Tenacious Ten 2018

I'm joining Hoho Runs and Taking the Long Way Home's Weekly Wrap linkup to recap my Tenacious Ten race. Still having occasional knee pain, but it seems like it's getting better. Maybe I'll bring back weekly training recaps in May. But first, the race....

Free race photos! Almost all photos below from Flashframe

The Tenacious Ten took place Saturday, April 21 at 8:00am in Seattle. There were two distances: 10k and 10 miler. I ran the 10k. [Race website]

I ran it last year and had a blast touring Seattle, so I knew I'd be back. This year I'm a team leader for Oiselle Volée Montana, so I knew I'd have at least 8 team members to meet up with throughout the weekend. I also saw some East Coast friends and finally met online buddies in real life, so it was a nice, social weekend.

Night Before 
Packet pickup took place at the Watertown Hotel in the University District. We thought about staying at the host hotel, but had our dog and car with us, so we opted for an Airbnb in South Lake Union with free pets and parking (and an awesome location). We grabbed our packets, then sat down for a pre-race talk with Lauren Fleshman (!!). She was wonderful. She talked about race prep and visualization, then answered audience questions. I came out of it with an even greater appreciation for her.

Afterwards, we walked to Trader Joe's for dinner fixings and back to our Airbnb to make pasta and relax. We had a 6am wakeup the following morning and I (as always) had a hard time falling asleep.

Montana Oiselle team members. It was really windy and chilly at 7:15

Pre Race
We woke up easily, ate, got dressed, and grabbed the car to drive to Gas Works Park. We figured we'd have a hard time finding parking, but lucked out and got the third to last spot in the lot. I met the other Montana Oiselle ladies for a photo at 7:15, checked our gear, took one last bathroom stop, and headed to the start line to listen to the National Anthem.

Look! It's my new friend Lauren Fleshman pacing the 7:00 group.

Goals
Everyone I knew had different goals for the race, so I figured I'd run alone and see how it went. I had a few loose goals in my mind:
A. Great day: 8:30 pace or better
B. Decent day: New PR (under 53:41, 8:38/mi)
C. No C goal. I finished Run to the Pub in 53:40 with limited training, at elevation, and with a few miles in traffic, so I figured I wouldn't do worse at sea level unless my knee started hurting.

The Race
I lined up well behind the 8:00 pacer. I only saw four pacers: 7:00, 7:30, 8:00, and 9:39 (hour 10k). I plugged in my headphones, hit start on my podcast, and ran. People passed me at the beginning, as always. But I tried to keep my head down and maintain a decent pace.

I am not in this photo either, but Kara Goucher is! (She won the 10 miler.)

About three or four minutes into the race my teammate Megan caught up to me. I assumed she was gunning for some crazy pace, so I didn't expect to stick with her, but after a few minutes of chatting I realized she wasn't going anywhere. I didn't want to slow her down, but she made it apparent she was fine. We talked for the first mile about the race and Bozeman stuff (she's the reason I joined a gym class here), and I found myself talking while running up two hills–something I could never do last year. Maybe my "altitude training" is finally paying off!
Miles 1, 2: 9:04, 8:51

The sun was out and buildings were blocking the breeze, so it seemed like the weather warmed up a lot. I was so relieved I wore shorts instead of capris. I took off my arm warmers between 3 and 4. I figured we'd take it easy and chat the whole way, but suddenly we were talking less and running faster. I was working hard, but not dead. Imagine my surprise when I saw our mile times!
Miles 3, 4:  8:18, 8:14

I know I was tired in mile 5 and kept wondering if I wouldn't be able to keep up. I tried to stick with her. We got a much needed surge of energy from the water stop volunteers as we climbed a small, but consistent hill. I told Megan there would probably be a cameraman after the bridge and she was ready to smile. She surprised me by jumping in the photo and it was nice to have something else to focus on for a bit!

Wheeeee!

I was really tired after the bridge and knew we still had about a mile. BUT I wasn't as tired as I've been in past races and I was able to tell myself the end was only 9 minutes away. We ran downhill (yay) toward the park and I was still with her. She may have slowed down. Honestly, she probably did and I appreciate it because if I wasn't running with her I may have convinced myself to walk or slow down. When we made the final turn I told her to run up ahead, but still attempted to sprint it in.
Miles 5, 6, final .2:  8:08, 8:06, 7:50

I'm not a fan of photos taken from below lol

Post Race
We crossed the line and found Alex, then went our separate ways to grab post-race goodies. There were giant donuts from Top Pot, Picky Bar and Oat samples, Clif bars, flavored water, massages, etc. It was a really nice selection of vendors. The weather could not have been better (ok maybe less wind on the lake). Such a lovely day for a run!

