First Snow Run.

Here's my first run with my new screwshoes.

I'm at the Boulder White Rocks and Teller Farm trails, on a sunny day with temperatures in the 30s, mild for January. Though it's been some weeks now since any significant snowfall, the trails are still covered with packed snow and ice. Prior to my use of this new equipment, I'd have never attempted to run on these surfaces.

Today it's a pleasure.

I've quickly discovered that running on snow / ice is actually easier than running on dry trailbed. The snow cushions each step along the way, and provides a smooth bed over rocks and irregularities in the surface. The concerns for twisting an ankle and for tripping and falling are virtually eliminated. This creates a much more relaxed run--none of the alert vigilance required with each step on the dry path.

It also allows a lot more looking around at the wider terrain. The sky opens up. The fence posts go all the way to the horizon. The undulations of the surrounding hills come into focus.

The winter plantscape is austere and elegant in its simple beauty.

It's not that I've been unaware of the world in running this area in summer and autumn. But now I can let the views soak in--not just catch fleeting glimpses.

And what a beautiful area of the county this is, quite different from my usual mountain space. In fact, it's why I'm running here today. As I continue to build my long-run capacity, it's just a terrific challenge for me to add distance when I run in my mountain neighborhood, without tackling significant elevation gains as well. That's more strain than I think my body will stand for long, and if I'm going to continue running I've got to avoid injury.

So I'm here on flat terrain, gentle slopes, to do 12 miles. After the first 3.25 miles, that is. Going north across Boulder Creek is a gain of about 300 feet in two miles--gentle enough to run, but it's a long uphill pull the entire distance. Good cardio.

 Doubling back, then comes the distance element--3.25 miles of downhill and six of nearly Nebraska flat, through river bottom and ranch land, among scattered cattle and to the songs of howling coyotes.

As I run I continue to test out the traction of the screwshoes, a brief shiver of delight running through me every time I scamper directly over ice, feet gripping every inch of the way--uphill, downhill, makes no difference. Great fun.

The south end of the run, across ranch terrain, has longer sections on pure gravel. And of course by the time I get to this stretch, I've been out a couple of hours. The pressure of the screws is more evident to the bottoms of my feet, not painful but I'm for sure aware of it. Of course this is the first time I've run with this technology, so 2.5 hours is probably a good distance to go as a transition.

My average pace today was 12:31 m/mi, average HR was 140, for a distance of 12.19 miles. It felt good the entire time, and on return to my truck I knew I could have done 13 or 14 miles today without pushing my limits too hard.

Very satisfying.

The wide open spaces of Teller Farm are a gentle end to a good long run.

The green belt of Eastern Boulder County is pure ranch country. That we can enjoy access to it all is the result of years of careful land use planning and a remarkably far-sighted and generous earlier generation of residents.

The citizens of the city of Boulder have for many years taxed themselves to allow for the purchase of the open space surrounding the city. Now more than 45,000 acres are owned and managed to prevent the sprawl that has been so devastating to life in other urban areas of our county.

We should all be grateful. I know I am.

click on the images to see them at larger scale.