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Gorgeous morning for a run. Cornell’s relatively quiet on Sunday mornings so it was good timing to make my way through campus. I was surprised to find a magnolia tree still in peak bloom next to the course start.
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Today’s run was at the perfect time of day for me (6:30pm), and it felt good to complete my entire work day before my run. I wore a new pair of running shoes that I’m having trouble breaking in, so I fussed with the laces for a while before starting out. I have to lace them specially so there is no pressure over the top of my instep or I get what I think is nerve-related pain and it’s very uncomfortable.
Even so, it was the Run of Shoe Troubles, with two stops to try to loosen the laces even more. On the third stop, I took off my socks, which were thick winter socks. I had just grabbed whatever was on top of my drawer. That helped a lot but I was worried that the heels were now too loose and I would get a blister. So I stopped again to tighten up the heel locks. That seemed good, but my feet got sweaty. After the run, it felt fantastic to walk in the grass barefoot before getting in the car. This photo has the Cornell track in the background because my staff parking permit lets me park here. Also, lilac bushes were in full bloom and smell on this course today.
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My first FLRC Challenge run!
Love that left turn after the Cornell Child Care. Nice vista. Missed my turn off Thurston to get to the bridge. It comes up essentially immediately. This could be called the three sets of steps run. I started my loop on Judd Falls. It’s a busy road, so I didn’t want to run across it. The first set of steps for me, then, were up to the observatory. Then up past the suspension bridge. Then climbing back out of the Botanical gardens. I definitely prefer running up than down steps, so it’s great that the loop allows you to take all three sets in the same direction.
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Racing across the suspension bridge on Sunday morning. We managed to finish this one faster than anticipated, as Simon jogged along almost the whole time, with just 3 or 4 very short walk breaks. Going at 8:00am was a good choice, with energy levels high, traffic low, and weather cool.
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I remembered that if you start running from Community Corners on Pleasant Grove Road, you can intersect the course after about a half mile. This gives you an excuse to patronize Gimme Coffee afterwards. I chose to run before work today and I visited not only Gimme but also Adam’s Corners Café, which makes a tasty breakfast sandwich. I recommend the English muffin choice for the sandwich. (For those who are unfamiliar, Community Corners has free parking and is home to both these places.)
I didn’t want to run for a fast time today, so I made myself stop and take photos to destroy any chance of getting a fast time. That way I could relax about it.
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Finally got to run this one late this morning. I have been holding off till campus calmed down a bit 
Really loved the combination of trail/road/sidewalk.
Can’t wait to re-run it when I’m not worried about getting lost 
Only got off track a little, but then I decided to keep my phone out so I could watch the map
It was quite fun…till I hit those stone stairs 
Didn’t mind the first couple sets, but man these last ones got me 
Really wasn’t sure how I would handle the terrain since I mostly run flat, but I am pleased with my performance, especially since it was so warm already!
Ran with my hydration vest too, tis the season 
Really appreciate the effort that has gone into making these courses, THANK YOU 
Looking forward to this one again. 
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I’m curious to hear how everyone who is running for time handles the stairs. I did a tempo run on the Circuit today and I ran up the first two stairways two steps at a time. This is definitely the fastest way to climb, but once I’m at the top I need to recover with a bit of easier running before I can comfortably get back to tempo pace. For the final stairway I put my hands on my knees and power hiked two steps at a time. That’s slower but I didn’t need to recover as much. Another strategy that I haven’t tried is running clockwise and down all the stairs, but that wasn’t a great option today since it was wet and slippery.
@patrickmilano I’ve yet to reach that first set of stairs where I didn’t have to wait for people already on them to clear. Whatever you are doing seems to be working great. I tend to use a similar strategy when climbing in general. If its a short climb (less than 90 seconds) I gun it and just try to recover on the flat or downhill. If it’s an extended climb I end up having to shorten my steps a lot and dropping down to a jog. The worst is when the steps are just ever so slightly spaced longer than your comfortable stride and you have to either way overstride to make the jump, or significantly understride.
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we made our way around Cornell Scenic again today -beautiful day for a run. The campus seemed pretty quiet except for a pedestrian or two and some construction workers
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This morning my husband Matt and our friend Bill enjoyed a lovely walk of the Cornell Scenic Circuit.
As we arrived at the trail start, we can across a pair of runners just starting the circuit 
off they went, hope you ladies as had a lovely run
During our walk it was so nice to show Matt&Bill around and enjoy the great views.
Also came across C.O.W. (if you know you know ) didn’t pick it.
