The Mesa Trail

The Mesa Trail runs from Chautauqua Park in Boulder to Eldorado Springs. Of course, it can be run in either direction. I chose to run it in both directions and even in some directions that it doesn't go for an additional unanticipated two extra miles. I started at Chautauqua with my Asics, shorts, and a T-shirt, and a baseball cap. It was a warm day for March 6th. I carried the Vibram Five Fingers in my hands, and they stayed there the entire fifteen miles. I had intended to use them but there was just too much ice and snow and ice cold mud.

I had been reading about Scott Jurek in Runner's World magazine and about Jenn Shelton online before going to bed. I dreamed all night that I was running ultras, so I figured I had to get out for a long rugged trail run. I have the mapmyrun app for the iphone and it shows that most of the trek is around 9% inclines up and down but it doesn't calculate in small enough increments so if I were run an eighth of a mile up a 10% incline and the next eighth of a mile down a 10% incline it would average me out as having run on the flat. There were some sections that looked more suited for the luge and I was thinking that it was about 50/50 in several places that I would fall. I was fortunate in that I took no tumbles.

I had left a water bottle full of Gatorade in the truck. Next time I'll leave the alternative footwear and tote the water. On the return trip from Eldorado Springs I ate snowballs on most of the uphills. I also felt it rather refreshing to store some snow under my cap. I ate some of that too. I expected it to trickle down my face and neck but it seems that maybe it just evaporated.

I have felt beat all afternoon with a sore tendons in the PF area to boot. The fifteen miles took four hours. The highest elevation was about 1200 feet above either end so I had that elevation gain twice and there were several ups and down in some intermediate gullies and ravines. My guess is that I don't run tomorrow, but I could get inspired if the weather is as nice, but surely I'll be closer to home on comfier turf.