IRON LUNG COURSE - superb, hilly, trail run 

With our trip to Bishop, CA looming in 4 weeks and feeling over trained from trying to prepare for the boulders, we decided to go running today. My fingers are feeling sore and swollen from over use, and my large muscles have chosen to go on strike. Well... my legs are recovered from last weekends long run so running it is. 

Over copious amounts of espresso brewed on my Miss Sylvia, I browse through Rich's trail running book and become intrigued with the Iron Lung course. It seems hard and the challenge taunts me. At 19km, its a good length for getting back into shape. Its notorious for its hills and I'm drawn to it. I make sure to look over the books map several times and put key trail junctions to memory then, pack my trusty Salomon running pack. In goes a couple of gels, powerbar, water bottles, hat, gloves, wickedly sexy Salomon jacket, and GPS watch. 

We jump into the deisel Golf and blitz over to the North Shore to Park Gate community center.

Cruising up the Empress switchbacks, my legs feel more powerful than last weekend. I'm psyched because I want to take photos and at the same time I don't want to take all day on this run. Krissy runs with me to the Baden Powell junction and its nice to have her out on the trails with me again. However, she is a little under the weather and not feeling uber power in the legs yet so she opts to u-turn and head back to the coffee shop early.

Wet boardwalk on the Baden Powell trail.

With Krissy heading back to the car, I put some extra coal on the fire and step up the pace, chugging along at a comfortable 145 bpm. The Baden Powell section descends along this stretch and I'm flying down the trail. Pistol squat followed by pistol squat, I pass a section of rehabilitated trail and turn onto the new detour section. 

Heading up Hyannis Connector Trail through old growth Western Hemlock.

After heading up the Hyannis Connector, you end up on the Powerline Trail and head toward Mystery Trail.

The climb up Hyannis to Powerline goes fast - my legs are still powerful and I'm surprised. I'm soon blasting downhill again and rocket onto the Mystery trail with a quick stop for a photo of Mystery falls. Now, I never even realized this little waterfall existed until Rich pointed it out to me as a locals "secret". Pshhh, whatever, I'm local and I never heard of it. 

Blahhh... at the bottom of Mystery trail I turn right on Fishermens and commit to a steady pace in order to dispatch this section swiftly. Up ahead is Homestead trail and its a slog of a climb. It gets steep in places and its relatively long - my heart rate soars to 165 bpm but, I keep pushing to the top and sprint down Twin Bridges, reaching 30km/h in places. 

The course brings me back to the Baden Powell trail and I'm looking at the last, largest, hill climb on the run. Bloody hell! I put my head down and prepare for the pain game. Internal systems check - do I have enough juice to cruise this beast or is it going to be a five round cage match? The Seymour grind is a beast - getting to the base sucks enough, then the trail erodes into a dry creekbed. I keep a steady pace up to Hyannis drive. My heart rate is soaring and I relish the flatter incline across the road. At the Bridal Path/Baden Powell junction I'm red lining again but, the trail eases as it traverses toward the Seymour Grind section.  

Its hard going but, I push everytime I'm feeling better so I use every drop in the tank. I'm reduced to power hiking on only a few sections of the grind and my quads are now feeling it - so are my calves. The top comes faster than I expect and I see the sign for Severed Dick. The junction is a good excuse to snap a photo and text Krissy that I'm 15 minutes from the car. "15 minutes" holy crap, I sprint down Severed Dick and my quads are feeling every step but, its so fun running down this technical mountain bike trail. Corners are banked with intricate rock work and small log drops launch me into the air. 

I reach the car and Krissy is there waiting for me to grab a baked good and coffee. Great way to end a great run in my backyard mountains!