After we completed the course we decided to grab a quick lunch then head over to Lime Hollow to knock another off Matt’s 
list 
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Plenty of other runners out on the walkway along Pleasant Grove Road around 6:30 a.m., but none that appeared to be out for a Challenge run. This was only my second time on the loop so I had to use RunGo, which meant carrying my phone in the front pocket of aa running vest, which meant getting extra sweaty. So much fog adorned the valley on the early morning that there was no view near the top of Libe Slope. Nevertheless a nice morning for an early run!
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I’ve had to walk/hike nearly all the courses due to a hip injury, but I’ve had such awesome company for every single course. So thankful for all the friends and family who were willing to walk/sweat with me. This very scenic circuit finishes up my 10, and I did it after work with this super bunch of peeps. Woop!
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Wait, were you peeping on your peeps? 
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After today’s 80 degree run in 60% humidity, I’m beginning to regret how I planned out my training cycles this year 
.
My office is right near Tower Rd and Garden Ave, so I started near the end of the loop on RunGo and went up Tower Rd (in the blistering sun) past the greenhouses to the Arboretum. At this point, I felt like the air had solidified and I couldn’t get quite enough oxygen out of it. The downhill on Arboretum Rd was a welcome sight!
I had been forewarned about the three sets of stairs to climb, so I tackled the first ones in a measured fashion (half jogging, half walking). The path off Bebe Lake up to the Observatory was lovely, and it was a stunning sight that felt like I could have been on another continent and in another century.
Didn’t love the hot, dusty pavement at the top of North Campus, but trucked along until the grassy “dirt” path skirting the golf course. This time of year, the path was completely overgrown so it took a minute to discern what would have been “dirt” back in April.
Not knowing where I was headed next, I trustingly followed the audio directions to the Palmer Woods, which initially appeared to be completely overgrown with poison Ivy.
Thankfully the path widened and I enjoyed a cooler, shady downhill stretch of trail into Cayuga Heights.
The next section through the neighborhood and past CNS (our old preschool) was fast and fun. I didn’t mind the suspension bridge, but the eternal stairs up to the Johnson felt like a cruel joke by mile 4. I brought over a liter of water with me and had to finish it off when I reached the summit.
Although I’ve seen it countless times, the view along the slope gets me every time. In each season, sub season, weather pattern and time of day, the hills to the south and west, the lake to the north, and the town below take on different colors and textures. Today was especially splendid. Like the James Taylor song, “Sweet Baby James,” these “deep greens and blues are the colors I choose.”
The final stretch across Ho Plaza and up Tower Rd was hot (did I mention that I ran at midday in July?!) and my office was a welcome sight.
A truly scenic course that took me on some favorite paths and introduced me to some new ones, combined road, trail, and cross country, and made us work for the finish: what more could you ask for in a challenge course?!!!
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What a beautiful course…
Erin and I headed out for a super hot and super sunny afternoon completing the Cornell Scenic Circuit. Because it was hot and she’s wiped out from summer camp, we walked this. And she carried Gatorade while I carried Tailwind.
It was great to return to the Mundy Wildflower Garden. It’s so lovely in there and I really don’t mind the stairs (they seem to have their own aesthetic). Erin was less pleased about stairs, however. I was excited to show her Beebe Lake as we crossed over it. Palmer Woods was a first for me, and I enjoyed this hidden section of woods with its singletrack trails. I loved the neighborhoods we walked through after exiting the woods…they are all so quaint, and many of the houses with their construction and the flowers in the windows reminded me so much of Germany. I even saw one listed for sale… 
From there we wandered onto a really cool suspension bridge and saw the hydroelectric plant in the gorge. After crossing the bridge, we found ourselves on Cornell’s campus, and this was the first time I ever really walked around the campus. Cornell is one of the schools I applied to for my PhD back in 2014, and it was great to finally see more of it. So I decided it was okay to cheese just a little and get an extra photo. Erin really liked all the buildings.
From there it was a hot slog for Erin back to the car over the last couple of miles or so. I enjoyed the heat training I was getting but she was pretty clear by the end she could do without any of it. Back at the car, we enjoyed some AC and electrolytes before heading for home.
I really, really enjoyed this course.
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the AQ was hovering around 90 this morning, and it was still humid, so we just took it easy making our way around Cornell Scenic again this morning
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I needed to run long today in preparation for the Dryden lollipop course, which is my last one remaining. I wanted something with simple logistics so decided on a figure 8 course over familiar ground. I parked my car in the middle so I could use it as a water stop halfway through. The first 5 miles were not on a challenge course but were one of my favorite loops.
The second loop was the Cornell scenic circuit, and that actually went surprisingly well given how hot it was getting.
At about mile nine for the entire run, I was running up Tower Road and getting pretty hot when I noticed that I was right by the Dairy Bar so I joined team ice cream and indulged in a strawberry cone.
Finally back at the car, I found a heart drawn on the back by Adam, who had happened by on his elíptigo.
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Ice cream for the win!!
And of course, nice long run!