No, you are not going to be subjected to photos from all of my training sessions from here forward, but having Maiki alongside me for all of them right now, I am taking this opportunity to get pictures of some my favorite training sights that I’ve always meant to record on film. Plus, let’s be honest: this job keeps Maiki from falling asleep while being forced to run at my pace!
front side of Gates Pass
The photo frenzy will be short-lived as he did announce, just before swim session #2 for the day commenced yesterday, that he will never be volunteering for the role of whipping boy ever again. It might have something to do with this run for which he had the pleasure of joining me all morning yesterday. There were many longing glances directed towards his beloved Scott Plasma as we headed out the door . . .
Nevertheless, because he is a man of his word, he had three hours of running fun and you get to see it! The Gates Pass loop is a little run that I invented because it’s a beautiful loop over a mountain pass that people here in Tucson frequently do by bike, so I figured, why not run it? I’ve been running it since my first visit here three years ago, but I have yet to see anyone else for a jog out there. For some reason, it seems that my favorite three-hour run hasn’t caught on . . . Except with the GCM, who also enjoys it–just not so much as a “bonus workout” done at my pace . . . I still get some crazy looks out there in the middle of the desert, on the narrow, winding roads, and also some words of encouragement from the more friendly cyclists.
heading down the back side . . .
the road down the back side . . . When traveling this route by foot, I find that I actually have time to take in the scenery–as opposed to flying through it on the bike.
heading out to Kinney Road . . .
left on Kinney . . .
all the way out to Ajo Highway, back towards town. Then turn left on La Cholla, and left on Starr Pass/ 22nd, back to the resort area (start) . . .
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I have a feeling that GCM will follow you no matter where you go
Great pictures. I can see why people don’t run that hill, Hills!
What a great run…I rode that course last winter at a training camp, spectacular scenery.