stomper
Guest
Another X-dog event today. This time, about 6 miles starting and ending at Timberline Lodge (you know, like that hotel in the Shining?). Did it barefoot. As usual despite the challenging surfaces it was my fitness that held me back more than my feet.
Boy Mt. Hood is large. The course: Down a road, then up a ski lift line. And up. And up. And up. Surfaces vary: pumice (very comfy), loose volcanic rock, snow. Now above the treeline onto the mountain. Up ,and up, and up. Most people walk all this uphill at various speeds... it isn't runnable for me or anyone within my sight lines (though the leaders are doing it). After peaking, the rest of the course zigzags down the mountain back to the start using trails, snowfields and ski trails, and random slopes of rock and pumice. The snow is actually fairly easy to run on: it is soft and deep but in that big granular crunchy stage. I often sink in above my knees, but as long as I keep picking up my feet it is fine. The feet get a bit chilled, but warm up again when I am back on the sunny pumice. The best part is that the high-altitude summer ski area is open and the race course crosses working ski trails again and again; at least one snowboarder wipes out when he does a double take at me.
I get high fives from a few more. Then I'm relieved to see the finish line and get in line for beer.
Boy Mt. Hood is large. The course: Down a road, then up a ski lift line. And up. And up. And up. Surfaces vary: pumice (very comfy), loose volcanic rock, snow. Now above the treeline onto the mountain. Up ,and up, and up. Most people walk all this uphill at various speeds... it isn't runnable for me or anyone within my sight lines (though the leaders are doing it). After peaking, the rest of the course zigzags down the mountain back to the start using trails, snowfields and ski trails, and random slopes of rock and pumice. The snow is actually fairly easy to run on: it is soft and deep but in that big granular crunchy stage. I often sink in above my knees, but as long as I keep picking up my feet it is fine. The feet get a bit chilled, but warm up again when I am back on the sunny pumice. The best part is that the high-altitude summer ski area is open and the race course crosses working ski trails again and again; at least one snowboarder wipes out when he does a double take at me.
I get high fives from a few more. Then I'm relieved to see the finish line and get in line for beer.