View Workout (Joe Uhan)

Return to Log

"The Coast Constitutional": Cummins Ridge + FS Road + Cooks Ridge Trail

February 10, 2019 (Morning)

Exercise Type: Run

Weather: high 20s...to mid 20s...to 40

Comments:
Slept in a bit. I woke up at 7:30, but let CA sleep 'til about 8:30. Didn't start the run 'til 9:30, after we packed up and checked out.

We went for it today with a legit, heavy vertical long run:

* parked at the vistor center
* ran the Coastal trail south to Cummins Creek TH road
* then had to run about 0.6 miles on 101 to the Cummins Ridge TH road
* two mile road grind uphill to the actual TH
* Cummins Ridge trail (5 miles)
* FS roads looping around (north, then west again) back to Cook's Ridge (6.5 miles)
* Cook's Ridge trail back to the visitor center (4 miles)

BIG run, with big vert and BIG SNOW!

Nice, fun, sunny but (not too) chilly running the first couple miles. Once we got to the Cummins Ridge road, it got challenging. RELENTLESS climb. I mean, it was nearly six miles of straight climbing! But good practice for ELBOWS (scapula, arm swing).

CA led us on the trail, for more relentless climbing. About 1.5 miles in (and maybe 1500' high) we hit an inch or two of snow....which then became 3-4"....and once the trail topped out and rolled, became 4-6".

About midway through I took over breaking trail. My ankles weren't too bad, and I got over my self-pity-"I'm out of shape"-party and began to feel pretty decent.

FINALLY we hit the east trailhead and ran into at least 8" of snow: top half fresh powder and the underside, a few days old. Slow going, but it was actually faster to run, even the additional kilo uphill, than to try to trudge.

Once up top...a long trudge downhill. It was "fun" for about a half-mile, then work. But once we descended a few miles, the snow reduced to a cushiony 2-4", which felt great.

The last 6-7 miles...TOUGH. It's like Hardesty. You do all that work up front and even the "easy" finish isn't so easy. The final "shitburger uphill" before the descent to the Cook's TH was especially brutal. CA was struggling too, but we kept moving.

Once on the trail, I had her lead and we moved pretty well, and had a strong finish.

SOLID RUN. 20+ miles. My watch said 5k' vert, but strava said less. 3:50? Not bad. 10:00 pace for running in 2"+ of snow for half the run?

Post-run:
* snuck into Adobe again! Great "steam"!
* coffee at Green Salmon
* brunch (it was now like 3pm!) at Luna's
* pastries on the drive home :-)

Longest long training run since October! And best-feeling. Ankles were pretty OK.