Sat 6/26 - AM 1:55 mountain run

Trial run on this course, an enjoyable and challenging experience. Very glad to have done it ahead of the actual event. Felt some trepidation when I saw the dozens of runners and hikers trudging up the road to the trailhead, all of them carrying water when I wasn't. As it turns out there was no water to be had at the turnaround point which was something of a disappointment but able to manage nonetheless. Started out conservatively, when it became clear I wasn't going to keel over from hypoxia the effort increased. Last 15 minutes to the turnaround were a bit of a chore. The trip down was predictably jarring given the nature of the course, steepest near the bottom with lots of switchbacks. Stopped on the way down for a few minutes to get a look at the Incline from the top, one of the more ridiculous things I've ever seen. Didn't seem quite as steep or quad-punishing as the South Kaibab trail descent which remains the gold standard for such things, as it left my legs shredded for a month. Remains to be seen what this descent will do. I was unpleasantly surprised to find an abrasion welt on my right instep, didn't feel anything there while running.