Stats and Final Thoughts

Cowbell time!

I technically PR'd, but Strava won't count it because my Garmin said 6.18. Boo! I had Garmin issues last year, so maybe I needed to connect my watch sooner. #cityproblems

Anyway, wahoo PR!

Final Time: 51:57  (8:21/mi)
Overall: 144/677 (21%)
Gender: 106/577 (18%)
Age Group: 21/104 (20%)

I cannot believe I ran miles under 8:20 in a 10k and I don't even consider myself in "top shape." I still need to work on leaving it all out there because as soon as we crossed the finish I had energy. My legs were more tired than normal, but that could have been because of our 10 hour car ride or the hills. I'm not sure if altitude-to-sea-level worked it's magic, if I'm in better shape, or if it's a combination of the two, but it sure is a confidence boost after the last seven months of pain! My knee still hurts sometimes, but it didn't bother me during the race. Another win.

Next up: Cap City Half Marathon next week in Columbus. I took over someone's entry and found a cheap flight, so I figured I'd run a race and visit friends and family. This will be my first time home in almost a year! Not sure why I decided to run a half, but we'll see how it goes. I can finish it, but I don't think it'll be a PR. Bummer!

(Late) Race Recap: River of No Return 25k

Beautiful scenery in Challis, ID This is a real photo I TOOK from the race!

This recap is a long time coming. I almost skipped it since I'd waited so long, but once I started writing I realized I remembered more than I anticipated!

The River of No Return 25k took place Saturday, June 17, 2017 at 8:00am in Challis, Idaho. This race happened during Birdcamp Idaho, so when the camp organizer asked if we wanted to run I said yes. I agreed back in March, when I assumed I'd be a proficient Montana trail runner by June. (haha)

Pre Race
Packet pickup was the night before and included a chat from the race director, some course instructions, and a big info session for the [crazy] people running the 108k. Birdcampers went as a group, grabbed our bibs and swag, then went back to camp to prepare.

Packet pickup team photo

Oh man, I almost forgot: the night before the race we went to bed around 10:00 and at 11:00 – just as I was finally falling asleep – one of the campers screamed. Like a "there's a killer on the loose and he's standing next to my bed" scream. Turns out she does this a lot at home. Everything turned out ok: she was reassured nothing was wrong, then she passed back out (the next day she said she barely remembered it). Oh man, it was terrifying for the rest of us! My heart did not stop racing for at least an hour. Whew!

Birdcamp racers (minus the 108k-ers)

Anyway! We got to the start line early, went to the bathroom a million times, I changed my outfit (didn't know how my singlet would work with my new-ish hydration pack), and finally it was time to go. I cannot remember the last time I was so nervous before a race.

I was really nervous in this photo. Hiding it really well. Ha!

Goals
Did I mention this was my longest run ever? Like, including training (which was mostly non-existent because I couldn't find a good training plan for a hilly 25k).

When we signed up for the race I thought I could do it in under 3 hours, but quickly realized that would only be possible on a flat trail. Alex and I did a crazy steep hike a few weeks before and mile times were in the 20s, so I adjusted my goal to under 4 hours. My plan: hike up, roll down. It became my mantra.

Race
The race started on the road, then merged onto a gravel trail leading to the park where you began the major ascent. This trail was flatter than I expected and soon I was passing Oiselle teammates and feeling really strong. My plan was to take this section easy, but keep my pace quick-ish to bank time for the climb. According to the elevation chart, the main climb would begin at 3 or 3.5. I passed mile 3 and man, I felt great and in control. In fact, I felt really good until halfway through mile 4.
Miles 1-4: 10:06, 9:41, 9:49, 14:02

Feeling good

I ate a gel during my second or third walk break. I was already too hungry: something I'd been having a problem with on trail runs at this point in my training. Nothing filled me up and I walked a lot. Luckily, everyone did. But somewhere around mile 5 or 6 (it's all blurry) I started to get passed by all those Oiselle teammates I'd pass. Just to be clear: a lot of these ladies are experienced runners and I was fully prepared to finish after them, but I was kind of bummed my mile 1-3 high didn't last longer. I quickly realized I'm not good at power hiking up an insane hill. They were tired, but I was struggling. Each one said something encouraging as they passed. I appreciated it!

