I don't think my liver could have taken any more Advil, and yet I still could not bear to squat down on the ground to get in and out of the tent, much less to go the bathroom...
All the fun and easy running of Day 1 were long behind us. My fresh mental state had fogged as I forced myself out of the tent on Day 2. Today's run would total 21.3 miles and take us from Potato Bottom to our campsite at the top of Murphy's Hogback. 2,098 ft. total elevation gain for the day, which meant that we walked uphill a lot! Since my mood was less than positive as we struck out from camp, Hal kept reminding me to look around at the amazing view, and what great scenery we had!
Another fun break in the monotony of running was our lunch break at the Holeman Slot canyon. Mom ventured into the canyon with us, trusting that her son-in-law Hal wouldn't leave her stuck down there, having to pull an Aron Ralston and cut off her arm to get out! The canyon got pretty narrow, but was beautiful and a great distraction.
.JPG) |
| Note the camo piece of webbing in Hal's hand for emergency use...!
|
The great thing about running the White Rim as opposed to riding it in one day is that we got to see all these amazing sites that we had previously pedaled right on by. Marc was the master tour guide and facilitated all of our non-running day events!
Mom and Daughter...
We left the slot canyon feeling full and slightly more rested, only to have me wither in the hot afternoon sun. We started walking the descents as well as the ascents, as my poor quads couldn't take anything other than perfectly flat terrain. Judi and Marc pulled up in the Jeep right before we had to climb up Murphy's Hogback, making it the perfect time for a break.
Thank goodness for our support crew :)
We trudged up the final miles to camp, having spent another 5 hours out on the trail, not including our slot canyon deviation. Upon arriving at camp, I had to take some 'me' time to sort out how I felt during the run, and the emotional roller-coaster that I went through. My mental highs and lows were as frequent and fluctuating as the trail, and I thank everyone for helping me through the dark spots and putting up with my moodiness. Little did I know that Day 3 would be the toughest, and longest, for me...
Stay tuned for Days 3 and 4...!
Wow. Drove that trail two years ago. Can't imagine walking it.
ReplyDeleteThank goodness you were all able to climb out of Holeman Canyon without having to retrace your steps.
ReplyDeleteWhat a day for wild flowers. We love that photo of you & your mom in front of the purple scorpion weed.
Getting up Murphy Hogback is a challenge whether you're jeeping, biking, or running, especially when it alternates between sunny & cloudy with the wind howling.