Friday morning started off a tad different then most mornings here. The difference being it was very cloudy. By the time I got back from dropping Asa off at school, it looked as if it would rain any minute. This wasn't going to stop my morning walk with my dog though. It did sprinkle a bit on us. Enough to unleash the myriad of strange smells that get locked into the ground here. You might smell sausage, paint spray, sage, horse poop, or oranges. You just never know.
That morning I had added a person to the emergency contact list at Asa's school. Liz was in Fort Walton, and I had plans to go run at the mountain today. Not that this was the sole reason for adding someone we trusted, but it made us feel better. The school receptionist asked if I was going hunting. I snickered to myself thinking of me hunting.
I checked the radar and a long band of storms was moving across the valley from east to west. I could see from my house that Mt. Charleston was literally covered in rain clouds. I put all my stuff together and left the house quickly because I had to fax stuff to Liz for our vehicles. With that out of the way, the mountains had finally cleared up, but I did not want to get caught on the mountain with a following storm which I could see at the other end of the sky. I decided based on the radar movement, I would try for a run a Red Rock Canyon and go on the rest of the trail we had started out on during our first visit last weekend.
Red Rock Canyon is quite scenic. Here's a pic of it as you are driving in. Funny, I see a lot of VW buses here.
I was fully hydrated as I got to use the scary outhouse at the trailhead. I was bit hungry though. I found an extra trailmix bar in the backseat and ate that. I had my 2 water bottles giving me 48oz of water and gatorade mix. Also I had recently altered my Nike Free shoes, by shaving off the heels a good bit and taking out the inserts. I had ran on them on the treadmill for a few miles and was curious to see how they'd feel out here. It was nice outside and I was ready to get it on! Here's a pic of the canyon from the trailhead.
I put my hear rate monitor on and put my waist belt on, sporting my new camera. I still had cell signal out here, so I decided to stuff my phone in there too. It was a tight fit. I looked at the trail map just as a last minute check and then saw this sign about thieves breaking into parked cars recently. Jeez, I was compelled to go back in the car and hide stuff even though it wasn't super expensive.
The run started out great. Course it was all down hill. I was very aware of this too, give yourself some time to adjust for coming back uphill. But at the same time, I felt really strong today and wanted to get a really tough workout in. In my previous mountain runs, I was more mentally tired when I was done. Physically I was still good, so I wanted to push myself today. So I was pretty determined to go out for an hour and if it took me an hour and 15 or 20 min to come back? so be it!
The first couple of miles of this trail require a good bit of concentration. There are plenty of tight turns, and thin areas that you have to be mindful of the jumping cactus which is inches away ready to hitch a painful ride on your plump calves. The trail then has quick and steep little runs with lots of ostrich sized rocks. Eventually you go into a big dry ravine, hopping on large rocks and going up tight switchbacks. In some stretches it's nothing but crazy big rocks and it's really pointless to run because I'm going so slow, I'm really just hopping.
I eventually come to and cross the scenic drive road. Now the trail gets a little simpler. A nice straight path with a slight downhill that goes all the way to the visitor center. It's also a little elevated so you can see down on one side at some cars and people. I get in a good rhythm here and I'm just really enjoying Red Rock right now. I can still see thermals off in the distance and think of the climbers over on the mountains that I can't see. I listen to the helicopter sounds play some crazy reverb game in the canyon. I'm at 45 minutes, so I stop and look back. Here's what I see.
That's 2 pics stitched together by the way. Stitching software has really improved these days.
I decided to stop real quick at this point because my left toe feels like its getting a blister. Luckily I've brought a couple of band-aids in my pack and slap one on. Ahh much better, so I pick it back up. Just after this stop, I come upon a moderately steep downhill. It looks like fun so I run down faster than I would normally take it. I wonder how that will feel going back up.
I finally reach my turn around point. My feet have suddenly started to feel not so good. In retrospect, its because I've taken the inserts out that the toes just have too much room to move around, and there's been too much twisting friction going on. I stop to sit on a rock and empty my shoes of some tiny rocks and check my feet. I put on my last band-aide to thwart another blister forming. I then change rocks because I spy a big hole underneath my rock, and the last thing in the universe I want is some scorpion crawling out near my privates. Then it hits me, the clouds have gone away and it's getting really hot just sitting here.
I begin my trek back taking in the sights. My feet are not feeling good though and this is starting to annoy me. I have about 5/8 of my liquid left. I curse myself for not bringing sunglasses. It's getting bright out here. At least I have a white hat on. I try to get a move on and find that my pulse is getting up around 175 fairly quick at which point I need to walk. I laugh at how I can minimize things at times. It's the same thing when I'm on a bike and I know I'm with the wind. I tell myself, it won't be that bad coming back, but when I do, I turn to that voice in my head that said that and sneer at them, thinking " are you f'in kidding me!" I think this applies to friends who make me drink beyond my limit too. :)
At some point my thinking starts to get a little negative. I feel like I could just gulp the rest of my fluid and be fine with that. My feet are on fire! I cringe to think how many blisters I might have. I know the symptoms of heat exhaustion, but how do I know it won't be an odd case of it suddenly came over me? I check the time. I spy large bushes that have shade to lay in and rest should I need to. I think how embarrassing it would be to call for help and have a firefighter give me that look of "you stupid!"
My friend was just telling me the other day about Quentin Tarentino's film editor dying while hiking in the heat. What made me think that the clouds would stay all day? If only my feet were more comfortable!! I finally had come to the scenic road. Should I run on the road? It could actually be farther that way. I could actually see my truck window shimmering in the sun a little ways back on the trail. Perceived distance is a strange thing in the desert. Finally, I tell myself to lighten up! I can't let myself get into this paranoid mental negative what if spiral. Just watch your step, pick up your feet, and focus on getting this done. Oh and drink!
I started making some silly jokes to myself. I can't even remember what they were about, but I recall laughing and then whhhaaammmm!! In slow motion, I saw one of my bottles flying away from me as I came crashing down on the rocky dirt. I got up and brushed myself off, then noticed I had cut both my palms and my right knee. Ouch. Nothing like some trail rash to brighten the mood! I picked out some small rocks embedded in my skin. I looked around as if someone would've seen me (snicker). Keep moving. Ignore the headache. Ughhh that's not good.
I finally see the last hilly stretch to the parking lot. I look at the scenery and think, I'm done with you! However, I'm determined to run up the very last bit of trail so that I come out looking like Rocky. Did I even put my hands up? I don't recall.
I get to my truck and check my feet. Phew! Only a couple of blisters, nothing too bad. My feet felt like they had gone through the meat grinder. I then downed my food, some chocolate milk, and chugged from my extra liter bottle. Turns out I got the workout I wanted. Hopefully I learned some lessons from the day. Another friend had asked if I had been "out in the desert' yet. I think the answer to that question is a big fat YES! and it bout kicked my ass.
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