Notes
This was done very well. The conditions were tough, and I think I managed the unique challenges well. Beginning at Rt.5, my first lap took me over the Lookout Tower road at the Notch. The trail from the Lookout back to the road wasn't plowed of course. I almost took a spill navigating the pile of plowed snow. The trail had an extremely firm snowpack crusted over. The icy crust would occasionally crack and sink about an inch but not post-hole. That slowed me. I passed 5 groups of dog-walkers on that leg, and caught most on the way back. Going down the hill meant really going down. I slipped on ice and slid a good 5 feet on my back, no injury. So the downhill was no occasion to make up for lost pace on he way up. Back up I went, without incident. Over the top however, down that trail from the Lookout, I hit the crusty deck. My right knee drove straight through the crust and stopped me cold. There was quite an impact but I got up and was running within a few strides, no complaint. I should say that I really pushed the pace on these hills, and got a great second wind coming toward the split lava tube. I kept with it and kept pushing hard. Even on the downhill, where I could and did not fall. The challenge was to loosen my shoulders so that I could raise my arms and counterbalance without spastic flailing. Carrying both a water bottle and flashlight was the most damaging aspect of this run. Negative splits!!! 40:00, 36:00, 40:00, 35:00 ahhh ...