onepinkfuzzy

It only took me two and a half months!

What I love about having crazy-ass runner friends: they think nothing of calling you up at 10 am on a summer morning in the desert and asking you to go on a spur-of-the-moment run in monsoon season....and I think nothing of saying, "of course!"

We headed out to Douglas Springs trailhead at the end of Speedway Blvd out near Saguaro National Park East. Mo wanted to head back to Bridal Veil falls and I wanted to experiment with my knee. It was soon apparent that Mo and Daniel were in much better shape than me, so I told them to take off to the falls - I'd turn around whenever they caught back up to me.

It was hot and muggy (noon in the desert in summer), and I'd forgotten sunscreen. The clouds danced with the sun, threatening rain (please, please! I begged), and giving wonderful cool breezes and shade at times. I was doing okay by myself, hiking mostly (up, up, up!), when I heard something big in the bushes nearby. I stopped. It stopped. I walked again. It walked again.

Mountain lion country, is all I could think.

I froze. It froze. I didn't move a muscle for five minutes. Neither did it. I slowly reached down and grabbed a rock, then lifted both arms in the air and started backing slowly down the trail. (Make yourself as big as possible, so you don't look like an easy target; walk slowly, don't run.)

Down the trail a bit I felt better, but I still didn't let go of the rock! I jogged bit once I got back down on the flats, but mostly took it easy. I hung out at the trailhead waiting for Mo and Daniel, who arrived shortly thereafter.

My knee? Felt great!

I did a little over 3 miles, and I'm guessing 500-700 feet of climbing. (I forgot my Garmin.) We followed it up with subway, a swim and rock band. All in all, a great Sunday afternoon :)