Notes
Started with James at Lollipop. The plan was to do a 16 mile loop but we took a wrong turn and ended up with a 13.5 mile loop instead. I left James at the car and proceeded up to Baldy via Eagle River Loop Rd. It took me a long time to make the climb as it was 3500' of gain over approximately 7.5 miles. So there were some really steep bits and some runnable sections but all in all it took a big chunk of time. Also, when I got to Baldy parking lot I was running in snow. Most of it was tracked out and I ran in the tracks for some ways until I got to BlackRocks and had to break trail. This was slow going. I ran about two miles, probably 30 to 40 minutes in shin deep snow while traversing. It took a lot of energy. By the time I got back to the trail in Ptarmigan Valley I had run out of water and still had at least 7 miles to go. I drank out of a creek and filled my Nathan bladder at another creek. (had to break through some ice). It got really windy on top and I barely had enough gear. My forehead and ears got cold and the wool buff was soaked with sweat so it wasn't working all that great. Then the zipper on my ibex broke and I had to contend with that. I finally made it back to the streets and then did another two miles on pavement. I was planning on doing more but I was having stomach problems and home was just around the corner. I couldn't resist home so home I went. Clocking in at 5 and 1/2 hours of running. Not too bad. It was a super tough run. It was tougher conditions than Resurrection, just not as long on my feet. It was a great training run. I felt good the whole time. I had a sore left hip for a awhile but it went away on the trail and I slipped on some ice and during the traverse which kept making my psoaz or adductor twinge with pain. I feel great today though. A little stiff but good.