Saturday morning group run with the crazies.  This particular morning it is just three of us.  We ascended Tenderfoot trail at a hasty clip.  Bright blue sky peeking through as we navigated elongated switchbacks up to Mountain Home Inn.  Then the frolicking roll of Troop 80 trail as the path weaves along the upper edge of Muir Woods, before plunging almost 1,000 feet in a mile and a half of fun-filled terror to reach the center of the park.  Dodging upward gazing tourists gawking at and taking photos of our incredible redwoods as we make our way along the wide central trail — thinking to myself, what a ridiculously awesome place to live, and what a fun place to run!

Slicing through the crowds at the south entrance to the National Monument, yelling “good luck!” to a Panthers fan in town for the Super Bowl, then joining up with the Dipsea Trail for a painful 700 foot climb in less than a mile (mile 9 of the run) to Panoramic.  Soon we are hopping down the Dipsea steps, and a short jog to town to get coffee and tea.  Done.  Just over two hours on the trails, covering about 11 miles, with 2200 feet of elevation, all before breakfast!

One unfortunate note.  Missing our Black Shirt winner from our running crew today.  Learned he had smashed into a tree last weekend while skiing.  Fortunately, no head injury, but a separated shoulder and four broken ribs.  Boston Marathon plans will have to wait a year.   He joins our fearless leader (who had four broken ribs, a punctured lung and a broken elbow from a December mountain biking crash) on the DL.  Both are tougher than me, and will be back out on the trails soon.   A reminder that this is not all fun and games. Bad shit can happen when you get off the couch.