Today I had my long, slow run scheduled, so I decided to run the new hiking/biking/horse trails on top of Lookout Mountain.  This fall the 5-Points/Cloudland Connector Trails added about 25 miles to the wonderful selection available to those of us in the Chattanooga area.  There is a reason Outside Magazine readers overwhelmingly choose Chattanooga as the ultimate dream town for outdoor lovers.

I got to the park a little after noon and was kinda surprised at the very pleasant 58 degrees.  Hard to believe there was snow on this mountain just last week.  (See picture in previous post.)  I was ready for colder weather, but the sunny day had decided to bless me.  So off I went with my running belt supplied with two bottles of water and a peanut butter Clif Bar.

The trails are marked with the most amazing wooden signs installed by the Lula Lake Land Trust.  The Lula Lake group worked closely with Chattanooga SORBA (Southern Offroad Bike Association) and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to complete this ambitious trail system.  But despite the awesome signage, I managed to take the wrong turn at the very first opportunity.  So, instead of running on the wide track, beginner trail, I quickly found myself scrambling uphill on the intermediate Caprock trail.  Good thing I brought a map along (supplied at the trailhead).  At the next trail intersection I figured out where I was and headed along the very comfortable Mick’s trail.

I had planed to track my run using the new Endomondo GPS software I had loaded on my Blackberry, but alas, the GPS on the phone is completely unreliable.  So I gave up on getting a satellite connection and decided the map would have to do.

The Ascalon trailhead is near an old coal mine from the early 1900′s.  The Lula Lake Land Trust has worked to convert this ugly mining land into a beautiful and useful recreational area.  The photo above is a small piece of coal I found lying alongside the trail.  Next to it were a few 2-3 pound chunks of coal.

I ran the main Cloudland Connector Trail for most of the first 8 miles.  I had the trails to myself.  I didn’t see another person until the last 3 minutes of my run.  I did, however, see what appeared to be a 6-8 point buck and a family of deer with a tiny fawn running to keep up.

For the last 3 miles of my run I decided to take the intermediate Hanging Wall and Foot Wall paths.  This went well until I pulled my left abductor muscle during a downhill portion of the run.  Ouch!  Now for the remaining 2.5 miles I couldn’t run downhill and could only limp-run the uphill and flat portions.  I’ve decided that the real key to trail running is simply trying to avoid injury.  It was a slow finish, but a rewarding run nonetheless.

All of the photos were taken today during my run.  I carry my cell phone with me, so I have a camera and communication wherever I run.  The entire 11.1 miles took me 3 hours and 14 minutes.  That is a very slow 17:30 pace, but that’s why they call it a long, slow distance.  But now I feel ready for the 10k trail race coming up on December 17th.  But my goal has changed.  I’m changing the goal from “don’t be the last male to finish” to “finish without injury”.  Two minor injuries in eight days is kinda frustrating…but hey, they were minor.

By the way, I forgot to post about the speed workout I did on Wednesday.  I ran a 5k about 4 minutes slower than race pace while sprinting up the 10 hills on the course.  It was a great workout in the cool 42 degree afternoon.