Life Update: Wedding may interfere with training

Well howdy. Last time I ran was on Sunday, which wasn't too long ago, I guess, but I was supposed to run yesterday and today, and probably won't today, either. I ran out at Glade Creek Trail. I think there's some sort of thing where if I go out to the Gorge to run now, it wants to pour rain. Anyways, I don't mind running in the rain too much. It keeps me cool. But I would like one or two sunny or just plain overcast days... The trail itself was pretty decent--I ran it as an out-and-back, starting and ending on the Prince side of the trail. The whole trail was nice, up until the side closer to Kates Falls. From Kates Falls to the end of the trail on that side, trees were down all over the place, and in pretty good density. It slowed me down quite a bit for that last little section. Not that I was going extremely fast, since I was also having some gastrointestinal difficulties :S Still, I was glad that I went there. It was a good 11 mile run for the evening, even though I went a little late and had to run in the dark for part of the way back.

It's been hard to get training in because I've been getting ready for a wedding--whose, you ask? Mine! Saturday, I'll be marrying my best friend, Emily, and I'll have a permanent new running buddy! I love you Emily! Unfortunately, this week's training may be spotty. On the bright side, I'll be getting married to someone who also loves trail running, so we'll be able to do some running together on the honeymoon! Also , I'm planning on buying a new hydration pack soon, and I'm also excited about that. Probably not as excited as I am about the wedding. Probably. I'm heavily considering the Ultimate Direction Wasp. I'm also curious as to how the Mountain Hardwear Fluid 12 would preform for what I need. I wish I could check them out in person, but there's no REI around. Maybe Highland Prospects in Elkins will have something. I'll try to check when I stop through, but I'm not too hopeful that they'll have both of those for me to look at. We'll see.

Well, today I leave to Davis, WV. The wedding is Saturday at Blackwater Falls State Park. I'll be staying in the area to prepare for the wedding. Maybe--hopefully--I'll hit up some trails in Canaan before then.

Peace out.

Sick video

I've been sick this week, so I've begrudgingly decided to stop running so that I can maybe get enough rest to recover. I'm feeling a lot better now, but I've lost almost a week of training. I think the rest was probably good for me, though. Pretty soon I'm planning on running the entire Kaymoor Trail out and back from the Wolf Creek Trailhead; this run will be about 16 miles, which is more than I've ever done in one run (farthest run was the 13.2 mile race at ACE).

I found a pretty good video (I think it was on Runner's World's website recently). It talks about how you should be running in order to keep a more natural running style.

Long Point on 7/14/12

Remember the storm a few Saturdays ago (7/14), when Fayetteville lost power for a little bit? I was out running, and this is probably the only picture I got to take before it started raining on me and my camera lens became too wet to take clear pictures. 

Long Point, 7/14/12.

Craig Branch Trail

Distance: 2.4 miles
Difficulty Rating: Moderate

Craig Branch Trail, an administrative access road, starts from Kaymoor Top and descends the Gorge until it dumps you onto Kaymoor Trail. It is short, wide, and graveled, so it's not very technical. Recently, it has become the backbone of the Arrowhead Trail System, which will not be covered in this post. By itself, Craig Branch Trail offers little unless you want a fast, easy hill to run down (and a bear to run back up, in some parts). It is useful to use as an add-on to your route for a couple extra miles with some steep hill work, or it could be used as an out-and-back.

Nameless update

First, it's hard to do anything profitable when you're in the same room with my fiance's vegan blueberry cobbler (actually, she ran out of almond milk, so she had to cheat and use the skim milk she had in her fridge--so not vegan this time).

Second, I've almost completely decided to register for the 50k race that is part of the West Virginia Trilogy. A little nervous about the fact that it's at the highest elevated area of West Virginia, but the time limit for finishing the 50k is by 10.5 hours. I'm pretty sure I can hike 50k in less than 10.5 hours. Therefore, I figure if it's too bad, I'll just walk for a while. No problem. Besides, I've finished my first week (third week on the training schedule) of training, and I have a good feeling about the race. Just have to keep making time to run and stay injury-free!

Third, there are few things as fun as trail running in a torrential downpour. Emily and I went out to the Gorge last Saturday (July 14) and ran one of my favorite medium training routes--Long Point Trail to Kaymoor Top via Fayetteville Trail, down Kaymoor Miners onto Kaymoor Trail, to and then up Craig Branch Trail back to Kaymoor Top, then back to Long Point Trail via Butcher Branch Trail. I saw a sweet (and very clean and wet) box turtle on Craig Branch Trail. I tried taking nice pictures of Craig Branch Trail (and the turtle), but the rain was so crazy and the light dim that the camera mostly shot blurry or very wet-looking pictures. I'm still planning on putting them up and doing a short review of Craig Branch Trail as soon as I get the pictures off Emily's phone. Little tasks like that can take me days to get around to, sometimes. Especially this week, since I'm pretty swamped with work and helping out at my church's VBS. Still, it shouldn't take long to write about Craig Branch Trail; it's not very long or spectacularly noteworthy, other than it's a good, pretty steep add-on to make a good workout out of your run. Met some bikers, too. Asked me how long it was to Cunard from the place where Craig Branch Trail hits Kaymoor Trail. I pulled out my map and tried to help them; I'm not great at estimating distances on those things. I hope I helped them. I'm sure they hit it eventually.

I keep thinking there was something important I had to say, but I guess there isn't. I'm totally psyched for this race in October now. I hope that it's not full when I get paid (I still haven't registered since I don't have money for the fee yet :P).

My Inov-8s are still doing great. I love them...still not as grippy as my old Sportivas, but I don't expect them to ever be. No problem. I also need a new hydration pack before too long...

Probably should get ready for bed. Those kids at VBS wore me out today. Maybe they're the ones who should be running this 50k. Could have been the caving group at work, too.

I still haven't remembered what that important thing was that I wanted to say. Peace.