Notes
Partly sunny, slight wind, not too cold. Long run today. Plan was to run to Conant Road to get over the mental hurdle of running beyond the Bradford Loop intersection. I was hoping the trails would hold up since it was supposed to warm up into the 40's. Hit the trail at 8:30, a little later than I wanted. Trail out of the parking lot had been groomed, but the sides were still soft, had to stay in the middle where there was more traffic and it was nice and firm. Felt good from the start and my left knee wasn't sore. Got to the Bradford loop intersection and saw it had been groomed. Decided to take it and make the run 20 miles. Trail was good but at the left hand turn the groomer had gone straight through the gate and only 2 snow machine tracks on the rest of the loop. Took the groomed trail for a bit to get to 6 miles. Figured it must go all the way out to Upper Street. Turned around and continued on the Loop. It was pretty post-holey. Every couple steps I would break through. It was tough going. Finally got back to the main trail and continued on through the hilly section. I walked a couple of the steep hills. At the Loop 35 and Conant road intersection it was 3 miles to Conant. This trail was not groomed as well and was also post holey. Didn't stop too long here as I heard snow machines coming. Pace was pretty slow as I was breaking through pretty often. Made it across the brook by stepping on blocks on each side of the water and didn't get my feet wet. Got out to Conant road and did a couple little loops to make it 11.5 miles. Stopped to get out my PB&J and started eating it but started back before I was finished. My left calf was getting sore and snow was getting soft. Mentally I felt ok out in this section, which was good. Once back to Loop 35 the trail was really soft and loose from snowmachines. Ran a little way down to where the trail heads down to the river and stopped to let a snowmachine go by to the river. Stopped my watch and forgot to turn it back on until about a half mile or so later, grrrr. Before I got back to the Bradford intersection, my left calf grabbed like it was going to pull. Started to baby it some, trying not to strectch it. Walked most of the steep hills. Once back at the intersection, my right calf and back of knee was starting to hurt. Trail was really soft now and just like mashed potatoes from the snow machines. Quite a few machines passed me. Legs were beat by this point. My left calf felt ok, but my right was really sore. At the aid station I took out a GU and ate it as I ran. By this point I had to start stopping and walking for a few sections at a time to let my right leg calm down. Walked most of the hills too. The last 3 miles were brutal. Mostly shuffled along and walked too. Finally made it back to the car and ran out of Tailwind. Too long of a run for these conditons. Mentally I was ok with the distance but the soft snow was too much for my calfs. Right leg was ok, but left calf and ankle were sore later. Glad to get another run in of 20 miles, but I am done with snow. I am going back to the road until the trails dry out.
Gear: NB tights, NB long tech T, headbanc, sunglasses, microspikes, full water pack with Tailwind.