Crater Lake Rim Run Countdown: 7 Weeks

June 27, 2016
Yikes. So Crater Lake is one of the most beautiful places on earth. I'm signed up to do a 13 mile run there on August 13, so I'm doing my best to train. Yep, I have a training plan all mapped out but I'm finding it hard to get in all the workouts. This weekend I was due to run 9 miles. We happened to be camping at the Metolius River. I was looking at hiking trails before we left and lo and behold, I discovered that the trail from Camp Sherman to Suttle Lake is 4.5 miles one way. It was billed as an easy trail on old forest roads with the single trail parts of it smooth and easy for the most part. Gentle uphill on the way, downhill on the way back. It was meant to be!

I knew the best plan was to get up early and get it done, but hey, when your husband gets up at 7 and it seems to be freezing outside so you go back to sleep and next thing you know, you wake up and it's 9 a.m., what can you do? By the time you cook your camping breakfast of bacon, pancakes and eggs for your camping partners, snuggle your baby granddaughter and let your little breakfast settle, it's nearly 11:30 a.m. and warming up.

As I am not known for my ability to go in a straight line directly from one place to another without making a wrong turn or three, I wore my Batman running shirt. That way, if I were to be delayed due to a wrong turn and inquiries needed to be made about me, people would remember seeing a runner in a Batman shirt. Always thinking!

I found the trailhead quite easily, as it was north of the Camp Sherman Community Center, just as I had read. Such a gorgeous day.

 The uphill was so gradual as to be almost unnoticeable except for my tendency to be a little too easily winded.

I love running on a nice smooth easy trail in beauty like this!

 I had gone up to the Portland Running Company on Thursday and was fitted for running shoes, because my toes on both feet have been feeling hot burning pain when I hit about five miles. I've been running in Asic Gel Kayano for the past several years and love them. I usually buy them online and go for last year's model because I can get them cheaper that way. Well, my most recent pair was a lot tighter in the toes, so I thought maybe the burning because they were too small. I had the same trouble a couple years ago and switched from Nike Vomero's to the Asics. At the Portland store,  I tried a couple of different types of shoes and ended up buying the same kind, only a half size bigger and in a wide width. They told me if I didn't like them for any reason after running in them, I can bring them back. So I was interested to see how they would do.

 Here's the Hwy 20 bridge at a little over 4 miles. Sadly, the toes on my left foot were already burning at this point. About a mile before the bridge, the trail got a little rougher and a lot steeper.

 I had to slow down to a walk here to pass under the bridge because I didn't want to twist an ankle or bonk my head!

 When the trail ended at another bridge right by the Suttle Lake resort, I had to roam around a little bit to get a view of the lake. When I turned back, I had about 5.25 miles on Runkeeper.

  I was sorely tempted to take a detour down this road, where I could see a glimpse of Mt. Jefferson I just knew it would get better just around the bend. But I disciplined myself to stick to my course.

 My dear husband Will occasionally mentions that we should just go camp in the woods instead of at campgrounds. I passed a lovely campsite with room for a couple more RVs along Lake Creek.

By 8 miles, I was feeling great except for that awful burning foot. I do love it when I get to run downhill on the way back. I stopped to tighten up the shoelaces and tie it a little tighter.  Didn't help. My foot was killing me for the last mile. When the Runkeeper voice told me I had reached 9 miles, I immediately clicked on Stop. The darn thing! I noticed later it said 8.98! Oh well, too bad!  I walked the remaining way back to my car, and the burning in my foot abated quickly.

 The elevation on this run started at 2,977 feet and ended at 3487 for a gain of 510 feet. (Fitbit gave me 48 floors.) The Crater Lake Run is described at being at altitudes between 5980-7850 feet. That scares me just a little. I'm hoping to get some higher elevation running and hiking in when we're back at the Metolius in a few weeks.

As I walked back, I had to take a few pics of the wildflowers I enjoyed along the way.

I love Indian Paintbrush.

I also love seeing lupine along the trail. Ok, I love seeing wild flowers in general.

 Back at the trailhead! So happy to be done and feeling that runner's high!

I headed back to camp, where we had been invited by Anisa to join in Duane's birthday lunch (since the guys were fishing in the morning and evening). I was afraid I had missed it due to my lateness, but they were still at the big picnic table eating the marvelous pulled pork, mashed potatoes, baked beans. I was starving! And look at the lovely little lady who was just lounging around while everyone else ate!

My one and only granddaughter Evy on her first camping trip.

This week's training plan:

Monday: 4 mile hill run in North Albany
Tuesday: Cross Train - Stairclimb, strength training class or video
Wednesday: 5 mile run: 2 minute Intervals
Thursday: 30 minute bike ride hard, strength training class or video
Friday: Stair climb, kettleball workout
Saturday: 10 mile hill run
Sunday: Rest day


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