Distance: 10.26 miles
Effort: Moderate
Body: Fair
Weather: Clear and Cool
For the last month or two, Todd G. and I have been exchanging e-mails trying to figure out a time when work, family and life schedules would allow us to connect for a run. Finally, this morning the stars (and schedules) aligned and we met up at 6:30 a.m. at the base of Mt. Falcon.
I've been eager to run with Todd, not just to connect with a new running partner, but to pick his brain on Lake City, which he's run (and run well) twice. After a quick introduction at the trailhead, we set off up the Turkey Trot Trail with Todd setting a solid pace. My legs were feeling yesterday's 24 miles and 7,600-feet of elevation gain, but things got better after the initial steep sections were behind us.
As we ran, I tossed out a few questions between gasps, Todd shared his running experience and somehow we made good time up the frontside of Mt. Falcon via Turkey Trot and the Castle Trail (hitting the picnic shelter in 34:27) and continuing on to the upper intersection with the Parmalee Trail. We descended down Parmalee and looped back up to its lower junction with the the Castle Trail.
The front side of Mt. Falcon from near the parking lot. The Turkey Trot Trail is in the foreground.
I had limited time this morning, so we returned down the way we came, keeping up a running dialog the whole way. As I headed for the car, Todd headed back up Turkey Trot for another ascent up the front side of the hill, no doubt getting in a few miles preparing to defend his title next weekend at the Golden Gate Dirty Thirty 50K.
That's Todd in white headed back up Turkey Trot in the center-right of the pic.
It felt good running on tired legs on such a brilliant morning...blue sky, cool temps, empty parking lot and good-natured hikers and bikers sharing the trail. A perfect Sunday morning.
Total elevation gain: 2,177 feet.
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