Red Rock.

Light was just peeking over the hills as I hit the road for Red Rock Canyon this morning, getting there 10 minutes before opening time and waiting for the gate. I asked the bleary-eyed park service guy what was good running, and he recommended the same trail that the running store did: the Willow Spring/White Rock Spring loop, 6 mi.

The road through the park was littered with very slow cyclists who had jumped the closed gate for their morning workout. I had to honk at one as she veered in front of me with headphones on. I think midwesterners would be far faster cyclists if we had terrain like this to deal with.

Left the car at Willow Springs and decided on a counter-clockwise loop, started off running. The trail was rocky and went up, up, up, right into the rising sun. It was hard, my breathing blocked out all other noises. It got to a point where I could walk uphill faster, so I did. I honestly had forgotten that trail running was a challenge and had sort of imagined rolling along a flat gravel road that went around a mountain. This, though, was jagged, narrow, up and down and up and up, and it was dry out. My sweat evaporated fast, leaving me salty, and I was halfway through my water by mile 2. I was putting out some serious power to get up those inclines, though, and impressed with my newfound strength, the day's mantra became "trust your fitness." I've never been in this kind of shape before.

Hit a trail junction at 2.5 that said 3.5 to go on the loop, or I could just turn back. At my pace I was going to be very late for work, but I wanted to press on. Good thing. As I climbed over that pass, the dirt turned red, the trail started to descend into a valley, I saw the gorgeous rocks in the canyon, and I imagined myself the only one in that canyon (probably was). It was the reward. A camera couldn't capture the cedars, scrub, hills, red dirt, all in the morning sun. The other side was nice, but this was an effing movie set and I was a cowboy comin' through the valley for the first time. The trail went downhill for those last 3 miles, and I was moving at race pace. The air was cool and fresh in that valley. I felt great, floating over the jagged rocky trail.
I must come back.
...
One month till the wedding.