I ended my last post with this:
“I’ve got 8.9 miles to go to meet my 25-mile weekly goal, and IF I feel good in the morning, I might try to do a long lumber somewhere tomorrow and get it done early.”
Saying that I would attempt a 9-mile (minimum) lumber the next morning was a pretty ambitious statement written by a 53-year-old doofus who was still riding the high of his fastest 5-mile “run” ever earlier in the day. But I put it out there, and I somehow felt accountable for making it happen, even though I am the ONLY person in the world who would give a shit.
So, after a horrible night of sleep that had me wide awake and staring at the ceiling for hours, I was up at 6 AM, took care of the dogs, coffeed up, shoved some breakfast down my throat, dumped out 2 to 9 times, got my gear and took off for the trails surrounding Mid Michigan Community College.
The trails at Mid are a wonderful, 20-mile trail system that is virtually ALL tight, twisty, rooty, rocky, undulating single track that offers very few sections of respite. They are amazing to mountain bike on, but hiking them can be a challenge because of all those punchy, little, root-covered inclines that momentum helps out with while riding; now need to be powered up using old-ass legs and feetz.
I learned from my last time hiking the trails to leave the New Balance Fresh Foams at home and use the MUCH more supportive North Face Altamesa 500 trail runners. I would also add trekking poles back into the mix for the first time in ages because I knew that if I was going to be attempting a minimum of 9 miles, at some point, I would need some added stability so as not to fall down and go boom.
Add in 34 ounces of water, and my Fuji x70, and I was off down the trail like a herd of turtles.
My only goal was to hit my 25-mile weekly goal in 4 lumbers/runs and enjoy a weekend of slack and footy. There would be no running during this lumber, just walking at a speed that says, “I GOTTA POOP! I GOTTA POOP!” and taking a few photos.
It was another beautiful early fall morning with plenty of deer, chipmunks, squirrels, and birds about, and it was hard not to pause every so often to admire the sunlight streaming through trees and turning the forest floor into a sea of golden ferns and tree leaves. And by Mile 6, it was hard not to pause and think, “This is crushing me; I should have brought a snack and more water.”
Looking at the map, I devised a plan that would allow me to jump on a wider walking trail at Mile 7 and get me back to the parking lot and still have me meeting my 8.9-mile goal and two days of slack ahead of me.
As I lumbered down the sandy path, I started to get a bit more spring in my step, so I made the decision to jump back on the singletrack trails to get back to Escape II in the parking lot and MAYBE hit 10 miles.
I would be retracing a section of trail, but this time going mostly uphill, something I forgot about. “Oh well, I’m here now.” I thought as I lumbered on, drenched in sweat and downing my last drops of water.
As I exited the thick woods, I saw my car in the lot and excitedly screamed, “AHOY, ESCAPE II AHEAD!!!!” (not really, but I was thinking it).
But then I looked at my watch— 9.78 miles. My giddiness soon left and changed to saying, “OH NO YOU D’INT! I DID NOT COME THIS FAR TO END .22 MILES SHORT OF 10 MILES!!!”
With quads sore and trembling, I reentered the single track for a little out-and-back section and THEN got myself back to the car, exhausted, drenched, and completely out of water. But with 10 miles in my feet for the first time since I started the “Comeback Special” back in 2022. FUCK YEAH!!
I was TIRED but still grinning like a fool (or serial killer, depending on who you ask), and in a little bit in awe that I (ME??!!!) finally got my 10-mile lumber in.
I toweled off, thought about stretching, and then got the car to hurl myself toward the Cul-De-Sac-Shack, a shower, lunch, and grocery shopping.
The drive home also let me mull over what I had done and what I had learned:
- The North Face shoes are still awesome and were perfect for this hike. My feet haven’t felt this good in 2 years.
- The trekking poles were a very welcomed addition.
- For the warm day, I needed more than two 17 oz. flasks of water.
- A snack would have helped, as would being several years younger.
- Next time, DO NOT run 5 miles the day before.
- I can’t imagine running these trails! I would fall flat on my face in minutes.
- The difference between lumbering 8 miles of fairly non-technical trails and 10 miles of technical trails is vast.
- Mountain biking the trails at Mid is WAY easier.
- I need a haircut.
- I think I’ll make pizza for dinner tonight.
As I type this last sentence, I am finishing the last of my first cup of coffee, the sun is rising, the footy is coming on, and I have a carb-loaded breakfast on my mind.
Later.