Miles 5 thru 7 were really difficult. At one point I noticed my hands swelling. I kept drinking water, but I needed salt. Luckily, I'd packed pretzels at the last minute, but they didn't kick in for a while. I ambled up the hill. It was getting really hot in the full sun and I was exhausted. I just needed to make it to the aid station and then it was all downhill! I was getting passed a lot, but I was more worried about survival than my overall place. It was hot, it was hard. I was dead. BUT I knew I could do it. I knew I'd be fine once I hit the aid station.

This was during one of the hardest parts of the climb. I had to STOP, so I took a photo. 

Mile 8 lead to the aid station and it was relatively flat. It was so nice to run again! It was also an out-and-back so I began to see race leaders and Oiselle teammates. I made it to the aid station and a volunteer took my pack and filled it with Tailwind. I grabbed M&Ms, Lays, and more pretzels. I scarfed a few snacks then stored the rest for later (advice: bring a ziploc bag. It was a lifesaver!). I chilled at the aid station for about 5 minutes, regaining my strength. Obviously, I wasn't worried about time!
Miles 5-9: 21:34, 19:54, 28:19 (clearly dying), 15:04, 16:54 (aid station)

Perfect course elevation: finish on a downhill

I felt like a new person after the aid station. The tough stuff was behind me! I can do downhills! My food had finally caught up with me and the Tailwind was giving me power. I was strong again. I passed some people, I made up some time. I also tripped a lot because this part of the course was basically just loose rock on a cliff, but I didn't die, so I kept running. I wasn't flying, but it still felt great. (I truly believe walking far is harder than running far.) Those last miles felt a little lonely because everyone was so spread out, but I was having a blast.
Miles 10-12: 11:57, 11:39, 13:56 (unstable ground)

Back on asphalt, loving life

Finally, we got back to the main road that lead into town. It was nice to be back on asphalt. Deep down, I think I'm still more comfortable road running. I kicked up my pace and ended up passing a few people in the last two miles. And when I came down Main Street and saw non-racing Oiselle teammates cheering up ahead, I picked up my pace a little more to take the final turn into the finish.
Final miles: 9:30, 8:36, 8:30

Best race photo of my life

Thoughts and Stats
Unlike any road half marathon I've run, there wasn't a point of "why do I do this?" or "I'm dying." Even when I actually was almost dying (dramatic, much?) on that full-sun climb from hell, I'd turn around and look down at the trail. I looked at where I'd come from and took a few pictures of the beautiful view, then straightened up and got back to work. THAT was a cool new feeling. "Once I make it through this part, the rest is easy." (And fun.)

Final Time: 3:22:03
Overall: 64 / 111
Gender: 43 / 75

I had two beers

I'd do this race again in a heartbeat. I know that climb is going to suck. Even now, I'm probably remembering it wrong because I'm telling myself it'll be easier next time. I'll be a little faster next year and maybe more prepared (especially my nutrition), but honestly, it'll probably still suck a little bit and it will most definitely be hard.

Yellowstone National Park: West Side

West Thumb, Yellowstone Lake

Last week, Alex and I took his parents to Yellowstone National Park during their visit to Bozeman. This was my second time (it's been a while), but their first.

We left the house a little after 8:00am and arrived before 10. We went through the West Yellowstone entrance (map) and got in free with Alex's dad's lifetime senior pass (!). There was a huge line into the park, but we bypassed a large chunk with the pass. Unfortunately, the huge lines hardly subsided the entire day. Yellowstone's visitor numbers have doubled over the past few years and July is the busiest month. We tried to skip some of the traffic choosing a Monday, but it didn't work. If I had one complaint it would be the number of people in the park. Alas, Yellowstone can't help it.

Line of cars on the left, people on the right

Traffic was pretty slow, but we made our way to Fountain Paint Pot first. Like a true weirdo, I looooove the smell of sulphur so this was a great first stop.

At Fountain Patin Pot

Afterwards, we drove to Old Faithful. It took eons to find a parking spot. It was hell. I think Alex made up a spot between RVs. Luckily, we saw Old Faithful erupt pretty soon after arriving.

This was the first eruption. The second one was bigger.

Alex and I took a short hike around the geyser, then we all went to the visitor center (where I bought glasses for the eclipse). Next, we went to the lodge for lunch. We sat on the balcony and saw the geyser go off a second time. We were near Old Faithful for about two hours.

West Thumb, Yellowstone Lake

Post-lunch and Old Faithful the group was fading. We knew we wanted to see Yellowstone Lake so we visited West Thumb. It was beautiful! Alex's parents were still getting used to the elevation, so I think we choose the right trails. Nothing too crazy.

