22nd
Several weeks ago, Danae and Sophie went to visit GrandMa and GrandPa in Southern California. I took this opportunity to test out an adventure that had been in mind for several years: A Sykes Hot Springs Trail Run. Here is a recap of the adventure by the numbers:
- 4.5: Hours that it took me to drive from San Francisco to Big Sur Trial Head and back
- 20: Approximate distance that I ran in one day on the Sykes Hot Springs trial.
- 4: The approximate time it took me to run/walk these 20 miles on the trail.
- 54-62: Approximate temperature for day outside. This run is likely not realistic further into the summer, because the temperature / trail combination can be too brutal, but the weather was close to perfect this day.
- 3.5: Hours that I spent soaking in the hot springs between 10 mile runs
- 1 and 300: In the beginning of the run a wild Turkey escorted me along an upward slope for about 300 yards. It was as if I was being lead by the animal. After a time, it jumped left and soared back down the valley and into a redwood tree.
- 100s of Thousands: Wild flowers that greeted me along the run. About 8 miles into the run, I saw an entire hillside that had looked like it was covered in snow (from a color prospective). The hillside was in fact covered by the same white wild flower. It was an awe inspiring scene.
- 100 of Thousands: Buzz of bees busily working everywhere along the trail on the flowers.
- 2: Snakes I almost stepped on while running - none of them venomous. Why is it that I after I see 1 snake, every tree root and stick is magically transformed into something that I am wary of?
- 3: Both the amount of times I almost completely wiped out (by stubbing my toes on rocks) and the days I was *very sore* after the run. My back (sacrum?) was especially tight / injured.
Post Run Update: A week after the run (Memorial Day Weekend), my body broke out into a full body rash that the Doctors have labeled Pityriasis Rosea. The rash has spread from my wrists all the way to tops of my feet and consists of bright red swollen spots. I look like a pink dotted dalmatian. The rash persists to this day, is itchy, scaling and generally very annoying.
The doctors have no idea what causes this rash, how to treat it, but tell me it should last 6-8 weeks. I have a different theory: For my efforts pushing limits of my body Sykes Hot Springs Run, the trail and hot springs gave me the honor of wearing my own King of the Mountain jersey.
