Training Log Archive: Swampfox

The winds were already roaring by the time the sun stuck up, and were still going full throttle all day long until the sun sank back down. I spent 2+ hours out in the thick of it on my bike. It was way too windy for mapping, plus fog was streaming across the top of the range most of the day, plus the interstate east was closed much of the day due to crashes due to the fog and wind. An interesting day from many perspectives, I guess you could say.

Ran up top at the end of the day, by which time some new beetle kill trees were down.

The forecast for today made it clear that it made no sense to try for any mapping, with good and increasing chances for rain as the day went along. I had hoped to get out by late morning for some running and planned for intervals, but as it worked out, the morning was quite busy with work, and so it wasn't until very early afternoon that I was ready to go. By then it was already sprinkling intermittently and the skies off to the west looked distinctly unpromising. I figured I would at least get started, and if/when I got too soaked and cold and things were miserable, I would call it a day.

I started out with a light jacket while a few raindrops were falling, and then the sun came out, so I ditched the jacket. Then the rain picked up again and the sun went away, so I retrieved the jacket. Right as I was finishing warming up, the sprinkles stopped again and the sun started peaking through, so once again I ditched the jacket, and got started on the workout.

And in the end it worked out great, despite sprinkles constantly starting up and stopping, It never got bad, and it was almost the opposite--refreshing. A bonus from the light rain was the trails became moist and the sandy parts more compact, with zero dust.

Only saw one other person--a mountain biker--the whole time I was out.

Puzzlingly, I keep finding grass seeds in my socks. Current working theory: possibly it has something to do with the fact I keep running through banks of cheat grass. Even so, it seems weird. Luckily, there is a new house going up nearby, and I bet they're going to need some seeds for a nice lawn.

Tillbacka till Granite Planite för en hårdare o-pass. Soligt, blåsig, högre 60s, ingen myggor. Sprang utan några misstagor. Fika efteråt.

The calendar said Fall but the weather said Summer, so I put on my war paint and headed out to Granite Planite to sing my war song and get in an O' run in Indian Summer sun.

After warming up I was inspired, and so right before setting off I tore off my top and held it high above my head while I screamed a war cry, and then I ate the heart of my enemy. Because that's how it's done in Wyoming. At least it's said that's how Chief Washakie did it, and once you've torn off your top and screamed your war cry, it's hard to turn back.

I got a few scratches and cuts, but nothing that won't heal up in a few months. The main thing was that being Indian Summer, it was warm. I don't think I could have run without a top if it had been Winter (aka "normal weather" around here by late September.)

And the one campsite with campers I ran through? Well, they shouldn't have been there if they didn't want to see a topless warrior running around with a map, never mind the fact that the Granite Planite area is now restricted to officially designated camp sites and this wasn't one.