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Month: November 2012

Run around the Ochirrh Mountains – 62 miles

I accomplished my 4th 100K+ training run in the past 22 days, for a big mileage month of 441 miles.  I started at 2:00 a.m. in the little town of Cedar Fort, ran clockwise around the southern portion of the Ochirrhs.  Dawn came around mile 23 on the west side of the mountains.  This video tells the whole story.


I felt fine at the finish.  With each of these very long runs, I can feel my mileage base being restored since my downtime from injury.  This was a great run.   I loved being up in the mountains and also doing fast miles on the flats.

Run around San Pitch Mountains – 65 miles

On Black Friday I usually avoid the stores and go for a very long run.  This year I chose to run around the San Pitch mountain range in Central Utah.  These low mountains run for 40 miles and divide massive Juab Valley to the west and Sanpete Valley on the east.   I started my run at 1:00 a.m. in the small town of Levan.  My goal was to reach Gunnison, 30 miles to the south by dawn.  It was 25 degrees when I started and I ran through bitter cold air near Yuba Lake.  It was very tough mentally to continue.  I debated turning around or hitching a ride from an occasional vehicle.  But I toughed it out.  As the road climbed toward Gunnison, the temperature rose back into the mid-20s and I felt much better.  I stopped for a quick breakfast at the gas station, and then headed east toward the rising sun.   I’ll let the video tell the rest of the story:

Will I try again?   Maybe.  A more runnable route through Sanpete Valley would be on dirt roads running closer to the mountains.  However, that bypasses all the towns with their “aid stations.”   Perhaps I may someday run the length of the valley.   It is a beautiful, unique place.

Run around Utah Lake – 82 miles

I started running about 2 a.m. and ran counter-clockwise all the way around massive Utah Lake, an 82-mile adventure run.  About 3/4th was rural country.   Many cyclists do this every year, but I’m the first to do it on foot in a day.   Here is my video report.

End-to-end Jordan River Parkway Run – Utah Lake to Great Salt Lake

The Jordan River in Utah meanders for more than 50 miles between Utah’s largest natural fresh-water lake (Utah Lake) and the famed Great Salt Lake.  For many years a paved recreational trail has been constructed along the river.  It is named:  Jordan River Parkway Trail.  As far as I can tell, no one has before attempted to run the trail end-to-end in one day.  That was my quest for this urban adventure run.