Sat night was sleepless and it was not because of the hot and smoky air. I
couldn't keep tomorrow's long run off my mind. Last weekend's lightning storm
set off fires all around the Bay Area and amid the ensuing damage, many east bay
parks were closed. Sitting right at the edge of the burning Sunol Wilderness,
Mission Peak was one of the victims. I needed to find another trail to run.
Last week, it was again one book from Michael Pollan that convinced me of the
necessity to change. In "Caffeine: How Caffeine Created The Modern World" the
author talked with Matthew Walker, the author of "Why We Sleep." I listened to
the latter before but this time it clicked. After learning again how caffeine
destroys deep sleep, I decided to act. I have been on the wagon for four days
and running has made the mornings tolerable.
In the end, I got up at 6:30am and drove for 40min down to the Quicksilver park
in New Almaden. The area was the location of a mercury mining community for 130
years in the last two centuries before being bought out by the county. Compared
with Mission Peak, Quicksilver is less popular and offers less absolute elevation
but boasts more intricately connected trails and varied terrains. The yearly
Quicksilver Endurance Run, consisting of a 50K and a 100K races and well-known
in ultra-running circles, is held in the park and the ajacent Sierra Azul open space.
I had run three times here. I paced S and L in their 100K races last May and ran
with them twice in March to prepare for my 50K. My race was delayed and then
canceled for the year but my run had improved each time I came here. Today, I was going to
do a solo on a lollipop-shaped route: starting from the Hacienda entrance,
following the Mine Hill Trail to its north end, and circling from the Guadalupe
reservior side to join Mine Hill again on my way back. It was about 15 miles.
The first climb of about three miles could have been pleasant if it were not for
the flies. They were persistent little suckers and the best way to avoid them
was to speed up. It was a relief when I reached the "Bull Run," an intersection
that used to host an aid station during the races, and was out of the woods.
It was pure joy afterwards all the way to the north end of the trail.
Coming back, I was still in shape and was able to enjoy the scenary around the
reservior. It was pretty even in the smog. After Bull Run, my feet started to
get tender and the long downhill was a test for the quads. Overall, I did well
as indeed I ran (and did not walk) all the 15 miles and finished in three hours.
During the run, I drank one bottle of 28oz water.