West Thumb, Yellowstone Lake

Unfortunately, we didn't have much time for the rest of the park, so we began the drive back through the West Yellowstone exit... along with everyone else in the park.

West Thumb, Yellowstone Lake

Lesson Learned:
If we had it to do over again we wouldn't go in July (ha!) but, honestly, we'd go much earlier in the day OR come late, stay in the park (camping or in a lodge) and get out and about very early the next day. We'd also come in through one entrance and leave through another to cover more ground.

Yellowstone is beautiful and I'm excited that it's so close. We will return, but maybe not until September...

Bird Camp Idaho

Partial group shot from our first trail run

Welcome to another Weekly Review post with Hoho Runs and MissSippiPiddlin! I took off a few days from training then went to Birdcamp, so I thought I'd revisit what we did last week.

June 12–June 18
Total Run: 24 miles / 4,377 ft
Total Hike: 3.6 miles / 850 ft

What is Bird Camp? 

First things first, Bird Camp is a women-only running camp through Oiselle. Only current Volée members have access to Bird Camp. There are several across the United States with accommodations for 20 to 150 women. I went to Bird Camp Michigan last year where the focus was sand dunes and wine tours. It was beautiful and my Volée membership finally made sense. (In real life meetings are where it's at.) 

In our Bird Camp shirts

I figured I'd go to Michigan again, but when we decided to move to Bozeman I signed up for Idaho Bird Camp, which is unofficially known as the trail running camp. The run/hikes were steep and in high altitude, but I can confidently say that all levels are welcome. There was a race option as well. The River of No Return Endurance Run had a 25k, 50k, and 108k option. I chose to run the 25k and didn't know what to expect. 

Living Waters Ranch

When and Where

Idaho Bird Camp took place Wednesday, June 14 thru Sunday, June 18 at Living Waters Ranch in Challis, Idaho. Challis is pretty remote, so many folks flew into Salt Lake, Boise, or Sun Valley. From Bozeman it's about a 5.5 hour drive, but I ended up going to Missoula (3 hours away) to meet up with other Montana ladies to ride the rest of the way with them. It was really nice to have 3 friends right off the bat! 

Daily Activities

Wednesday:
Check in, a light dinner, introductions, and a tour of the campgroups. Our camp swag bag included a high quality Oiselle backpack/tote, Lux layer Bird Camp shirt, Stance socks, Nuun, a trucker hat, Hank Orange headband, Blue Rub anti chafe stick, Picky Bars, and some things I'm probably forgetting. It was a great spread.    

Water crossing #1 on the Juliette Creek Trail

Thursday:
Breakfast was at 7, then most of us suited up for a trail run at Juliette Creek. (Four of the more advanced ladies went to mark and scout a snowy section of trail along the River of No Return 108k course.) The Juliette Creek trail was also part of the 108k course and included 4 or 5 river crossings over high water with a strong current. There were ropes to help us cross and the water was freeeeeezing. After 4.7 miles we went up and down 1,257 feet. 

Bayhorse Lake

Afterwards, we drove up to Bayhorse Lake for a photo stop. Last year, the lake wasn't snowy so they were able to run around and even jump in the water. Way too cold for that! My group took the downtime between the lake and lunch to stock up on groceries. 

Goldbug infinity pool

After lunch, we took a long ride out to Goldbug Hot Springs in Elk Bend. It was about 35 miles from Challis, but soooo worth the drive and steep-steep-steep hike. I don't think we were mentally prepared for a hot hike, but the view from the hot spring pool was amazing. The water felt fantastic and it was a great break before the hike down. 

Part of the pizza party

The night ended with dinner at a pizza place in Challis. I was beat by bedtime! 

Up the camp road

Friday:
Another 7am breakfast and folks divided into groups for the morning's activities. I went on a shakeout run with about 8 or so others. We ran up the road closest to camp and it was deceptive. It looked flat, but it turned out to be a slight incline. We walked a bit and socialized in the middle, but it was a great workout and I began to appreciate my Bozeman training. I think it would have been very difficult to run this route with Ohio lungs. 

I watched as they did the work.

Before lunch, one of the Idaho Volée leaders led an hour-long yoga class. I considered joining, but decided to lay in the room and relax instead. The yoga class was fantastic and the music was amazing. (I would take her class in a heartbeat if I lived in Idaho.) Post yoga lunch was nice, then a nutritionist came to give a talk. She had us go around and introduce ourselves and ask one nutrition question, then she touched on the answers throughout her talk. It all came in handy during the race the next day. At 6pm we went to the race briefing and packet pickup. I was really starting to get nervous about the 25k, but at least our course was easier than the 108k. No snow or water crossings for us! 

