Soaking up mountain trail running!

After the best night's sleep in 4 weeks, (hotel/first night away from newborn daughter, Avery) I was up and lively as I drove into the Arboretum / Ponhatan Lake trails along Bent Creek in Asheville. I remembered this spot from a time earlier. Having gotten lost last visit, I decided I would keep this run to "out and backs" to make sure I avoided being lost again.

The first trail lead me up a mountain, where I climbed 20 mintues before turning arounud to come back down. I approached a summit, not sure it was THE summit, but set off back feeling pretty good about the climb where I kept the pace easy and light.

Approaching the bottom in a cumulative time of approximatley 35 minutes, I decided to set off and run a lap around the lake to bring me to a close in the mid 40's - time wise.

Again, the setting was awesome, weather perfect, and the trails were a treat. Sure makes me miss what I had every day when I was running for Appalachian State University!

Miles: > 6
Time: 46.20
Pace: 7:45-50ish

Asheville, NC - Bent Creek / Arboretum

Passing through Asheville from my trip to Knoxville, I drove into the section of the Pisgah National Forest that is wedged between the convergence of I-26/I-40, and parked off Bent Creek Road at a trail entrance. The weather was probably around 80, sunny, and low humidity (compared to Charlotte). I asked a guy who had just gotten back from a run, if he knew how I could get in 6 miles, and he gave me directions for a 6 mile loop he knew off the top of his head. I paid close attention, and decided to try that instead of doing an out and back. Realizing there are more than 50 miles of trails back in the forest, I hoped I wouldn't get lost.

The first two miles were up hill, but nothing too steep. It was a great workout running uphill, and the trails were great for running. I found the place where he said I turn, and from there the run went down hill for at least a mile. This lead me to the NC Arboretum, where I passed through a gate and started running along some river. Here the trail stayed relativley flat, and I got stung by a beer on my thumb.

After being stung, I piced the pace up - and was really feeling pretty good. I started to loose my barings here, and ended up at a parking lot entrance that I wasn't so sure what it was. I started running up one trail, back down it when I wasnt sure, back up it when I second guessed my self, then back down when he kept ascending and ascending. Once I got back to the parking lot I had run just around an hour, and from my effort I would say it was easily over 8 miles.

Here I found a nice lady who was leaving, and I was able to get a ride back to my car. I told her I was turned around and had run longer than I had planned, and needed a ride back to my car. She was nice, and it was fun to hitch-hike!

Great mountain trail running, good uphill workout, and good quick pace through out 2-3 miles of it.

Time: hour
Miles:8 +
Effort: Hill workout / Tempo