Another 8.6 miles on Gateway Trail

Sweet Runner Dude was out there to meet us a couple of times.
I had the creepy feeling the bicycle riders had read my blog! Everyone was so polite today. Nearly everyone warned of their approach.
Not that we really need a warning, I guess, because I never have so much as an elbow over the center line (No yellow line in this picture, but on much of the trail)
But it is unsettling to have bicyles race by, sometimes riding side-by-side.
Some of the cyclists seemed to be here for the big bike race, but many just seemed to be the usual folks.
We saw a young mother roller blading her 2 small tots along in a double stoller.
We saw and heard several loons fly over: a sight I have never seen in the sky.

Sweet Pea and I are so slow that I hate to mention this ... but
we did negative splits again.
About 60 degrees and a light breeze ... a joy to run!!

PS Another blogger who has written to the 5 runner questions:

run-dmz.blogspot.com

Glorious Spring on Gateway Trail

Best day of the year!!
Gateway Trail: 8.6 miles today

Lots of polite bicycle riders sharing the trail
Runner Dude was out there meeting us coming and going... Always so energizing!
Spruce, pine, cedar
Oaks (red, white and burr oak), birch, poplar, cottonwood, hackberry, maples, ash, large & small leaf linden

Ferns, berry bushes, wildflowers I can't name...
.. AND

DANDELIONS!!
We were hearing at least 2 different bird songs all the way, and when we ran past ponds, the frogs.

Truly, there is no snow on Gateway.

Gateway Getting Better

Miles 8-11 had been plowed after the last snow.

First EGRET sighting of the season!

Sweet Pea and I ran/walked about 6 miles yesterday. This was the only slush we saw on the trail. The temp was just over 40, but
spring IS coming. Tomorrow it will be in the 60's.

This is me in heavy winter jacket, just standing around waiting for Super Runner Dude to come running up the trail to meet us and cheer us on.
Regularly, we have been at the indoor track and out on the street in the neighborhood and doing resistance training.
For the next week, though, we really will get serious about training.
Stuff going on here lately. I have showed up absent in the blogosphere, and have lots of reading of interesting posts to catch up on now. Appreciating all patience.

Great Day on Gateway

Spring came!! Bright and sunny today.
60 (sixty!) degrees by the time we finished.

Gateway trail is a paved trail with a gravel horse trail along it.
Horse folks were out today.
Bicycle riders were on Gateway today... including some small children on their bikes.
Many runners on the trail today... some just enjoying the day... and some clearly training for some upcoming race.

You may note that I did not say that the entire 8 inch snow of just 5 days ago had entirely melted.
A substantial portion of the trail was at least partially snow covered.
But Minnesota folks are hearty, stubborn, and really tired of winter.

We parked the car at the horse bridge and made our way about 4.2 miles up to Pine Point Park at the north end and back..
for an 8.4 mile round trip. Note that the distance is in
miles now that we are outdoors.

We ran.
We walked.
We tramped through a lot of snow.
It was slippery, but none of us fell.
You may note that I did not say the roller bladers or the baby strollers were out today.

As you can see here, some of the trail was clear and dry.
A young woman on horseback was training her doberman to accompany her.

And a delightful surprise along the way: There's our Runner Dude running toward us.. when we thought he was taking the day off.

This woman must be training for a horse show.
By this time we had shed jackets.

Here we are back within a mile of the car... and some of the deeper snow.
Little dogs were not so grateful to be walked here.

What a day!
Oh glorious outdoor run!
Best day of the year!

Caterpillar on Gateway Trail

Runner Don did 14 miles and Sweet Pea and I did 8 2/3 miles. We don't know how much the caterpillar did.
Sunday was a glorious day to be out, temp in the 50's. And the horses were out on the horse trail. We saw dozens of bicycles, runners, kids and dogs.
Today Sweet Pea and I did the mile out and mile back from the bottom of the driveway.

Last ride on the Minnesota Zephyr

The dinner train will make its last run on New Year's Eve.
Then the tracks will be taken up to make room for a running trail between Gateway Trail and Stillwater.