Fri 3/9 - double, 1:40 total

AM - 75 minutes, Saguaro NP western section. Out and back from the visitor center up the Hugh Norris trail until I had had enough. While the wind yesterday was an annoyance, today it was absolutely hideous and basically ruined my good time. 20-25 mph from the east, still going strong from last night. When I got up higher on the Norris trail it was screaming at more like 35-40 with gusts stronger than that. I had to take off my hat and carry it on the more exposed sections of trail, and there were a couple of moments where I was legitimately concerned about being blown off the path. Combined with the steep, stair-step trail and a gradual grinding ascent on the paved road back to the visitor center the final mile or so, this shit was for the birds. Nice views though.

 what are you looking at?

view to the NNE from the ridgeline

PM - 25 minutes easy plus drills and strides. Easy shakeout at White Tank Mountain park outside Phoenix, after spending the afternoon driving from Tucson. Warmer here but still the damn wind, although it was simmering down finally as I did the run. Some ambivalence about whether I should or not, but it was definitely worthwhile, esp. for the post-run stretching and core which I've neglected the past two days. Definitely in need of it.

Thu 3/8 - AM 2.5 hours

Back to Chiricahua, something I've been loooking forward to since leaving here a year ago. Particularly to see what damage was left by the wildfire of last May and June. 35 or so minutes of climbing from the trailhead brought me to the first of various stops for gawking and pics.

 duck on a rock

Further along the trail was an area affected by the fire:

Unlike last year, I went down the Inspiration Point trail figuring there'd be a decent view at the end of it.

 Cochise Head

Later on, took a break for a snack at the top of the Echo Canyon trail, basically attacked by Mexican jays that obviously are used to getting handouts

there were four others

Wound my way down Echo  Canyon trail back to the trailhead, passing the grottoes on the way:

Including all the breaks I was out there for about three hours. While the climbing and descending make me consider this a mega-hike type of route, looking at the mileages I realized it's "only" about 10 miles worth of trail. Only negative aspect to the day was the wind which made for a chilly first hour and had me wishing I had worn gloves. The sun was strong enough to overcome this eventually but still it was another cool day. Legs feeling a bit flat after the past two days of up and down stuff.

Wed 3/7 - AM 1:40

Douglas Springs trail. Back to the scene of the crime, literally, but with a different vehicle and having learned my lesson. Not suprisingly, a park ranger was there sitting in his truck when I arrived at the TH as well. Similar out and back to last year, in fact I probably turned around in about the same spot. Not harboring any delusions of making it to the campground though, so not frustrated this time. About an hour of mostly climbing on the way out, worried I might have cut it too close and hammered the stretch back to the Bridal Wreath falls turnoff. This went much quicker than I expected, in fact the descent as a whole went much faster than I thought. In hindsight the elevation gain was around 2000' or so on the trip out so the discrepancy makes sense. Legs holding up well enough to the up and down. Any afternoon shakeout went by the boards thanks to a combination of a long nap and baleful winds that got worse as the day went along.

Tue 3/6 - double, 90 minutes total

AM - 70 minutes, out and back to Tumamoc Hill. Still in limbo with a car missing a window that I didn't want to drive, much less leave at a trailhead. Chose instead to run up the nearest ascent of any consequence that could be reached on foot. Forced the pace a bit on the 2.5 miles or so to the base of the hill, mainly worried about not making it up in time as the sign said everyone had to be off by 7:30. As it turns out that's not really enforced, you just have to be on the hill by then. It was a decent climb, not overly long but steepest near the top.

 heading to the first switchback

Nice views from the top of course, although evening is the time to go for views to the east w/o the sun in your face.

 Catalina Mountains

A Mountain, the A is on the other side though

Compared to the trip out the run back was much more sedate. 

PM - 20 minutes, drills and strides in Santa Rita Park. Not as flat as yesterday.

Mon 3/5 - double, 1:40 total

AM - 80 minutes incl. 3(400-300-200-100), actually the step-counting equivalent of same. Ran the perimeter of Reid Park, my hope was to do the workout on the 800m worth of warning track that ring four practice ball fields there but of course those fields were closed. Ran what I estimated to be the equivalent number of strides for each distance, how close they were to actual we'll never know and I don't particularly care. More interested in getting the efforts in. 3.5 minute jogs between sets. Left psoas and adductor fatigued by the end but held together.

PM - 20 minutes very easy, drills and strides at Santa Rita. Flat, not surprisingly.

Sun 3/4 - double, 1:40 total

AM - 80 minutes, Saguaro NP East. Up Douglas Springs, planned on doing a straight out and back initially but got sidetracked onto Carrillo and Three Tank trails. Worked out well enough as I ended up back on Douglas Springs trail just below Bridal Wreath Falls with time enough to pay a leisurely visit. What didn't go so well was returning to the trailhead to find my car had been broken into and my wallet (among other things) stolen. Stupid of me to leave anything out where it could be seen. I thought I put the wallet in the trunk, but no. Made for a stressful morning and puts a kink in the vacation but could have been worse. Temps near-freezing at the start of the run with the sun still behind the mountains, once it got over the hump the temp zoomed right up of course.

PM - 20 minutes plus drills and strides. Return to Santa Rita Park, the near-perfect grass I remembered from last year's visit is but a memory. What's there now is what you would expect to see from attempting to grow grass in a place like Tucson, i.e. a desiccated trampled worn-out threadbare track, with patches of the greener stuff trying to to make it. Did the drills barefoot anyway, a bit rough on the soles. Left psoas (more than adductor as I've been identifying it of late) remains tweaked but doesn't feel like it will be a major impediment.

Sat 3/3 - AM 45 minutes easy

Area 51. Gross on top of gross as the morning dawned to rain falling on the snow, which was itself preceded by snow and rain before that. Made for slush everywhere. Wool socks and fancy gore tex lined shoes no match for it of course. With temps in the high 30s, I can't get the hell out of here soon enough. Parting gift from yesterday's workout on somewhat slippery conditions as well, the left adductor is sore and feels mildly strained. Doesn't feel damaged to any kind of severe extent but a drag nonetheless.