After bailing from Hardrock with a tendon issue, I took it real easy on my legs for several days. Pleasantly surprising, the tendon (and everything else) recovered quickly. Definitely a positive outcome. If I couldn't finish the race, at least I could return to running fairly quickly.
Another benefit was the chance to fit in another FKT before leaving Colorado. We had scouted Sand Canyon at the Canyons of the Ancients in June and now I had the time to trek all of the trails in one go.
John dropped me off at the northern trailhead and I did a couple short out-and-backs including to this sign:
At the top of the switchbacks into the canyon - good thing I qualify as "foot traffic"
Sunrise on distant hills:
John and I recalled doing a hike in this park in 2014, and while we were up a long canyon it started raining. John had gone ahead to explore the upper part of the trail. I had debated whether to start back vs. wait for him. Being in the park again reminded us of that story. I had taken shelter, waited for John, and then we ran back together (sloshing through now-wet creeks that were dry on the way up). It was a desert adventure!
I had huddled out of the rain under this very rock, too funny to see it again:
Enjoying early morning shadows (on a much drier day) - and the fact that I was back to running again:
There are some beautiful cliff dwellings up here, worth visiting, including the Sunny Alcove that faces southeast:
Some photos (including the next two) are from my scouting trek in June. I believe this is the Double Cliff House:
And the Corncob House:
My first of many intersections, and this was a fun park to plot various options for covering all of the trails while trying to minimize total distance and elevation gain:
I enjoyed running across long sections of open rock, connecting cairn dots, with Castle Rock just beyond the trees:
A mile of out-and-back past the scenic Saddlehorn Pueblo area (twice):
Shades of Utah in the layers, shapes, and colors:
I think this is the actual Saddlehorn Pueblo:
Working my way down to the southern road:
The lesser-used east trailhead:
And a short road run to a pit stop at Tug-E, where John helped me refill bottles and bars:
A close-up view of Castle Rock, as I started the second half of my trek:
Sandstone/limestone hoodoos:
Running above a little canyon on the Rock Creek trail:
Cross-hatching (sorry that it's hard to see) in the hillside as I was making the corner to my final major trail (East Rock Creek):
An excellent arch and a bunch of neat shapes:
One last intersection and about a mile to go...
Dueling cameras, starting with a seated selfie at the finish line:
Doing our best living long and prospering:
Photo of my watch time for the FKT submission:
That was a fun day in the Canyon of the Ancients!
And something of a redemption run... OK, we can leave Colorado (for now).
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