Kendall

Squaw Peak 50

10:23. Long hot day on the trail. Hoping for sub 10 but just couldn't get there.  Intially pretty disappointed not to have gone under 10. After looking at the results and number of DNF's, I guess I should feel a little better. Heat was a factor as was humidity. Gave it all I had. 

18th Overall, 5th Masters, 3rd Age Division.

More to come. Heading to Havasupai for the week with the Scouts.

Hike from parking lot to Havasupai Village, falls and campground. Started hiking at 2:00 am under a full moon. Arrived at twilight. Incredible falls and views. Wow!

Hike from Havasupai campground to Colorado River (8.5 trip each way + side trips). What an incredible place.

Campground to Beaver Falls = 2.36 Miles

Beaver Falls to Colorado River = 5.45 miles

Hike from Campground to Village and new falls and back to camp.

Hike from Campground to parking lot--straight shot started hiking at 2:30 am to avoid heat. Killer pace on trip out.

6 mile run at work. First run since Squaw Peak (although nearly 50 miles of hiking in 4 days with packs). Legs feel strong but not very fast. Anxious to start running again. Friday-Saturday got roped into doing the Ragnar to see what the fuss is all about. Should be interesting--need to shake the cob webs off get the legs in racing shape quick!

5 miles around the 'hood. Still pretty tired legs from Squaw Peak followed by 50 miles of hiking (with backpack). Haven't fully recovered--didn't give them a chance.

Good fast 3 miles before tapering for...Ragnar!? I'm such a wuss. Legs a bit quicker today. Debated whether to run or rest, 3 was the compromise. Thursday off. Running Friday.

Ragnar Relay:

I have to admit that I enjoyed the Ragnar a lot more than I thought I would. I had a lot of fun and this thing is just one huge road trip, running party. Got to see a lot of interesting people (understatement) some new terrain and rubbed shoulders with tons of runners. Sure it's not highly competitive but it can be and our little group was loads of fun and we ran pretty hard.

Team Name: Crack O'Dawners (mixed 6 men, 6 women)

Placement: 18th place overall, 4th place overall mixed category, 2nd place submasters mixed category.

Leg 1: 7.69 miles / 55:19 / 7:12 mm / 651 ft gain (Fri 1:30 pm)

Leg 13: 8.56 miles / 54:30 / 6:22 mm / 578 gain, 2,093 drop -- zoom zoom! (Fri 10 pm)

Leg: 25: 4.94 miles / 35:10 / 7:07 mm (Sat 7:30 am)

5 miles up in the foothills before bed-time. Legs still pretty sore from WBR (8.5 mi decent from SnowBasin).

Ran Hobble Half course in the late evening with a good group of runners. Nice smooth downhill with some rollers in later miles. Beautiful evening up Hobble Creek. Several nice bucks in velvet milling around.

Late night after going back up for cars and getting home--all worth it!

HOT and S-L-O-O-O-O-W 8 miles during afternoon. Heat murdered me.

Same route as Thursday up through the Jordan River Narrows. Hotter but better prepared today. Brought water and dunked in river to cool down. 100 degrees during run. Faster and much better than previous day.

TIMP SUMMIT:

Started up around 7:15 pm. Just caught the sunset at the summit--amazing with the layer of smoke in the valley. Nice even effort on trip up--not really pushing it. Super windy cresting saddle before summit. Got a bit cold. It was good to get up and get back down out of the wind. Smooth steady decent in the dark without any issues. Caught up with fellow ultra runner Todd Cook and his daughter and tagged along with them on a leisure jaunt down the last 2-3 miles.

Most of the snow is gone. Crossed two small snow sections, one a bit dicey on trip down in the dark but no big deal. Shortcut two sections sliding down the snow fields--probably not the smartest thing but way fun.

Trip up: 2:15 Trip down: 1:25

Elevation: 5,017

Quick six up to the Jordan Narrows and back. Speed is coming back after a tough month.

8 miles up through the narrows and back to work. 5:30 pm run, not as hot but wind took a lot of out of me. Hooked up with friend and runner Graydon who stopped me just headed out for his run. Good to have some company.

Bridge jumping is ON! off the north bridge into the Jordan River just before the Jordan Narrows. Fun distraction and great cool down on a hot day. Discovered (or talked into) this practice last year by a group of kids.

8 miles. Late night run from work through the narrows. Ahhhh...much cooler in the evening/night.

HOT heat of the day run up through the Jordan Narrows. Jumped on north bridge on trip back, ahhhhhhh!

Timpanogos Summit via Aspen Grove.

14.50 miles / 5,469 elevation gain.

For the second week in-a-row I summit'd Timp--this time via Aspen Grove Trailhead. I've been up Timp a few dozen times but only once from the Aspen Grove side (about 25 years ago). This run/hike would be a nice change of pace.

A couple of interesting facts:

1. Aspen Grove trail is LONGER than its Timpanooke counterpart--yes, as in more miles. I've always been told and subsequently have told others that the Aspen Grove trail was steeper but shorter. Maybe shorter to Emerald Lake or the warming hut down below but not to the summit. (At least not on this run according to my Garmin 910 xt.)

Summit via Timpanooke, depending upon how my Garmin is feeling that day, registers anywhere between 6.85-7.2. Aspen Grove on Saturday registered 7.3 up and 7.2 down. So, it's close but at least on this day Aspen Grove is measuring longer.

Route up to summit: Aspen Grove to Emerald lake, cut up high on glacier to west beneath summit (not up the gut up from lake).. Hit saddle, same route as Timpanooke up to summit. I believe this is the normal route up from Aspen Grove.

2. Aspen Grove route is STEEPER and more elevation--450 ft. Aspen Grove is not as runable as Timpanooke, has more switchbacks and steep sections. Hard to say which is my favorite. It's like asking someone "what's the fastest way to Jackson Hole?" There are as many opinions as there are options. Aspen Grove has more waterfalls and different views of Heber Valley. They're just different, each has its own amazing and differing meadows, waterfalls and vistas. If running or if I were going to do it once, I'd say Timpanooke is the preferred option. You really have to do both.

There's a first time for everything and hitting the summit with goats IN THE SHACK was a first for me. Spent some quality time with the family (of goats) up top and headed down.

Trip down got interesting as I ran out of light (and food). Playing with the goats too long forced me to navigate the last 2-3 miles in the dark. Oops. 

Next time I want to do a loop, up Aspen Grove to summit, down Timpanooke side to road...back up AF Canyon via road/trail to summit (road), down GWT to Aspen Grove again to truck. Should be a nice 21'ish mile run.