So by now, I had decided to go for the tarmac challenge. Not the best day considering the air quality, but at least the morning fog had lifted, so there were good views from campus. Fall Creek looked like chocolate milk after all the rain. Alumni weekend was in full swing at Cornell.
The T&G U&D remains my home course for the next two weeks, when we’ll finally be done moving all our stuff to Lansing. I’m surprised more people aren’t running this one repeatedly, given the scenery and central location. I half ran, half walked the opening climb and then slow cruised through the rest, somewhat fatigued from the cumulative 17 miles this morning. I’m not used to seeing the campus so quiet, even on a Sunday morning.
Matt and I decided to have a leisurely walk off this course today. The drizzle ended just as we started. The houses/architecture of this area is amazing. Didn’t take a lot of photos but drank it all in for myself. I love the mix of trail and road for this one. Though the climb up to campus is rough, might not come back to run this one.
Squirrel II
Again, this course was full of so many pleasant distractions, I just couldn’t run through some of the sections. This was my first time on most of the Cascadilla Gorge Trail and I continue to be amazed by the richness of scenic trail options around Cornell! The climb is a bit of work but not too bad with charming houses on one side and the gorge on the other. I did notice steps and a trail down in the gorge itself - perhaps a future Challenge course will utilize this when construction at the upper end is completed - call it the Cascading Cascadilla Cass-kicker! 
Anyway, it was a serene pleasure to hike along this scenic gorge.
It is always a joy to run across the Cornell campus, even on a cloudy day:
The houses along Highland Road, especially through Cayuga Heights, are amazing! I took several pictures as discreetly as I could, but feared I might be suspected of casing the places. 
No pictures of the houses here but are these supposed to be water buffalo?
The most impressive thing on my descent of Remington Road was the elderly woman biking UP the hill - not sure I could do that anymore.
I don’t live in the Ithaca area but have visited several waterfalls in the regiiom. I feel a bit foolish that until today, I did not realize an actual Ithaca Falls existed! It is quite an impressive waterfall!
The front yards and curb sides on the return on Linn Street surprised me with the impressive flower gardens all the way up to and including the Joe Nolan house (Thanks, Joe!).
My plan yesterday was to run the tough tarmac challenge, however with the heat and humidity, and the time crunch I was in, I decided to hold off for another day in the near future:) So instead I ran this course around 4pm and got completely cooked. 
When I started running the temp was 89, with a feel like of 93, I could feel it. I liked this course overall, but unfortunately I made a couple of wrong turns throughout, tacking on a couple extra minutes, making multiple stops mid run to look at the directions:/ Now that I’ve ran the course, I’ll definitely try to put down a quick time soon:) There was also another participant on this course today;) Can you spot it in this picture?
Ahh what a cute lil snake!!
This was last night:
I stopped halfway down the stairs to the basement with a partial head of lettuce in my hand. I have no idea what I was doing as I was planning to put the lettuce in a bowl for the heifers and the last thing I remember saying that I would do was make my lunch and finish getting my steps for the day. None of which involve the basement.
And it was foreboding of today’s run …..
I didn’t review the course very well and had the wrong route in my head. I was close to the creek and couldn’t hear Rachel well. First I went up the Cascadilla Gorge Trail, all the way to where the trail is closed. I retraced my steps, looked at the map, and started back on course.
Then I missed the turn from Cascadilla Park Rd onto the trail. So, even more elevation and backtracking.
I think Rachel has laryngitis or something as I had a hard time hearing her even with the volume turned all the way up. I was briefly turned around on campus and knew I couldn’t trust myself in Cayuga Heights, so I ran with my phone in hand more than I would have liked to.
I was glad to finally make the turn downhill while still dreading the flat finish.
As I was walking a short cooldown, I realized that I didn’t have my sunglasses with me. They are magnetic, designed specifically to attach to my eyeglass frames. Before completely freaking out, I decided to walk back to my car and check for them. 
They weren’t there. I remembered having them at the base of the Gorge Trail when I checked the the route after my first detour, but my brain immediately went to doom and gloom that I had dropped them somewhere along the almost 6 mile loop and would have to retrace my steps to find them (which I would not be doing today!!). Thankfully, I found them on the stone wall where I had checked the route.
Today I definitely covered the ground and then some. I was able to use the map from Garmin to figure out the time that I was actually on course!!
