Notes
EPIC. Went a little longer than planned, but it was all worth it. ran the usual eight-mile loop with an out-and-back on the Cross Fells Trail plus a few gnarly minutes of the rock circuit path. Reduced to a shell of a man on the last couple of big climbs returning along the Blue Trail... Totally spent and beginning to feel the numbness of full bonk, I decided, rather intelligently, to head straight back to the car for some water and a banana. I was getting close to two-hours at this point. Ran about a mile on South Border Road, then popped back onto the trails at Long Pond for a more direct route back, but, rather unintelligently, decided to revert back to the original plans of finishing the big loop... I did feel a little better on the trails, and this portion was much easier on the feet and knees (none of the rocky switch-backs that destroyed me earlier). Stopped for a quick dip to clean off a bit, then used up all the mana I had left to finish the final mile back to the car. Crushed a quart of water in about 10 seconds (seriously...) and destroyed the banana and muffin I had sitting in the car. Stopped for gas and a big chocolate milk on the short drive home. Haven't felt this spent since Burlington.
Time to mow the lawn...