View Workout (Joe Uhan)

Return to Log

Classic PCT run: Lava Camp to Obsidian & Back with CA, Courtney

July 26, 2015 (Morning)

Exercise Type: Run

Weather: 40s, cold, windy, damp - mostly shitty

Comments:

Up early again and out quickly from Pete's - love staying there, so clutch. The plan today was the classic PCT run - my first ever "real trail run" back in 2001. Met Courtney & Bert in Sisters. He went for a bike ride (along the same scenic road we'd take to the TH), and the three of us met at Lava Camp.

Normally that TH is empty, and definitely when the weather is un-ideal. It was a bit brisk in Bend, but once at the Pass (5500') it was real shitty: 40s, windy and damp! Ugh. But when we got there, the TH was packed! Weird! Maybe a lot of overnight campers? Dunno, because there were a million cars but no one departing.

Hit the trail just after 8AM. CA led, then Courtney, then I drifted behind, a little in my own world. Had the LS50 windbreaker hood up and I couldn't hear shit, so I just shuffled along. We kept it mostly at CA's MAF pace, so it was real easy - like 12-minute miles going up the 3-mile climb to Mathieu Lakes.

This is a great run because it has it all (in order): trees, mountain lakes, big and flat meadows, drinkable springs, and massive lava flows the trail meanders through, before hitting Obsidian Falls, a small waterfall borne from a spring at the literal base of Middle Sister.

Courtney ran with us for about 5 or 6 miles (over an hour), then turned back, then it was just me and CA.

After yesterday's US Mtn Champs, I had only one objective today: run the downs, FAST. I kept everything else MAF (like 120 to 130 for me), but pushed hard - quick feet and good hips - on all the downs, both to challenge myself and CA. It felt good, but even this strategy, over the course of a real long run, was tiring.

The weather was iffy enough that I considered turning around early but once we got near Obsidian, the sun "threatened" enough to warm things up. Got to the Falls, drank a bunch of spring water, then turned back.

Faster on the return, since it's a net downhill. Felt pretty good, and again challenged the two of us to consume the downs much better. CA would fall back a bit but I'd always go super-slow on the ensuing flat. She claims she wasn't tired from the race, but that couldn't be accurate.

Finish the run in over 4 hours and 22 miles. Not a terrible pace, actually! Good run, with a pretty low HR.

Averaged about 128 or 129 HR for the whole run, which is solid.

Post-run: drove west back toward home. Drove only a bit down the pass to a more sheltered area and cooked tailgate breakfast, then kept rolling back to town.

Good weekend!!