Promises

On Saturday, we met at MCP once again and had a short run out to the dam and back. As promised, I arrived with a free gift for everyone that showed up to both runs the previous week. As it turned out, only 2 of the 4 others were able to make it this week so Linda and Heather L., were the only ones who got their free travel size insect repellent spray. It's true this sort of thing would have come in handier last week but at least they'll be prepared for next time...yes, there will be a next time! :)


Another promise made good on from last week were the homemade chocolate chip cookies that Linda brought along. At some point during last week's craziness she was talking up her own cookies telling us how good they were and, of course, we gave her a hard time since we'd never actually tasted them...so she baked a batch and brought them along on Saturday. I think I'm still partial to my wife's recipe but these come a close second. Then again, I don't think I've ever had a chocolate chip cookie I didn't like!?!?

Ok, so with all that out of the way on to our run. With several parties planned later in the day and many folks needing to get out on time, we took off knowing we would be keeping it short and sweet (no pun intended...see cookies above!). We headed right into the trails at the first chance off the bike path and stayed there all the way to the boat house. Then we stayed on the bike path over the bridge and up to the power lines where we cut it in uphill and found our way back onto the trails. Eventually reaching the dam path, we tossed in a round of indian sprints on the straightaway out to the dam and then put in some hill sprints upon reaching it.

From there it was directly back to the parking lot. Checking the time as we started back and seeing it was getting late I decided to pick up the pace a bit and see who hung on. Nate, Fred, and I reached the bike path and turned around to see that we were by ourselves. Usually we all try and stick together and I was feeling a little guilty for darting ahead so I suggested we do push-ups until the rest of the group caught up. Thankfully, it wasn't long before everyone else showed up and we were all back together again. Since we were still trying to make up time we decided to stick to the bike path and take the most direct route back. It wasn't but a minute or two that we were all back together on the bike path that we saw Heather L., running towards us. She had showed up a little late and missed the group start but as luck would have it ran into us on the way back so was able to join us for half of her run anyway.

On the way back, as I said, we stuck mostly to the bike path until reaching the boat house where we went back into the trails and stayed down low along the lake. This is the most direct route -- even more so than the bike path -- although you do have to pay for it at some point by making your way up a pretty good size hill. You get your pick of 2 or 3 though and some are longer than others. As I was running through this section I realized I hadn't come this way since the winter when I was out alone the day of a snow storm to test out my Kahtoola MICROspikes (see previous post). Anyway, once we reached the parking lot we took a moment to snap a picture, and taste a cookie, and then it was off to the rest of our busy days.

It was nice to see some old faces coming back to run with the group this week. I think that's one of the nice things about these group runs. People may take time off to tend to injuries or just be too busy with their hectic schedules to make a group run for a couple of weeks but it seems that once you come out you eventually find a way to make it back when you can...and when you do we promise to be there waiting for you!

Roll call: Bill Y., Fred, Heather C., Heather L., Karen, Linda, Lisa, Nate

L to R: Karen, Linda, Lisa, Nate, Bill Y., Fred, Heather L., Heather C.