Notes
Sunny, cold, teens at the start with a light wind. Plan was to do 14 at the Riverlands. Wore screw shoes and there was more snow and a lot more ice than I expected. The parking lot was all ice and the main ATV trail was ice where there had been tracks. There were a lot of frozen footprints which made the running tricky. Ran a mile to the bikers singletrack, then down to the Homestead and out to the field. Looped around the field to the picnic area. The ice in the river was really groaning and cracking, very loud. The single track was pretty nice, not much snow. I finished the Homestead and went up the Ridge trail. I was able to run most of the steep sections that I walked a couple weeks ago. The C-Rec stair climbing must be working. Came down the Ledges trail and stopped quite a bit to pick up branches. Continued out on the ATV trail and at the bend went straight to the river, there is a giant old maple tree down across the old road. I ran up to the old foundation to look around the woods at the rock walls, much easier with not bushes, brambles and leaves. Stopped at the river to have a GU and on the way back up went into the field and looped around it back to the road, much better in the winter, no long grass and no ticks. Kept going to the Bradford intersection. The footing on the ATV road was tricky, lots of ice and uneven, good ankle workout. Crossed the bridge and headed for the outlet of the Bradford loop. Turned onto the loop and stopped to look at the Bradford trail. Thought about taking it but there were no blazes. The snow on the Bradford loop was really bumpy and frozen. It beat the bottom of my feet to a pulp, there were really sore, couldn't wait to get onto the Deer Path trail. The Deer Path was better but what snow there was was still bumpy. From the Deer Path kept going towards the Fox Run trail. Took Fox Run and rolled my ankle while walking a tricky section. It hurt but it was ok running on it. Came back on the Homestead and the conditions were better. Ran a little faster on this trail. Stopped at the picnic area, ate a GU and had about 1.4 miles to go. Decided to head back up the road to the ATV road. It turned out to be just the right mileage. About 1/2 mile to go my left IT band got really sore fast. Had to run and walk it in the last 1/4 mile. Saw Jason Tardy's vehicle parked next to mine. A few minutes later he came running in. He tried to message me but I left my phone in the car so it wouldn't freeze up. Chatted with him for a few minutes, then headed out. Good long run in tough trail conditions. Ankle and IT band felt ok later.
Gear: Nike thermal tights, short tech T, Brooks jacket, warm headband then switched to sweat headband, gloves on and off, water pack.