So, I’m in Tennessee now.
Quick rundown of Tennessee vs. Utah. TN pros: rolling hills, green and lush as fuck, hanging with some of my main bitches, delicious food, live music everywhere, hipster-y people running around. TN cons: mountains are further away (at least an hour), outrageously hot and humid. Tennessee wins, obvi.
Monday: 3 mile trail run
Thursday: 2 mile walk
Friday: 6 mile trail run
Saturday: 11 mile hike
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Weekly total: 22 miles
TOTAL total: 61 miles
If anyone is keeping track besides me (unlikely), this is the first week I’ve actually exceeded the number of miles in a week that I need to finish 1,000 miles in a year. Go me!
Also, my body has felt amazingly great this week. It blows my mind, because I’m incredibly injury-prone and used to hurting myself whenever I increase the volume or intensity of my workouts. I’ll take it. Thanks body.
After spending all of last weekend stuck in a car, I was raging to get outside on Monday. I was looking for a decent trail that’s close to where I’m staying, so used the power of the internet to find Victor Ashe Park. Knoxville has a set of multi-use trails sprinkled throughout the city called greenways that they’re developing. Apparently it’s up to 86 miles of trails now, I guess. I was kind of worried that most of them were paved, but I’ve found several so far that aren’t.
I did the 1.5 mile unpaved loop trail twice. It was fucking hot and humid, but somehow that didn’t drive me too crazy. I got to check out some dudes playing disc golf in the park, and the second time I ran by the dog park, two adorable puppies followed me along the fence. I felt super fit while running past all the fat white dudes taking a stroll in the park.
The greenway in Sequoyah Park was the other place I checked out this week, which I’ve heard is awesome from multiple sources. In my attempt to have more active rest days, my bf and I walked around the park. I kind of figured this greenway was paved, which was why I wanted to scout it out first, but it wasn’t. Score! Also, it’s a really beautiful, big park that’s adjacent to some really nice, likely insanely expensive, houses.
I returned to the park the next day for a 6 miler. When I hit the last quarter mile, I didn’t even want to stop, so that’s probably a good sign. I kind of hate that every quarter mile is marked out on posts, though, because it’s a constant reminder that I’m not done yet.
I’ve been meaning to get new trail runners for a while now, because my old pair had something like 900 miles on them. Woops. I picked up a new pair from the New Balance store in Knoxville; they’re the same model I had before, the Leadville 100s, but a different color. Definitely the manliest-looking pair of trainers I’ve ever owned.
They were running some sort of promotional deal, too, so I got $25 worth of apparel for free? I got this sick new pair of shorts that I don’t really need, but runners can’t say no to new running shit.
The cherry on top of this most excellent week was heading up into the mountains to hike with a couple of my girlfriends. We intended to do the 4 miles out to Alum Cave (not really a cave), but ended up going all the way to the LeConte Lodge for a total of 11 miles. It was a glorious day with some awesome people.
Pictures > words.
I feel like I’ve been hit by a bus due to allergies, so that’s all you get. I might just crawl back into bed.
