20.55 Pemberton Trail

So here's the good, the bad, and the ugly of the 20 on Pemberton Trail:

The Good:

- Pemberton Trail and the McDowell Mountain Park are amazing. Kudos to Arizona for operating a place like that. The trail is well marked, well groomed and a pleasure to run on...for the most part. There were a few spots with mid-sized, loose rocks, but the trail is 15.4 miles long, so I can't complain.

- I'm made for trails. I'm slow, but I have a lot of power and I cruised through this run. Sure, it didn't hurt that I had the right mix of fluids and fuels to accompany me on the run, but trails are great!!!

- Damien the dog. About halfway into the run, Brice and I found ourselves being followed and then passed by a beautiful Alaskan Malamute with blue eyes and he was probably about 3 years old. He ran with us for about 8 miles with an effortless gate gait that could have supported him for about 30 more miles without trouble. I watched him run (because he was in front the entire time) and I did my best to mimic his running style...as best I could on two feet.

- One more long run and then the Marathon. I think that my motivation for running is coming back.

- From what I can see Mountain Bikers are a heck of a lot cooler than Road Cyclists. We all shared the trails well, they were quick to say hello, and they seemed to be happier than their asphalt riding cousins.

The Bad:

- Brice, who is arguably the better runner of the two of us, had a nasty run. I'm guessing that it was a combination of things: he's getting over a cold; he only had on a short sleeve shirt and it was probably 38 degrees at the start of our run; and I'm not sold that the gatorade/water combo for a 20 mile run is ideal. We have one more 20 to do and we'll see how it works out.

The Ugly:

- I had a blister issue after the run. I'm guessing that the change in terrain caused hot spots on my feet. I didn't feel them at all during the run, but when I took my shoes and socks off I had one on my heel and another on my middle toe. They are nasty, and ugly too. I took a photo with the thought that I'd post it, but it really is nasty. So I'll pass on the photos this time.

Less than a month to the marathon. OMG!! Panic, shortness of breath, shudder.

Now get back to work...