What course do you run when you have to drop a kid off at Taughannock for XC practice?!?!? As my son exited the car, I said, “If you see a middle aged woman running who looks near death, just ignore her!
As I headed down the North Rim from the overlook parking, I crossed paths with the Girls XC team. As I came off the Gorge Trail and headed up the South Rim, I saw the Boys XC team taking a water break. I covered my face, so I’m sure they didn’t see me!
The climb up the South Rim was a slog. I power hiked some, jogged some. I swear my breathing was harder while hiking. I crossed paths with the Girls XC team again!
Overcast, relatively cool Sunday evening and few folks on the trails, made for a quiet, enjoyable run. Started at the top and went clockwise. Stopped to take a few pics, then stubbed my toe near the top of the South Rim falling into one of the only puddles on the entire course! Hence the muddy forearm in the picture. All good fun!
My legs were quite trashed by the time I started the TR&F for the final course in my Tough Trail 50k. I should have done this earlier than late morning. Loads of people were out there and it was a pain just to find parking adjacent to the Challenge course. I had the please of dogging kids, canines, gaggles of teens, octogenarians, and just about everyone else in Tompkins County on this beautiful Labor Day morning. I had fun closing fast on the North Rim descent though!