Birdstike film: watch the trailer

After the race meeting (or was it before?) we got to watch the short film from Oiselle and Polartec called Birdstrike. I highly recommend it. It was great to get a bit of inside info from one of the crew members (and all-around awesome woman). I only wish the film was longer! Post-movie we were able to touch and try on some clothes and gear from Oiselle's latest line. I wish we could see fall and spring previews, but I'll take what I can get. ;) 

Almost all of the racers

Saturday:

I didn't get great sleep on Friday night, so waking up for the race on Saturday was a bit of a challenge. I was still very nervous, but at least my race morning went smoothly. I'll do a longer recap once race photos are up, but here's a spoiler: it was really hard from mile 4-7, but then I felt fantastic. I was afraid of not being able to handle it or taking too long, but now that I look back I wish I would have run faster. Ha! Isn't that always the case?

I think this was before... when I was still nervous. ;)

Post-race we hung around for the taco bar, beer, and age group awards then went back to camp for showers and lunch. Most of us went to the local brewery for a little while, then killed more time at camp before dinner. Around 10 or 11pm we went to the last aid station on the 108k course (right outside of our camp) to wait for one of our members to finish her race. It was really great to be there to cheer for her and a few other runners who came through. That aid station was 5 miles from the end, so anyone coming through knew they were going to finish. Very exciting! 

The Montana Volée memers

Sunday:

One last breakfast and then we said our goodbyes. I rode with the other Montana ladies until Missoula, then rocked out to loud music on my way back to Bozeman. Until next year!

Summary:

I'd go back to Idaho in a heartbeat. I loved Michigan Bird Camp (and would also go there again), but I'm not sure if it was the slightly smaller group, the extra half day, or the West Coast personalities (ha!), but I felt like I made more lasting connections with the ladies in Idaho. (Don't worry: I made a few magical friendships in Michigan!) In the end, the scenery was fantastic, the runs were confidence builders, and, ultimately, the company made Idaho Bird Camp amazing. 

Have you gone to camp as an adult?

Have you been to Idaho or run a race with crazy elevation?

Week 5: July 11-17 Hiking the Smokies

Happy Monday! I'm linking up with Hoho Runs and MissSippiPiddlin for another weekly review. Read more about my fall goal race and training plan here. 

Week of July 11-July 17
Monday: hike 9 miles (3,894 ft loss)
Tuesday: hike 6.3 miles (796 ft loss; 682 ft gain)
Wednesday: hike 10 miles (2,504 ft gain)
Thursday: hike 5.2 miles (1,286 ft gain)
Friday: off (travel)
Saturday: run 5 miles
Sunday: rest

Weekly Miles: 30 hiking miles, 5 run miles
2016 Total Running Miles: 526.8 mi

Our route over 3.5 days. [click image to enlarge]

This week was all about hiking and camping. Be warned: there are lots of maps and photos below!
We arrived in Pigeon Forge Sunday, spent the night in a hotel (and went to a brewery), then set off for Smokey Mountain National Park on Monday morning. We got a late start because Alex wanted to swim after breakfast and we each took one last shower. We parked at Clingman's Dome (the highest point in the park), strapped on our gear, took some photos, and headed down the trail.

Day 1

Day 1 [interactive map on Strava]

Monday's hike was all downhill (6,316ft to 2,415ft) on the rocky and technical Forney Creek Trail. I've backpacked the Smokies once before on the same trail, but we stopped at campsite 68 (about halfway) and only spent one night.  Huge difference: I wasn't a "real" runner yet (I ran about 1-2 miles per run), was very out of shape, and didn't understand nutrition and hydration so I was super tired almost immediately. This time I felt good.

*shakes fist at stream*

What I learned on Monday: I suck at technical stream crossings. We took a break to eat and drink about halfway, then had forced stops for seven significant stream crossings. It must have rained recently because the water was high and the crossings were tough. By crossing #4 I was over it and hollering, "if we have one more crossing I'm going to DIE!!!" I tried crossing without shoes (ouch ouch ouch, my feet are too delicate), with shoes (they got soaked), and by crossing 7 I still hated it but I was getting better at hopping from rock to rock with my giant backpack and trekking poles.

