Great run

Not sure how it happened. My apocalypse-day run was so incredibly sour I felt like Ted in the previous post. "You mean I was in my peak fitness X weeks ago, and here I am two miles from home taking a walk break?"

Yesterday I left around noon. The breeze had quieted down from Saturday, when it was howling. The sun was out. It was tights and long-sleeve shirt weather, but no need for winter garb. I always iPod it in the winter, because I'm not concentrating on anything but enjoying myself.

I wound my way northeast to pick up Beach Drive at the Maryland line. From there I headed south on the Valley Trail, good rocky singletrack that follows Rock Creek toward town. Some was slick with the recent rain. Some was covered in thick leaves. There are areas of highly technical rock garden that either require walking or devil-may-care ankle endangerment. (I walked.) There are some hills as you climb and descend small bluffs over the creek. Occasionally the trail winds into the forest toward 16th Street before returning to creek-side. Total maybe 5 miles winding south before reaching the parking area at Beach Drive and Rock Creek Parkway.

From there the run returns home up the Tilden Street hill and Connecticut. I've done versions of this run dozens of times in recent years and always expect to pant my way up the final climbs, but yesterday for reasons I do not understand I was able to accelerate all the way home.