Seven Mile Summit Ride

This ride was easier than I expected. The grind up to Seven Mile Summit was long and hot, but managable. Certainly not as bad as some West Hills grades, so I just curled my back and pumped my legs, and soon enough I was surprised to be cresting the top of the climb. After that it was a screaming fast downhill to the old historic highway, the easy climb to Rowena, and a sprint to the car parked at The Dalles Discovery building. Here's someone else's GPS route of the ride. This would be more challenging as a lollipop with the Hood River->Dalles ride.

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                                                               2,797 ft total gain, 25 miles.

The Twelve Mile Mark

I ran 12 miles today, although "running" might be stretching the truth a little. Technically, I jogged at a 12 minute mile pace the circumference of Sauvie Island. The good news is that my nine mile run on Sunday was in the 10 minute mile pace range, so I feel that I will be able to bring the time down soon. My concerns are that Sauvie is extremely flat, and the Timberline Half is not only a hilly unpaved trail, but an extra mile longer than a true half marathon. Tomorrow, Dog Mountain... because my legs need a break?

Shamrock Run 8K

My first race! Super fun, perfect weather, 9.5 minute mile pace. Over way too soon.

A Full Weekend

I packed the last couple days full, with a nine mile running loop over the Sellwood Bridge, a surprisingly easy ride to the Vista House (didn't that used to be really hard?) and then a double whammy ski-and-run today. Trillium Lake conditions were icy and lame this morning, which just goes to show that bluebird skies do not equal prime conditions. Reluctantly, I returned to Portland and headed down to Helvetia to run on some country roads until I got bored. And so far, the carb-protein combo is doing the job of helping me keep my energy and immunity up. And all of this is to get me ready for what I really love to do - hike my ass off. I've been plotting the two challenging hikes to Tank Lakes (via the east Fork Foss River through Necklace Valley) and Jade Lake (via Deception Pass) in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness and hoping I'll be ready by summer. Good times, good times.