Jog Log: 9/17-9/23, Serpents and Asses

With yet another move on the near horizon and my upcoming job as a 6th grade Social Studies/Language Arts teacher, my morning outings have been filled with large amounts of stumbles due to full gray matter rattling around my skull. These stumbles have nothing to do with the fact that it is now pitch dark at 4:30 in the morning and my stubbornness doesn't allow for new batteries for my head lamp. Anywho, here is the dirt on this weeks adventures and encounters with mother nature:

Monday 9/17/2012
PM: 163rd Ave with Patsy-5 miles (48 mins)
Normal nightly outing with my blonde beauty.

Tuesday 9/18/2012
AM: Jeep Trails-White Mine Hill-S. Ridge Traverse-7.5 miles (86 mins)
As previously mentioned it is now really dark in the wee hours of the morning and I have realized that I am not very sure-footed when it comes to running in the darkness. I'm sure it doesn't help that my head torch is dwindling and the ground upon which I tread is thickly littered with rocks, cacti and cobwebs waiting to wreak havoc on my body. I had planned on a simple out-n-back this morning but once I was done with the out portion I decided to do some cross country hiking along the southern ridge of the mini hill range I run next to. Was a lot of hiking for the first part of the hills and then it opened up more as I gained the ridge. Not sure I'll do that one too many times as it was pretty slow.

Wednesday 9/19/2012
AM: Jeep Trails-74 Hill-9 Miles (88 mins)
Another dark run. Couldn't see for the first 45 minutes which made for pretty slow going. Scared some wild burros and then was subsequently frightened myself by nearby barking coyotes. Wild burros are quite pretty.

ASSES

Thursday-9/20/2012
 AM: Picacho Hills-6 miles (57 mins)
Legs felt dead this morning. Was planning on doing 2 rounds of the trails to get some good hills on my legs but I called it quits after one round.

PM: Neighborhood Run w/Patsy-2 miles (20 mins)
Quick shake-out with the wife.


Friday-9/21/2012
Thunderbird Park-3.7 miles (35 mins)
Drove over to T-bird Park and made a quick round of the mountain. Was going to do a little more but had to get back to get the car back to Patsy.  

Saturday 9/22/2012 
Spruce Mtn Overlook Trail #307-16 miles (2:50)
After dropping my lady off at work, I ventured up north to the Bradshaw Mountains for a run at some elevation. I typically do not do well at elevation so I planned on taking it really easy on this run. I chose the Spruce Mountain. Loop Trail due to the looped nature and my research led me to believe that the views from the top were spectacular. The views definitely did not disappoint but I was so in the zone that I took only a few photos. I did one loop and planned on reversing direction for a second loop but opted to go back to the fire tower and back down again. The second trip up was much more relaxed than the first and I spent a bit more time at the top than the first time. I plan on making some more trips up this way especially as it gets cooler since the drive is amazing as well as the trails. Here are the few photos I did take.   

Partial Panoramic from near the Fire Tower

View coming out of the mountains on the road down from Yarnell, AZ

Sunday 9/23/2012
163rd-5 miles (48 mins)
Easy run with Patsy. 2nd snake encounter of our time in AZ. This one was way too close for comfort. It was dark and I nearly stood on this thing. Video is a bit dark but you get the point. Rattle is chilling. Behold the Serpent from the Bible.

 

The weather has finally been cooling off and I have been enjoying exploring some new places around Wickenburg and up north a bit more. This next week will be a little less miles as I'm going to be pinning on a race number for the first time since March for the first XTERRA trail series here. 

Jog on Mates!