Running on Eddie: Pilot Peak

Monday, January 2, 2017

Leppy Canyon / West Wendover / Pilot Peak Trail Run

Introduction

This past weekend for New Years, I headed out west for a weekend getaway across the state line. If you've read my blog at all, you know I like to explore the canyons north of the city. There are plenty of ATV trails out there and you basically find one and keep running on it.

I had time to kill on the morning of New Year's Eve and I had brought some running supplies. I had overslept but I managed to down a Power Bar, fill my canteen with 28 ounces of Tailwind and head out the door.

For the past few days the northern Utah / Nevada area had been banked with heavy fog. I had thought about heading south of town and just running along the side of the road, but my fear of getting hit by a speeding car in the fog made me head north.

I was a little nervous about heading north. With the heavy fog I was a little worried about getting lost. The trail is pretty well defined, but it helps to have landmarks and once you get a few miles north of town and nestled in the canyon, you lose cell reception.

However, once I got about 3 miles outside of town the fog lifted and it was as if I was running on a spring day. While the temperature was still freezing and I had nothing on but a windbreaker and shorts, I was at least a little warmer on account it was sunny. It was as if I had entered into an entirely new area. Of course, I had gained over 1000 feet of elevation, but it was definitely nicer out.

You can follow the route I took here.

I was on familiar ground for the first 5 or 6 miles, but it was nice to take it a little further and see what else was out there. I also managed to get a few pictures of Pilot Peak, which was stunning.

Finally on the way back I was running back into the fog and low and behold in front of me was a parked car, right in the middle of the trail. Anything can happen out in the desert and I hadn't seen anyone, so I was a little concerned. Normally I see nobody and that whole area can be a bit iffy. Luckily the guy was doing something with his trunk... hopefully not dumping. But it was suspicious. I gave him a quick hello and he seemed startled but not overly concerned by my presence. Just odd.

Either way, I took a bunch of pictures...

Saturday, December 10, 2016

This Week in Running 12/4 - 12/10 - Plus Desert Run

Merry Christmas Everyone

Day	Mileage / Workout	Comments
Sunday	5	All easy today
Monday	6	8 x .25M in 1:53 with .07 mile jog.
Tuesday	Off	Another medium paced run with a few miles at tempo pace
Wednesday	7	All Easy
Thursday	6	Nice effort for a chilly night
Friday	Off	Easy on a cold night.
Saturday	8	Run through the icy desert
Total miles for the week: 32; YTD: 2101.5

Week's Summary

Despite not running a lot of miles I did get a few good workouts. On Monday, I wound up doing some speed work -- much needed. I remember being able to run quarters in about 1:20-ish. Now, I have to really work to go sub 1:50. Weight gain, age, altitude all play a factor as to why I can't do those numbers. Also, most of my training has been long distance specific, so speed hasn't been on my priority list.

Sunday morning sunrise

With the cooler weather, I also managed to put down several medium efforts -- or shall I see medium plus. They were definitely workouts and I was definitely pushing the pace. With no major marathons on the near, for-sure horizon, I can dial back the overall mileage (a bit) and try to get some quality workouts.

Desert Run

This past weekend, the fine folks in Wendover sent me a free hotel pass. Looking for something to do, we took them up on the effort and on Friday night we slipped off into the desert and did a night of gambling and eating. Yes, I did abuse myself at the buffet but how can you not when crab legs are involved?

Either way, I figured we'd be heading out west and I had been studying various trails using Google Maps (satellite) and figuring out where I could drive, park the car and not get myself into too much trouble. I've pretty much run through everything in the city limits and I wanted something new.

So on Saturday morning I groggily woke up early and decided I was going to find a trail out near Pilot Peak, which is a beautiful mountain that can't be missed when you approach Nevada Utah. The mountain itself is in Nevada.

I wound up driving about 12 miles west of Wendover and took the Pilot Peak Road exit. I had plans of driving about 8 miles north on the road. According to Google Maps I should've found an ATV trail that was 3 miles out and back to the base of the mountain.

Well, as soon I got off the freeway and made my turn onto Pilot Peak Road, my car spun out. I was not going fast at all but I realized the dirt road had a heavy sheet of ice on it. The Utah / Nevada border was foggy with no rain, but once I crossed into the Pacific Time Zone, it was like a whole other weather system.

I was NOT going to drive on that. I have crappy tires and I just didn't want to wind up in a ditch, on a cold, rainy, miserable day (I am pretty sure I still had cell connection, though).

There is a Nevada historical marker at the exit and I wound up parking my car in the lot there. I tried to run on the road, but even for running, the footing was awful. I wound up running about 4 miles out and back along the crest of the ditch. It was not easy going but it was fun and different.

The cows in the field certainly haven't seen humans before and as I approached them, even from a distance, they looked at me as if to say "WTF are you doing out here?" They scurried away like mice.

The road is lightly trafficked. I probably saw half a dozen cars. I waved at most and everyone gave me a look like, "Dude, what are you doing out here". It was raining, snowing, cold and here I am running along this crappy road that no one goes on.

I wish the views had been better. Pilot Peak is definitely worth checking out.

At the turn around I did come along a double-wide graveyard of sorts. People really abuse the desert and it is sort of sad. I probably saw at least 50 beer bottles just thrown into the weeds, tires, and other car parts. It just sort of marred the whole experience.

While this run may not have been spectacular, it was memorable. 99% of the time I run the same route -- day in and day out. Running something new -- even in miserable conditions -- can make a permanent memory.