Miles 172-176.5: Company Mill Trail

Today's visit to Raleigh's Umstead Park made this weekend's runs two for two on the awesome scale.

Ridiculously happy in the sunny parking lot.

We arrived just after lunch to tackle the Company Mill Trail. Readers, I geekily present you with James's Garmin stats from our run.

James and I actually hiked this path once before, many moons ago, before I lived in North Carolina. It's delightfully hilly and wooded and reminds me of the rise and fall of the bluff country that is St. Louis county. A few more pine trees than you would find back home, but otherwise heart-warmingly similar.

As with our previous run in Umstead, we were gleeful and practically frolicking like children. My feet were singing, so happy have something to trod upon that was not pavement. Like the Loblolly trail (and as the graph and map indicate), CMT also wound through the woods, complete with dips and swells, roots and rocks, wooden bridges and pineneedle carpets. As with before, I marvelled at James's natural talent, especially on the steep, technical ascents that left me winded.

(I have no trouble ascribing to the ultra-marathoner's creed that if you can't see the top, you can walk. Or my own creed that if I can walk it as fast as I can run it, I best walk it.)

I know that trail running is inevitably slower than road racing, however, I was still surprised with the pace stats because - especially on the downhills - it felt like we were flying.

Miles 172-176.5: An hour of fun, playing in the woods.