Desolation Wilderness=Royal Butt Kicking

The view of tahoe just 1.5 miles into the run...already had climbed 1800feet..



With Summer days turning towards Fall it is time to start getting some form of real running shape. So what better way to set a bench mark than to head up to Lake Tahoe,challange the lungs above 6000feet and try and run with a elite ultra runner.

That is what I set myself up for. I have been talking a lot recently with Prudence L'Heureux. She is one kick ass ultra runner. I get a kick out of watching how easy she makes the transition between climbing and downhill running. You can tell it is a true passion and she really has not been running very long. She lives up in Tahoe-how cool is that! So much training opportunity and stunning surroundings.

Enough of that lets talk about the run We where going to run from Bayview to Meeks Bay through the Desolation Wilderness area. Durning the week I had been suffering with very tight Achilles Tendons and had a theory I wanted to test on the run...It might have been the shoes..ie the new Montrail Mountain Masochist..I had not been able to run with my inserts with these shoes..just too tight so I pulled out the Mizzuno Wave Ascends (had not had them on since WS). We set off from bayview...UP we went...Prudence said take it easy today..and I sure was trying we passed some hikers on the first 100 yards and I was already blowing up with my breathing...but the trail was stunning!!! I always wonder about the effect that having asthma as a child has impacted me when I run at elevation..I always seem to be dying way too soon or early. I let Prudence go ahead..just hope she would wait up on any trail junctions. The air was crisp and views to die for..It took me over twenty minutes to go 1 mile! What was going on? I sure was not getting bonus points from Prudence by slowing her down. My ego was also suffering. BUT THE GOOD NEWS...NO ACHILLES ISSUES! The shoes, the shoes the shooooooes. Problem solved guess I will use the montrails as slippers or something.




The area is pretty popular with a lot of tourists but that was not too bad as we continued to climb. I was thankful when we completed the first ascent and now for some downhill...Prudence and trusting Sophie where off ahead..it was fun to watch them take off and head out of sight on the way to a series of lakes. All of the sudden I caught up with Prudence..she had her knee buckle and it hurt! That sucks cause there are some races in the near future. She is tough and wanted to continue to Meeks..but we did the right thing and hike out without doing any more damage. We made it back to Bayview and headed back to her house..I am thinking her knee will be ok.

For me I hope to hang out again with her. She seems like a neat person. I do need to improve in my running if I want to hang with her though...a good test. Life sure does seem like a series of tests...till next week.

Tony