This is a cut back week on my training plan and I only needed to get 8 miles in this morning. Between some family challenges and work, the week has been rough and I really needed to get in some trail time. Forecast called for sleet, ice and rain but thankfully it was cold enough to all stay frozen.
I woke up at 7 and went outside to find the weatherman was right, 25 degrees, with a rain/sleet coming down. I laid back down for a fews minutes until I decided it was time to "man up."
Made it to the trail by 8. As I prepared to run, the park ranger was closing the trails, except for hikers. The first three miles was a combination of snow and sleet. 4 miles in, it changed and rain and sleet. Thankfully, the wind was light but I was really starting to struggle.
The frozen trail, snow, sleet, and rain were not the problem. During the thaw this week, they allowed the horses on the trail and it was like a giant waffle iron. For nearly 4 miles now, I have been doing almost as much lateral jumping from one side of the trail to the other trying to avoid injury. After 7 miles, my legs were exhausted and my form was quickly slipping. I decided to play it safe and call it a day. I cut the mileage short according to the GPS but with all of the lateral movement, I probably covered the distance.
I've learned many lessons on the trail:
* Always yield to what is bigger or faster.
* Horses can be really slow on a trail and often spook easily. Most feel better if you talk to them.
* Winter thaw really makes a mess of the trail. Frozen dirt is better than thawed mud
* Take your GPS distance as a guide, not the gospel
Today, I was reminded that horses can kill a trail and it will take weeks for it to be smooth again. I know the horses don't care but I wish the horse owners would have some consideration for the rest of us.
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