Mastering the Trails

The title refers to a dream. At this point, the trails are mastering me. But I'm trying!

Yesterday, I decided to try running the course for the Wissachickon Trail Classic 2010, which takes place next weekend. I planned to take a successful traversal of the path as an indication of my readiness to run it. Alas, I was not successful.

I had downloaded the trail map to my running GPS in hopes that it would guide me on the unfamiliar route. Unfortunately, it turned out that I didn't know how to use this feature. As I began running on the route, I discovered that either was not providing the information I need: where to go. So, after a half-mile warm-up run along Forbidden Drive from Bell's Mill Road to Northwestern Avenue, I began another steep, exhausting ascent to ... well, who knows where. At that point, headed in the direction of Bell's Mill, found a sign pointing back to Forbidden Drive, and then headed that way.

I arrived at Forbidden Drive feeling too spent for so early in a run--I'd only covered a little more than a mile at that point. Still, I was determined to get a a few miles in, so I ran 2-1/2 miles from Bell's Mill, past Valley Green, and back. On the way back, I reduced the frequency of my walk breaks and found myself running my miles in between 9-1/2 and 10 minutes while keeping my heart rate in a comfortable zone.

As for more trail running: I plan to try again tomorrow. I'll run 2-1/2 miles out toward Lincoln Drive and then, sufficiently warmed up, will return to the Yellow Trail. I'll follow it further than I had before, even the entire course of the trail.