5K at Cameron Park redux!
I met my friend Kathy and her Pit Bull/Labrador mix, Princess, at the Redwood Shelter at 7:30 AM. Started my tracker at 7:35, so it didn’t take us too long getting going. The 66F was more comfortable than the 47F on Sunday. I like very cold weather, but I wasn’t prepared that morning and my hands got too cold.
Today, Kathy decided to tag along on the technical trails for a half mile or so. Sunday, I walked her out and back on the River Trail for a half mile before I set out on the remainder of my planned 7 miles. I decided to start at the exit of the course and follow it backwards. California 56 is a less technical trail, at least in that first section. It does, however, have some fairly intense climbs via several switchbacks. Kathy observed, “It’s got my heart rate going!”
She hung in for .74 miles and then started back. I continued on hoping I could suss out the course today. I did better, recognizing some of the intersections and trail sections from Sunday. I still need more exposure on the trails before I can actually feel confident about where I’m at in the trail system. Fortunately, there’s not really a chance of getting lost. The trails cross multiple roads and the River Trail is always toward the east. What I need to do is figure out how to follow a course on my Garmin inReach. Then I could get prompts along the route–I think. I figured out how to upload the routes a couple of weekends ago, but not how to use it to show me the way while on the trail.
I didn’t follow the right fork as I approached Lawson’s Point and ended up on Lawson’s Point Dr. I followed an asphalt trail around Lawson’t Point, thinking I was on the right trail. Looking now, I see Cal 56 followed the same looping turn, but was a ways off the road. Have to try that again next time. It shortened up my route, but no harm done since I ended up long today.
I managed to get back on track when I found Dead River and intersected with Shyst. Or was it Hang 10, which isn’t even shown on the map? I did follow Hang 10/Ten (depending on the marker you’re reading) for quite a ways. It was intertwined with Shyst in a way not mapped or trail markers at the intersections. I did eventually link up with Shyst and followed it to Pipeline. At Pipeline, I thought I’d missed an arcing loop on Shyst and backtracked, ending up back at a Hang 10 trail crossing I recognized. I chose the opposite direction that time and ended up on a unofficial bike trail that skirted Cameron Park Road. I popped out onto the road and followed it to Circle Drive, which I recognized from Sunday, and picked up Picnic so I was back on course. Woohoo!
I should note that I was able to run much more today than Sunday. I used the flat single track and the less technical declines to jog to improve my average pace. Enjoyed the hell out of charging up hills. I can’t keep on jogging when I crest them, but have to drop back to a walk. However, I didn’t have to stop once for a rest this morning. I count that as progress! I did roll my left ankle slightly around Lawson Point, but caught myself with a stumbling run and no harm done. It does tell me I need to focus some attention on strength training that muscle chain supporting my leg joints.
Ha! I said I was back on course at Picnic, but on closer inspection, I see I picked the wrong trailhead off Circle Dr. I added most of that lost mileage back when I swung back south at another Picnic crossing (which crosses itself in several places) and a-l-m-o-s-t had it all the way. If I hadn’t dropped off onto another unofficial trail that chopped off the top part of the Picnic loop, I’d have had it!
I recognized an intersection with Vermont. Mistakenly took a right there and excluded the whole Brazos Bosque Road section and the extreme terminus of Rio Perdido trail. (Lost River, in case, like me, you’re not a Spanish speaker. Inquiring minds want to know!) After that, I was on course all the way! Rio Perdido across Circle Dr again to Sidewinder this time and headed confidently toward Arroyo where I dropped back out on the River Trail. That is until I crossed Dead River again, didn’t check my maps and mistook it for Arroyo. I didn’t realize my mistake until I passed the Arroyo trailhead a little further along the River Trail. <sigh> :-/
Oh well. It’s fun exploring and learning the trail system. And yet, somewhat frustrating in that I can’t focus on running the prescribed distance and pace. I’ll get there though. I’m planning to tackle the 10K Chupacabra course this coming Saturday for another attempt at a 7 mile run at the park. Wish me luck!
