Crowds, Training and Injuries

My last posted boasted of being among the first to visit some of the new trails at Pinnacle Mountain State Park. I was so overjoyed to have these trails where I could get away from the crowds a bit that my wife and I headed over there again this past weekend. This time we decided to really get some tough training in. We would do a figure 8 using the new trails. This would mean going up the East Summit Trail (One of the steepest in the state), twice.

The plan was to start at the bottom of the West Summit trail, go up the trail about 100 feet and then turn right on the new spur of the old Base trail. Before heading up we stopped and talked with a guy who had just run down the West Summit Trail. He was waiting for the rest of his group. He asked us if we were running up and we tried to explain the new trails to him.

The morning had started off kind of foggy and when we got to the park around noon it wasn’t very crowded. This was nice since usually Sundays are very busy at the park. Of course the skies were clearing.

After running/hiking around the Base Trail we headed up the East Summit Trail when we are suddenly passed by a guy running up. That was pretty much all Lisa needed and I wound up trailing her the whole way up. She loves having a rabbit to chase. Then a quick run down the West side and a right on to the new Base Trail on the other side of the mountain. We did a fast walk on this side. I remember commenting on how nice it was to have this section to ourselves. This would haunt me later.

We got back around for our next trip up the east side. This time I was not going to let Lisa take me and I got out ahead and stayed there to the top. We passed several groups on the way up. For the first time in awhile I decided to take the lead on the way down. Usually Lisa leads this part since she burns up the downhills.

The trail was crowded. It was now about 2 in the afternoon and beautiful outside. A lot of families and people walking dogs up and down the mountain. We were most of the way down when it happened. I was passing some teenagers who were also going down. They moved out of the way but as I moved around them my foot caught a rock and I went down. Knee hit rock and I heard people around me give out a mass “ooowwwwww”. I got up immediately a bit embarrassed but more worried that I had torn the knee out of my pants. I kept walking and told Lisa I just need to walk it off.

The run was over and for the final third of our trip down the mountain we walked behind a group that was soooooooo slow. I would say they were going slow to enjoy the scenery but I think they were too busy talking to notice anything, particularly the runners right behind them. I didn’t want to chance the foot and knee on trying to run around them so I followed to the bottom.

Anyway, I’m glad that didn’t happen until the end of the run. Lisa was ready to do another lap. She’s insane. We got home and I spent the rest of the day with a heating pad on my foot (which hurt way more than my knee). Moral of this story. I should slow down around the groups and when I’m tired. This could have been way worse.