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Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Seventy-Six & Hills




I drove over to Forbes Mill to meet Jake. He showed up with a bad cold and decided to walk. I ran up the trail but cut left and followed the switchbacks on a rocky dirt trail that often was single track. Two girls were coming down towards me one laughing loudly as she slipped and slid. The one in the back saw that I was coming through and stepped aside with a friendly smile. I thanked her briefly ignoring the other one who was lost in her laughter. The trail kept going up and grew steeper eventually coming out into an open space where the trees dropped away. To the left was the quick way back down but I ignored it and allowed myself to be drawn up to the trail on the right. I could feel the angle of the ground and could hear my breathing border on ragged except that a glance at my monitor told me that I was still under 70%. There was a wooden gate up ahead, or maybe a portal and I passed through without a second thought following a path leading up to the Novitiate trail and then Jones trail. By the time I summited, I could look down on the Lexington Dam far below. Another runner came by going the other way. A woman. She was followed by several more. Women too. Were there no men out here? Oh, of course. They were all working so that the women could play.

It was a very clear, cool and sunny morning. I could see the cars backed up on highway 17 headed towards Los Gatos.

I followed Jones trail down to the road and then crossed the dam and headed back to Forbes on the usual route. A half dozen women runners going in the opposite direction. It never seemed to stop. I passed through the parking lot, didn't see Jake and kept going to the high school, ran once around the track and then headed back up for a normal loop. 76 minute all together.

Legs felt strong. My HR stayed down around 140 most of the early part of the run and then after coming down the dam I kept it constantly in the 140-150 range.

Slight soreness above the right knee. Have to watch that.

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