A New Trail to Run

This weekend was a planned long run. Since I had decided to go long on Saturday, I skipped my run on Friday. Well, not because of that, but because I was waiting at home for the new refrigerator to show up. The delivery crew gave me a window of between 4 and 7 but 7 came and went. Finally about 9:15PM, they arrived (long day for them). After getting it in the door and all hooked up, I was able to get to bed closer to 10:30 to 11. Oh well, up by 5:30 to run.

I decided to try a new bike trail run that starts in Pewaukee and goes out toward Delafield. I saw in on some mapping websites I go to and just was curious how it was. It is called the Lake Country Recreational Trail. I got to the trail head at about 6:30 and was surprised to see that is was paved. Nice for bikers but disappointing for a runner but it will do. I took off toward Delafield at an easy pace and enjoyed the new scenery.

After 4 miles, the trail went to crushed limestone for awhile and it went through NAG-Waukee Golf Course. Up until this point, I thought this would be a good trail to bike on with my girls but along the edge of the golf course, the trail was just gravel and seemed poor for biking and just OK for running. A large hill was through the gold course to add to the challenge.

After NAGA-Waukee Park, the trail was paved again all the way to Delafield. I got to the end of the trail at 7.3 miles in. I didn't want to run only 14.6 miles so I had planned more miles. I ran to Genessee St. and across I-94 toward Lapham Peak Park. This is the park where the Trailbreaker Marathon turns around right at the top of the observation tower. Sounds like a good place for me to turn around this time so up the road I ran and climbed the 250 feet to the tower and then the 40 feet to the top. It was just over 10 miles to the tower.

After a minute of looking at the views from the highest point in the area and the local lakes all around, I was off back to my car. I was at 9:16 average pace at the tower, most gained in the last 250 feet climb in the last mile but I picked it up a little on the way back. It was cloudy so the temps stayed around 45 to 50 without the sun. With 4 miles to go, i picked it up more and was able to end the run at an average of 9:03, an under 4 hour marathon pace for just over 20 miles. I was good with this.

So the morning was good and the run was good. The afternoon was not as good. I was grocery shopping when I reached for something on the shelf. I hadn't even touched it yet when my back twinged and tightened up. UUGGHH!!! For no reason (that I know of) my back just goes out. I wasn't even lifting anything, just reaching a little over and BAM! Since this was Saturday, my Chiropractor was not in. I stretched and iced but still no luck. What a pain in the . . . well . . .back side.

Funny how someone can run 20 miles in the morning and then simply reach for something and that is what takes him out.

No improvement this Sunday morning or evening so I will call early Monday for an appointment, hopefully the Dr. is in. Most likely a couple days off of running for this but I have gone through it before and after a couple adjustments and I will be fine.

I also passed 500 miles for the year during the run, coincidentally right about half way in the run near the tower.

Keep on Running!!!