Enjoying the fire

By the time we arrived at camp I was thankful we wouldn't have any more difficult crossings for the rest of the trip! Monday's campsite was on the creek and we were all alone. I set up camp while Alex made dinner and a fire. All-in-all a great night, but I could tell I would be sore the next day.

Day 2

Day 2 [map on Strava]

Tuesday kicked off with breakfast (maybe I'll outline what we packed in a separate post?), then we set off down the Forney Creek Trail to hook up with the Bear Creek trail. Tuesday was the first time we were on horse trails and we saw some horseshoe prints (but no horses). There were two large stream crossings, but thankfully there were nice, solid bridges! We occasionally had to walk narrow planks to go over small streams, but they weren't too bad. We stopped for lunch on a bridge over a beautiful stream and arrived at camp early enough to read, relax, and do a little laundry. (Though the laundry did't dry quickly due to the humidity.) Once again, we were alone and it was lovely.

Day 2 was relaxing

What I learned Tuesday: have a recovery day on Day 2. I'm so thankful we had low milage after Monday's nearly 4,000 ft elevation loss. My legs (and back) were super sore. It was difficult to stand up from a sitting position and going downhill was painful.

Day 3

Day 3 [map on Strava]

Wednesday was our biggest day: higher miles and uphill climbs along the Bear Creek Trail, Welch Ridge Trail, and Appalachian Trail. The first two miles were pretty intense. We had to take breaks every 30 minutes and the weather was warmer and humid. (Overall, it was in the 70s every day, mainly due to the higher elevation.) Honestly, in the morning I was dreading this hike; my legs were still sore, but by the end of the day I knew I could have kept going. This is good to know for future trips. We kept our milage under 10/day in case I couldn't handle it, but I think I'm up for more milage in the future.

Oh yeah, we saw a bear! I heard a crack and we looked to the left to see a black mass running away. Alex figures it was about 100 feet away. I'm happy it didn't want anything to do with us...

Taking a break after a big uphill

What I learned Wednesday: I hate shelterhouses. We stayed in a shelterhouse along the Appalachian Trail on Wednesday. I wish we hadn't. The people were really nice, but I would have rather stayed at another lonely campsite. The shelter was full with about a dozen people. It's weird, too. There's a building with "beds" (wooded shelves for people, basically) and you can't put up your tent outside. Usually they have a bathroom, but this one didn't. I didn't want to socialize (I like being alone in the woods) and to make matters worse two men snored so loudly. People were tossing and turning and Alex and I only got 2 hours of sleep!! It was terrible!!! Alex isn't even a light sleeper and we both had earplugs and covered our heads with our laundry sacks. Also, what's the point of a building if it does't keep bugs and critters out? So, due to my newly discovered hatred of shelters, I don't really want to hike the Appalachian Trail unless I can find campsites.

Day 4

Day 4 [map on Strava]

Thursday was our final day (really a half day since we finished by noon). After our 2 hours of sleep, we made oats and coffee, packed up, and set off on our final 5 miles. It was a pretty steep climb, but the scenery was lovely. We went through patches of fir trees and ferns that looked like a fairy land. Near the top we had views of the mountains, though it started to get misty and foggy by the time we reached the car. We saw a few people along the trail, which was a first for this trip (I assume because we were close to a visitor's center and on the Appalachian Trail).

What I learned Thursday: I wish our trip was longer! By day 4 my legs were still sore, but feeling good. If I had it to do over again I would have stayed out there for at least 6 days.

After!

After the trip
Once we emerged from the woods, we went to the Gatlinburg strip for lunch and shopping. We checked into our inn, cleaned up, went to dinner, then vegged out while watching Unbroken. The bed and breakfast was nice, but I got 20 bug bites in the garden! (I got one on our hike!!) We drove home Friday, arriving in town after 6pm.

I'm the one in aqua.

I woke up early for my Saturday group run, but instead of joining the entire team I went to a new satellite location (new this season) and ran with a much smaller group of ~20 people. My friend Angie and I liked the change of scenery and we're going to go to the small group next weekend, too. It was nice to get some running miles on my legs. They were pretty tired after only 5 miles, but whatever: I ended up hiking more miles than I was supposed to run this week. All with a heavy pack on my back. ;)

Future follow ups
I'll have a few more posts about this trip including more photos and maybe a roundup of what to pack (including food). I learned a lot, but thankfully didn't overpack or forget anything!

Is there anything else I should cover about this trip? 
Do you have any Appalachian Trail or hiking goals? 
Do you ever plan trips during the week so you still have your weekend? ;) 
How was your week? I'm gonna catch up on blogs soon!