Tuesday, February 21st: 10 miles of trail on a moonless, cloudless night. Glorious!
Dropped Donald and Mrs. DMG at home after his school's fund raiser night at Chick-fil-A and then headed to Fayetteville Lake. Took off running at 8:45 knowing the park would close at 11:00. No big deal if I ran a bit late, but as it was, it was a good motivator to keep the speed up. I ran the same out-and-back I ran on Sunday except with a headlamp lighting up every cloud of breath I exhaled. I counted it as 9+ miles Sunday, the + accounting for all the extra zig-zagging on the singletrack, but I think I sold myself a bit short. Before, I had always run laps of the whole lake which involves a mile of asphalt going over the dam and up to the disc golf course. I'd never run only the trail. Having timed myself twice on just the trail, I'm certain it is at least ten miles out and back, maybe a skoach more. I did it in 2:07 today and am certain I was running 12 minute miles or faster. Anyway, I was half way home by my 11:00 PM cutoff.
Fayetteville Lake is not the most splendid place on the planet. I'm sure the views from high camp on Masherbrum would be much better. But I tell you, turning off your headlamp for a minute to admire the reflections across the lake, on a pitch black night, is pretty damn satisfying for only having to drive five minutes to get there!
3 comments:
This truly sounds like quite the thrilling experience, night running. I can hear people running at night in the street where I live, but in the middle of nature gives it even more of a Gothic edge. Is there nothing dangerous in the woods over there? No mountain lions, wild boar, drug dealers, rednecks...? Not meaning to scare you, but you seem formidable enough to take anything. Have a great run tonight. (I am such a chair potato!)
Gooo DAVE! Hope you don't trip over anything on the trail ...! My eldest son likes to run barefoot on golf courses to train ...??! Are you feeling that elusive 'runner's high' yet?
you can do this!
xxx
I think the tree roots are the biggest hazard to night runners around here. Hi Martijn!
Runner's high? Um, not really. I get hypoxic if I try to run too fast for too long. WHich I never do. You rock, mule friend!
~Dave
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