Same as last week: easy 1 mi. jog to the track at SUNY Cortland, then a hard mile on the track (5:28, a little slower than last week), then a jog to Beaudry Park for some hills (13 total).
Tues: Tower Road (9.6 mi)
Also the same as last week, but tried to run harder on the steep parts.
Wed: Buttermilk Falls State Park (5+ mi)
I needed to run some errands in Ithaca, so I took advantage of the opportunity to run some scenic trails and check out some waterfalls. Out of the many available options, I chose a nice tour of Buttermilk Falls, running up the Rim and Bear Trails, around Treman Lake, and down the Bear and Gorge Trails. Unfortunately, I couldn't make it all the way around the lake, as just past the inlet the trail was blocked by a huge sign informing me of the life threatening dangers awaiting me on the other side. I decided to be obedient and turned around.
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| Map of Buttermilk Falls State Park- red dots indicate my route. |
It's easy to get spoiled by the ubiquity of the gorges and waterfalls around Ithaca, but the Gorge Trail at Buttermilk Falls is almost ludicrously scenic by any reasonable standard. It's just one amazing waterfall after the next, any of which would be the highlight of most trails, separated by equally beautiful sections of stream flowing over, around, and between fascinating rock formations. Not a bad run!
Thurs: Beaudry Park and High School trails (45 min)
This is my "urban trail run" in Cortland... not spectacular but better than just pavement. I began with a short jog to Beaudry Park, then up one of the sledding hills to some grassy trails meandering through quaking aspen groves. From there, I went back down the hill and over to the eastern end of the park, popped across Main Street, and started up Valley View Dr. towards the high school.
From Valley View Dr., there are a couple paths on the right leading up into the woods and a nice little trail system on high school property. I found this area last winter, and it was a pleasant surprise. After winding my way through the woods for a while I headed back home via Beaudry Park.
Fri: Rest
Sat: Long run at Lime Hollow (~24 mi, 3:42)
I planned this as my climactic long training run before the Finger Lakes Fifties (I'm running the 50k) in two weeks. The trails at Lime Hollow seem similar to those that make up the FL50s course from what I gather- some hills but not too steep, some rocks and roots but not too technical, mostly woods but some open meadows- so this seemed like a good way to prepare.
I repeated the Wilderness-Bog loop four times in alternating directions, with some variations thrown in to keep things interesting. I felt absolutely fantastic through three loops, and started to have visions of running the 50 miler instead of the 50k- dangerous thoughts to think before even cracking 20 miles. I started to feel it on the fourth loop but finished strong and encouraged about my chances of having a good race at the FL50s.
Sun: Roads and trails in Ithaca (40 min)
I found myself in Ithaca again with some time for a short run- time for more waterfalls and gorges! I parked on Lake Street and made the short trip up to Ithaca Falls. I had forgotten how impressive it is when there is a decent amount of water- this is a serious waterfall.
Next, I headed south on streets to the base of Cascadilla Glen (just another incredibly scenic gorge containing at least a half dozen waterfalls), with the plan of running up to and then across Cornell campus and back down the Fall Creek gorge to my car. Unfortunately, the trail was closed halfway up the glen, so I reluctantly turned around and made my way up the hill to campus by various roads and staircases.
Heading north across campus, I made my way to the suspension bridge across Fall Creek (also closed) and headed down the gorge on the Cayuga Trail for views of yet more waterfalls. I stopped at the Stewart Street bridge for a view of the deepest, most spectacular part of the gorge, then followed roads back down to my car.
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