Well I didn't make it into Acton but I got to the top of the hill/mountain where the road down into Acton branches off. I could see Palmdale behind me and Acton in front of me. It took me 1 hour 41 minutes to get to the top. I stopped to enjoy the view for a few minutes, had a Clif Z bar (marketed for kids) and some accelerade, and then turned back home.
I decided to try and take as much trail as I could to get there. I took the Joshua Ranch Trail to the end then went up the other side of the aqueduct and down to Elizabeth Lake Rd. I crossed over to catch the fire access road to catch back up with the aqueduct and got into Anaverde. Then ran up to the top to get to the trail which follows the power lines over the hill/mountain. It was exactly 1.5 miles to from the start of the trail to the top of the hill/mountain. The first 3/4 was easy but then it got steeper and steeper until I had to hike the last 1/4 mile or so. I figure I was on trail for at least 2/3 of the run.
I wasn't feeling great from the get go this morning. I don't know if it was lack of sleep, a slight cross breeze for most of the run, or the killer 30 min circuit workout I did on Friday. It was probably a combination of all three. Sometimes I start of sluggish but loosen up after 30-40 minutes. Today it was a struggle the whole way. My legs were tired. I figured it was good mental practice, trying to keep pushing forward and lifting the legs. I just wasn't feeling it today.
I thought I could get back faster as it is mostly up hill on the way out, and I was but only by 5 minutes or so. I couldn't find the start of the Joshua Ranch Trail coming back the other direction and had to bush-wack and hike up some steep hills to make it back to the trail. I finished the 21 mile run in 3:15:06 (avg 9:17 pace). Mile 11, which included hiking the last 1/2 mile up to the top and running the same 1/2 mile down, took me 14:03. I was closer to my sister-in-laws house in Acton than I was to my house in Quartz Hill.
Besides general leg fatigue I felt pretty good the rest of the day.
Congratulations to Dale Lister for his HUGE PR at the Bakersfield Half Marathon today with his time of 1:31:38! Good job not letting your watch dictate your pace. I knew you had it in ya!
By the way this is my 350th post for this blog!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Great job hanging in there on a day when you were not feeling your best. It is that mental toughest that is going to get you to the finish line of the LD-50!
Post a Comment