This weekend we did a loop hike on Mt. Tam, and it was glorious. The first few miles wound along the west side of the mountain, overlooking the ocean. The Miwok Trail Run was on, which meant every few minutes we had to step aside for runners who were about halfway through a 100k run. Holy crap. I tried cheering them on, but it just wound up sounding sarcastic. “Way to go! Congratulations! Looking good!” No one looks good 30+ miles into a run.
(This is, incidentally, also a phenomenon that crops up when I want to cheer on cyclists. When I roll down my car window while driving up a hill to give encouragement to a cyclist who is straining and out of the saddle, any kind of hollering is not well received. It also embarrasses my boyfriend.)
Also, can we talk about how crazy it is to run 62 miles? Crazy. Very.
Because it’s been such a wet spring, the hills were still green, and the grasses were high and moving in the wind. It was rad. See? That’s Stinson Beach and Bolinas down there.
The trail eventually headed down into a wooded glen with a waterfall that I was unable to photograph properly (aren’t waterfalls hard?). And we saw a banana slug! He was a big sucker. Here’s me Vanna White-ing him.
We climbed out of the glen and over a ridgeline for a big ass view – the southern flank of Mt. Tam and the bridge and the city.
It made for a fantastic day. Can you see the city away in the distance? Probably not, but trust me – it’s there.
And even better: my injured booty wasn’t sore the next day, leading my physical therapist to estimate that I can start running again in a few weeks!