but the white stuff was all over the mountains above me. I wanted to go snowrunning up there.
On Monday, most of the roads in Yellowstone National Park closed to wheeled vehicles for the season. There will be a brief interim, from now until just before Christmas, where no tourist traffic is allowed on the roads. Then, then, THEN, the blessed/cursed snowmobile and snowcoach season begins. From mid-December until late March, oversnow vehicles traverse the park roads, bringing tourists around to experience Yellowstone winter.
Right now, in this closed road interim, I have all the roads to myself. While I mostly swear off pavement, I consider this an added bonus. Many trails are covered with snow and I'm avoiding the forest service areas for several weeks. So empty, albeit paved, roads tracing through the wilderness of Yellowstone National Park are becoming good places to run for a while.
The road was both slightly snow covered, though melting, and slightly slippery, though negotiable. I climbed about 1000 feet in 25 minutes, from the beginning of the road closure to Swan Lake Flats. I ran this a few times last year during the closed-road time, but I do not recall this climb feeling so easy. I felt great. When I topped out at Swan Lake Flats, I took off at tempo effort for 15 minutes out and 15 minutes back. The road was filled with puddles and my dog and I splashed through them like little kids. I felt great the entire time. I could have kept running at that effort for a while longer. Once I returned to the top of the "hill," I went back downhill nice and easy the whole way. I feared I might chuck myself off the road and into the canyon below should I start slipping and sliding. Downhill running on pavement felt jarring all through my body, and I was eager to be done running at that point.
I have only 1 more night of work, then 8 days of freedom to play. I am dying to be done with work. This weekend holds some adventuring in the lower Tetons (that which isn't covered already in feet of snow) and surrounding areas. I'm not making the plans, so it will all be a surprise to me. Whatever happens, I'm a willing participant.
Posted by Meghan at November 8, 2006 6:57 PM