all I want to do is dance

During the few hours I actually got to ride at the Horrible Race all I could think about was how I would rather be running. I was very bummed about my super duper extra early dnf but was also secretly a little relieved that I would still be able to get in a few good runs over the weekend after all. Biking is fun but sometimes it almost feels like cheating whereas there is something very real about running. Either that or running is just harder than biking and I like hard.

So, anyway, since that epic dnf I have managed to get in some good runs. Last Monday I met Yuri at Yellow Gap for a fun after work loop. We opted to start on a social trail that led us to Laurel Mtn. trail. It looked something like this:



Then on Saturday I met Yuri and Dr. Dave in Pisgah for a much bigger mountain run. Our route was:

Pressley Cove > Black Mtn. > Buckwheat Knob > Bennett Gap

It looks like this:



I've been up Pressley a lot recently as it is the fast way to the top of Black but this was my first time running the rest of Black, Buckwheat and Bennett. If you think the top of Black is fun on a bike you should really try it in running shoes! Just absolutely mind blowing Pisgah mountain running! I kept track of our splits as we passed the normal landmarks and can say that running on those trails is definitely faster than carrying a bicycle across them. Of course running hurts a little more but a little more hurt is always a good thing. This is a route I look forward to doing again and again.

Sunday I felt like I needed to ride a bike but really didn't want to so I loaded the running shoes into my bike pack and headed out to Turkey Pen. I headed up Mullinax and then Squirrel Gap for Laurel Gap where I locked my bike to a tree, switched out the shoes and headed up through the woods to the top of Rich Mtn. There wasn't much to see up at the top, no markers I could find or anything, just another mountain in Pisgah and no place I would rather be! I thought about making it a twofer and hitting the top of Laurel Mtn. as well but took a look at my watch and decided to save that peak for another day.