Training Week Ending 7-5-09

Last weeks training included aquajogging mixed in with some running. I haven't had an ankle sprain this bad in a few years, but by Thursday of last week I was able to get back to the trails for an evening run. This week I look to resume my regular training to get ready for Mt. D. Sunday I revisited the Kenyon DeVore training loop of the Mt. D course, but this time I started a bit higher atop Mt. Wilson instead of at Red Box like I did a few weeks ago. Despite the considerably warmer temps I felt better on my run than I had a few weeks ago. Here's the run down: I started atop at the Mt. Wilson Parking Lot amid blue skies and temps in the low eighties. Before the scramble would end temperatures would reach the high 80s to low 90s. I made my way down Mt. Wilson Road ... destination Markham Saddle: A sign at Markham Saddle read, "Trail Closed". Apparently there was a slide along the trail. I decided to check it out and proceed anyways: From Markham Saddle I made my way to Mueller Tunnel and eventually another saddle. Mueller Tunnel was blasted through the side of Mt. Wilson to bypass the precarious "Old Cliff Trail". In the picture below you can see the Old Cliff Trail and the metal posts that once held the railings: Pictures of the slide at western opening of Mueller Tunnel. I wonder if this will be cleared in time for the race: From the saddle beyond Mueller I followed the race course heading up the trail to a saddle separating San Gabriel Peak and Mt Disappointment. Here I took the trail about 1/4 mile to Mt. D and Mt. D Road. The dirt turns to an abandoned asphalt road and the course dictates I locate a side trail that drops down the north side of the mountain back to the Mt. Wilson Road and down Red Box: Antennae atop Mt. D Deserted Road atop Mt. D Trailhead Dropping Down to main Mt. Wilson Road: The trail from atop Mt. D. is steep, not that well maintained and has numerous switchbacks. I re aggravated my ankle om the downhill and questioned whether the days run was the smart thing to do. At Redbox, I assessed the situation and decided I would press on paying extra care to my footing. From Red Box I made my way down to Westfork Campground via Red Box Fire Road. Not a heck of alot of shade along the trail. Also saw notable wildlife in the form of a deer. Other than the deer I encountered hundreds of lizards. Couldn't grab my camera in time for a deer photo. On the trail above Westfork there's a overflow pipe for a water tank. The water is cold a drinkable. This made for a nice shady pit stop to soak my head, refill my bottles and refuel:


From the pipe it's about a 4 mile trudge up the Kenyon DeVore Trail back to Mt Wilson



A little over 15 miles for the day.

Happiness is found along the way, not at the end of the road.


Happy trails............