Running through September

       It is to say that I ran most of the way through September...  After my Vibram Five-Fingers were ripped to shreds in Spain (after only 3 1/2 months use?!) I was overjoyed to return home to a pair of running shoes.

       The weekend following our return to the States was the weekend of the Dupont Waterfall Bonanza!  Neither myself nor Melissa had been training to run much of anything, but after spending a week in Quetico Provincial Park paddling and portaging for up to ten hours a day, we felt adequately prepared to take on the 10 mile option in the beautiful Dupont State Forest.

       The day before, however, we decided to camp out in Pisgah National Forest.  After an afternoon thunderstorm passed I decided to do a time trial up and down the Looking Glass Rock Trail.  After a few months in which injury loomed over me and Vibram Five-Fingers were my only choice for running shoes, it felt absolutely incredible to soar down the side of the hill.  My finishing time was right at 1 hour and 2 minutes for the 6.2 mile up and back.

Looking Glass Rock

       The Waterfall Bonanza the following day was a blast.  As usual its always great to get together with the old friends and new of the WNC Trailrunner crew, and of course to swim in waterfalls.  On this run Melissa almost doubled her longest run distance!  Incredible woman, she is!

Enjoying the Dupont run with Charles and Lily

     After getting such lovely runs under my shoes early in the month, it only made sense that I would keep pushing myself to explore more trails and log more time on my feet.   Unfortunately, after spending many sunrises running with Luna on the Shut-in Trail and several other great runs, I was poised to meet certain disaster...  I can't say that I didn't see it coming after going from zero miles (running) a week for the last three weeks to a week of 45 and a week of 40.  Sometimes its just tough to control your natural instinct when the world is just becoming increasingly beautiful and fall weather is knocking on the doors of your imagination.

Always in good company.

     Needless to say, the IT-Band aggravation that occurred left me unable to run for an undefined amount of time.