Shawnté Salabert's Staging Area

Awesome trails? Check. Killer hills? Double check. I really picked a doozy for my very first trail half, but I’m not mad at it (even if my calves are today). The scenery was outstanding, with a mixture of leafy canyons and wide-open ridge lines dotted with wildflowers, and the balance of single track to fire road was pretty excellent (that is – heavy on the single track). The route marking was easy to follow, the volunteers were friendly, and the aid stations were generally well-stocked (I’ll never forget the joy of running…ummm, I mean, jog-walking…up my second hill with an entire row of yellow Peeps clutched in my hand). There were definitely moments when I wondered, “What have I gotten myself into?” (most of these were when I was trudging uphill in full sun), but all of those were pushed aside by the moments I thought, “Wow, I can’t believe I am here, right now, doing this!” I’m really grateful for the opportunity to challenge myself in such a beautiful place – I might just have to come do this again next year!