Finally a Gorge Run

Now it is official: I am in training for the PCT 50 miler.
I have been signed up for the race since January but on the weekend I started my training.
Early Sunday morning I met up with a group of ultra marathoners who are all much more experienced and extreme than I am: Gail, Ronda, Michael, Mike and Steve. All are training for 100 mile races so my little 50 miler hardly counts :-) We had a beautiful sunny morning with not a spec of wind.

Ronda had planned a great route for their 6 hour workout. I planned to tag along for the first 3 hour loop.
What an amazingly fun run with outstanding trails and scenery....even with getting lost in the 3-4 ft of snow up around 3000 ft :-)
We all need to get out in the Columbia River Gorge more often!

This map and this map show the trails that I did.
We started going up the Wahkeena trail, then over and down the Multnomah Falls trail. Then cut over on the Gorge 400 trail to the Oneonta Trail to take us up to Franklin Ridge. The last bit of the Oneonta trail is where we hit 3-4 ft of snow. It was incredible: one moment no snow and then BOOM: 3-4 ft covering everything. I followed some old tracks for a while and then when those petered out, I back tracked to meet up with the group. They knew the area much better than I and had already decided to head up overland and off trail to hit the Franklin Ridge trail which they were pretty sure would be snow free. It was easier for me to follow them as Gail had cut her leg and was leaving a blood trail...thanks...and OUCH :-)
We regrouped back on trail and all enjoyed the cruise down Franklin Ridge.
With all hopes of me making church on time out the window I still did not feel the need to do the full 6 hour workout so I bowed out after 3 hours. I really enjoyed pushing/flying/rock dancing down the Larch Mountain trail and hitting the paved section as you approach Multnomah Falls. By this time there was many many tourists on the trail but I was really having too much fun to mind any of the weird looks I was getting :-) My quads are baked from this workout which ended up being 3:45 for me. Just what I need to be able to pound the PCT in July!

After the run and a very late arrival to church, we dropped the kids off for the afternoon and Trisha and I did a shake down ride on the tandem in preparation for Reach the Beach on May 17th. We did about a 10-12 mile loop including the Fanno Creek trail and adjusted the bike in hopes that we will survive the 100 miler.

The day finished with a great BBQ feast with our church small group.
What a great way to (kinda) start summer and my summer training.