Fort Ebey Kettles Half Marathon

Last Saturday I ran the Fort Ebey Kettles Half Marathon, for the third time I think. It was a terrific morning to be out, with an early chill and later warming up into the 50s. That's about the best you can hope for in February. I like this event, because it puts me on Whidbey Island by the ocean, and the trails are really runnable.

Morning coffee at home with Deb. The race starts at 10:10 for the second wave, which gives folks a lot of time to make their way up to Fort Ebey from southern ports of call. For me, its about a 50 minute drive, and a beautiful one at that, with the flats of Skagit, Deception Pass, and Whidbey roads along the way.

On Monday, I was scheduled to go down to Seattle for a litigation training, which is actually kind of intense. So, for most of the run, I was switching between thinking about my running flow and then how best to present an opening statement for a company defending a specific sexual harassment claim. I didn't get to pick my side--they split the participants up. Anyway, for much of the run I was basically talking to myself, rehearsing statements. This is unusual, as typically when I run I'm not thinking about much more than observing the nature around me.

Maybe that all helped me keep the run going, as I ran an improved pace over the last time I did the event in 2015 or so. I can't remember--I probably walked a bunch that time. All was going well, but frustrating enough--I rolled my tricksy ankle with a quarter mile to go. So now, I'm typing with a still sore ankle, one week later.  A bit of concern with Chuckanut coming up in a few weeks. I imagine I should see a specialist, or a physical therapist, and maybe I will, but I think I'll take up some stretch band exercises, and make sure there's some ice in the freezer.

Chuckanut in February

The last two weekends I've ventured into the Chuckanuts, in anticipation of the 50k in March. January may well have been the wettest month on record. February has continued that trend through the first week. We've had pineapple winds and all manner of rain--sideways hard, steady drizzle, relentless showers. The wind has caused trees to fall across the trails, and yesterday a mudslide shut down Chuckanut after I arrived at the trailhead. I had to route home via Old Samish Highway.  Perhaps that's why the trails seemed emptier than normal this weekend--a major difference from last week, when it seems everyone and their friend was motoring up the hills, past me, with smiles.

Yesterday, I only saw one person after passing Fragrance Lake Junction, up Chinscraper, and around the back on the Ridge/Lost Lake Loop. I hiked up to the top of Chuckanut, barely running, but I managed to jog the ridge, and jogged the back side and way back to the car.  I guess I probably put in 15 miles, at an unimpressive but better than hiking pace.

The water was flowing. As per below, the trail in parts was a stream. Puddles everywhere, and I had to watch my step on the ridge, as the wet roots were surely slippery. I guess on Orcas the runners for the past few weekends have been running through trail streams. No spills for me this weekend, but last weekend I landed on my butt, hard, coming off the chinscraper trail to Fragrance Lake Road.

I am parking inside Larrabee these days, because there have been a high incidence of broken glass car break-ins in the Lost Lake and Fragrance trailhead lots. You would think the State would set up some wildlife cams to record activity in these highly trafficked places. Not that hard to do, and with a sign or too, perhaps some deterrence. They could also place park vehicle in strategic places. And catch the crooks--they should do that too.

We are ready for things to spring up a bit around here. Too much dark and rain. The sound of the furnace kicking in is getting old.