Finally Some Real Progress.

This weekend was a very good weekend for running. Both in terms of the weather, and the actual runs themselves. Saturday we did eight miles on the path from Wallingford to Ballard, at about 9am after my Saturday morning AA meeting down on Lake Union. We ran eight miles at a 10:07 pace, which is longer and faster than any of our recent runs. I was incredibly pleased.

Then, Sunday, we got up early early early and went out to Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland, which used to be a coal mine. Because of the risk of collapse, it’s not safe to build on, so it’s just a huge hill, covering several thousand acres, right near Bellevue, WA. We did a six mile trail run, with 1000′ of elevation gain. Trail runs with large elevation gains are often half hikes, and that’s what this one was. When you climb 750′ in less than two miles, it’s a tough half hour.

But the run leveled out some after that, and we ran for a total of 90 minutes to get six miles in. No mountain top views, but lovely forest the whole time, and a definitely inviting place to train for longer trail races. There are at least 15 miles of trails, and probably many more. There’s a bunch of trail races there over the summer and into the fall. I’m eager to try a few.

Today, my legs feel great, my core feels great, and I’m feeling very capable and fit. I’m looking forward to a couple of good weeks of training before my first race of the year.