Like Stillwell but with cactus

I headed down to the fitness center at 5:30 AM to run on the treadmill. When I arrived both treadmills and elliptical machines were being used so I decided to take another crack at the local trails outside.

After consulting with the sleepy clerk at the front desk about the best way to get to the trails, I set out for a real Colorado trail run. The trail starts out with a steep incline that turns into a steeper 30' drop. At the bottom the trail flattens a bit and then becomes rocky and rolling. As I followed the trail's up and down path I was determined to run the entire 2 mile out and back route despite the rough terrain and thin air. I am definitely getting used to the high altitude conditions and managed a far tougher course today than yesterday's Garden of the Gods run. The trail reminded me of some of Stillwell's rougher sections but the trees and plants (cactus and yucca) were very different. I reached a section with a ridge line that faced Pike's Peak and followed that for a bit. I stopped for a minute to post a picture tweet and soon headed back. The last section, where I needed to make my way up what was a 30' drop at the start was a great challenge at the end. It wasn't a very long run but I felt I finally had an authentic Colorado dirt trail experience. I won't bother with the fitness club tomorrow morning. Instead, I'll be heading directly to the trails.