I’ve been contemplating this for several weeks, but I wasn’t sure where I stood until last night. As I hiked through Palo Duro Canyon, it struck me that I wanted to turn this summer’s adventure into something more than just … Continue reading
After my first run, I decided to end the day with a 2 1/2 mile hike around one of the edges of the Canyon. I’ll spare you the narrative. However, I have two more answers for why I would willingly … Continue reading
Running or other strenuous activity done in temperatures greater than 90 degrees can lead to heat stroke, brain damage, or death. That’s the sign at the Palo Doro trail head. Next to that: a huge thermometer that read 110 degrees … Continue reading
I’m set up for tomorrow’s training run: an 5.5 mile out-and-back along a trail I’m told is amazingly beautiful, ending out the “Lighthouse” rock. I expect to bring back pictures. The Givens, Spicer, and Lowery Trail is 1/2 of the … Continue reading
Don’t improvise. I’ve read this advice repeatedly as I prepared for this trip. I’m not a trail runner, at least not yet. I’m not a camper, at least not yet. I’ve tried to take each learning experience in small steps, … Continue reading
I’ll have more about this 19-mile after I recover a bit more. It was not a good day on the trail mostly because I decided to add 9 miles to the run after I’d started. I was ill-prepared – a … Continue reading
My body is beat up. Despite running just 44 miles this week, my legs feel like iron anchors. I’ve climbed several miles on trails, which I haven’t done much before this trip. Still, I wake up every morning and drag … Continue reading
After the brutal 13.1 mile ascent on Shut-In Mountain yesterday, I decided to let my body rest a bit before heading off to Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park for today’s run. Functionally, I still awoke at 6:20 a.m., but I … Continue reading
When I first read the Runner’s World issue with the best trail runs in the United States, I latched on to the Shut-In Trail for two reasons: it was near Asheville, North Carolina – a city I’d longed to visit, … Continue reading
There are 27 trails within the Bent Creek system in the Pisgah National Forest Southern Research Station. I know this because when I checked into the park, I was handed a map. The reason for the organization: Bent Creek is … Continue reading
