Trip Report: Back to the Skyline

When: 11/22/20

Where: Blue Hills Reservation

Goal: Sub-6 hours

Result: New FKT of 5:45:43

Intro:

This trip report is going to be a short one after the absolute essay that I typed up for my last Skyline Trail FKT. During my FKT back in May, I didn't really have an ambitious goal; I just wanted to see what I could do. Today I started my run with a plan: sub-6 hours. (I was secretly hoping to go sub-5:20, but that went out the window within a few miles of lap 2.) But I figured that after a few months of getting some elevation in over in Colorado Springs, this weekend was the time to try this again.

The Run:

I started my run from the Shea Rink parking lot as usual, at around 7am. All the hill work really paid off, and I was able to cruise through the first Skyline Trail lap in 2:44. I did forget just how slippery the leaves get on these trails though- I wasn't able to cruise the downhills quite as much as usual. I felt good at the end of this lap, but not great, and that quickly turned to dead as I climbed towards Chickatawbut on the second lap. This combined with crowded trails, busier roads, and some stomach issues to really derail my second lap. Still though, I hit the turnaround in 4:15 and headed back. This final lap back was all a blur, and I mostly remember being a bit dizzy. In the usual manner, I cobbled up some food for this run, and ate it all in the first lap. I need to work on not doing that! But finally I made it back to Shea Rink for the second time that day and layed down in front of the trail sign. I stopped the run in the nick of time, as my phone died just seconds after saving my run.

Overall this was an awesome run, and my first big (4+ hours) run since the stress fracture! I easily could have dropped another 5-10 minutes without the long waits on Rt. 28 and 138, a few huge groups of people clogging the trails, and bathroom stops. But that's just part of the run, and I'm psyched with the time!

(I actually remembered to take a finish picture this time, but my phone died as I was taking it.)