10 mile Sat. (1:17:27); weekend in Lone Pine

I got up early on Saturday for a 10 mile run with a goal of turning around at M and 70th West (almost as high as you can get without going up on the aqueduct). The pace was comfortable averaging 7:44. As usual it is uphill on the way out and downhill all the way home.

Mile splits were 8:11, 8:15, 8:08, 8:06, 8:07, (then the turn around), 7:36, 7:19, 7:20, 7:16, 7:04.
Total ascent 820ft.

My left hamstring was sore for the rest of the day but is fine today.
The highlight of the weekend was Saturday morning we left town for Lone Pine, CA (the portal to Mt. Whitney). Mt. Whitney is the highest peak in the contiguous United States. We didn't go to the top (it is a pretty intense 11 miles to the top and at 14,505ft is not for children), but we did drive up to see the trail head (8,360ft) and went up the first few feet of trail. The trail head area is also the finish line of the Badwater Ultramarathon, a 135 mile race from Badwater in Death Valley, CA which is 282ft below sea level. In other words the lowest point on the country to the trailhead of the highest summit in the country. It was beautiful weather this weekend with the highs in the mid 70s in Lone Pine.
While we were in Lone Pine we also did some picnicking, rock scrambling, hiking, eating, playing, tricycling, sliding, and picture taking.See the Stutelberg Scoop for more pictures.