Hurricane Fun

The day after Thanksgiving, since it's warm outside, I've decided to do a day trip down to St. George, UT. Actually Hurricane, UT, I didn't go to St. George at all. I left like around 8:30 in the morning and got there about 11:30, ate something, and got riding by noon. I did the 21 mile loop of Hurricane Loop just above Hurricane. Not a very technical trail but on the Hurricane rim was a little more technical. This was the first time I tried this trail and I really enjoyed it. I loved the distance because I wanted to go for a long ride. I loved all the fast turns and quite a bit of climbing, 2,000 feet of total elevation gain. This was mostly high speed desert singletrack. It was very warm of 65 degrees. The first part of it, I wore just warm warmers, it was nice and sunny also. I did the trail in 2 and half hours and then went home. I did stop and eat at the Little Wonder Cafe in Richfield and had spaghetti and meatballs on the way home. Love their food!
Wish I could have stayed another day in St. George! Now it's cold here at home, and have to get a Christmas tree with everybody else in the snow today.

Running!

Well. I've decided to give this winter with a running system going on this time. I don't want to bike and decided that snowshoe hiking up hills wore me out last winter that ruined my bike season this year. So, running shouldn't kill me this winter, I hope so. I am on day 3 on a running program now. I am doing a from a no run to a 30 minute run in ten weeks. This program shouldn't kill me, according to an article from a bike magazine from Europe. Yes, an European cycling training magazine I bought like a while ago. I love the magazine, so much information. Anyway, this program is especially designed for cyclists that don't run at all and will get you running. By ten weeks, I hope to run a run for 30 minutes without stopping injury free and no muscles and tendons soreness afterwards. It starts with a run with 2 minute running intervals with a minute walk in between and do ten of them. Then 2nd run should be six 3 minute intervals, then five 4 minute intervals and so on. I am on the third run and it's not so bad doing this program thing, still some sore tendons but better than killing or injuring myself.
The reason why I am trying to take it easy because pretty much in the last 15 years, all I ever did was bike. Running is still the same muscles as biking but it is the way you are extending the muscles is different. So the muscles are pain free, it's the ligaments and tendons feel way different!
I ordered some running shoes and I ordered like 3 different shoes because the ones that came this week are too narrow and got to take them back. Then kept changing my mind after the second pair. I hope the 3rd pair fits and they are the kinds I want, they are the motion control kinds and are good for the over-pronation kind of feet(flat feet). I have flat feet and I shouldn't get the springing kind of ones or that will kill my feet(thank goodness for the internet and research). A doctor told me a couple years ago that I have flat feet and have been wearing Superfeet insoles ever since and never had problems.
Well, I hope for a good injury free running winter. The picture above is the picture of the road I have and will run all season long. It is called Witch's Knoll and is right by where I live, so I just run from my house and it is like a 3.5-4 mile out and back. Happy running!