Trail running lesson.... or...they run, I trail (behind)

I think it was halfway up Green Mountain, at a point where I could hardly breathe, that someone asked, "Simon, are you training for anything special at the moment?"

"Believe...it...or...not", I gasped, "I'm training for the mile".

Total respect to George and Scott for NOT immediately asking, "Then what the hell are you doing here?" Although I'm sure it crossed their minds.

"Here" at that moment was a vertical hour into an ascent of Green Mountain via a bit of the trail to Flagstaff out of Chautauqua, sonmetimes on relatively smooth manicured trail, other times on quad-destroying "steps" with a couple of stretches of potentially ankle-lethal scree and boulders, all conducted at "conversational" pace for my two guides and in increasing gloom as the night wore on.

I'd responded to George Zack's request for company on his planned 2-3-hour loop, starting at 7pm. He wanted company for all or part of it. I said I'd do 45 minutes with him and then turn back, but it was SUCH a fabulous route that I agreed to extend my suffering to the top of Green in exchange for the guys showing me a fast and easy route down, while they switched on their torches and continued onwards and upwards.

I'd been attracted by the word "easy" in George's email. And boy was I glad that, unlike many road running groups I've been out with, these guys are disciplined enough to run easy when they say easy -- AND do not feel the need to score points by upping the pace to shatter every newbie who joins them.

Oh and how they could have massacred me! As George took pole position and bounded out of Chautauqua and up the trail that heads straight up Flagstaff, crossing the road as it winds a more gradual way up the slope, he introduced me to the guy running easily behind me -- eight-time winner of the Pike's Peak Ascent, Scott Elliott, one of trail running's elite.

Luckily, this was Scott's first run for 11 days, so he was happy to keep the pace easy as well. But I'm indebted to them both for shepherding me on my first time on this spectacular route. In between conversation, Scott kept up a stream of encouragement, progress reports and advice, and they both made sure I knew where I was and how I was going to get back down in one piece. Scott trains on these routes every day when he is preparing for Pike's Peak and other "vertical" races, and he seems to know every rock intimately.

George, a "converted" road runner, told me about the adaptations he had to make in order to be able to do runs like this. It requires a different posture, faster cadence, shorter stride. And then, of course, you have to get used to the fact that you might be out for hours but actually "achieve" relatively few miles. George has got used to quantifying his runs in terms of minutes out there. I was still surprised to find, after an hour or more up and 30-45 minutes down, that I'd "only" got 7.8 miles on the clock.

But that was more than made up for by the company and the fantastic scenery -- and the true sense of accomplishment. As I descended warily down the final mile or so of trail -- edging past a skunk with its tail up -- and spotting the lights of civilisation (well, Boulder) appearing below, it felt like I was returning from a whole day out on the mountain. Magic!

Thanks guys!

* Route is here: http://www.yourrunning.com/green_mountain_from_chautauqua

* Boulder Trail Runners: "people who enjoy running the trails near Boulder, Colorado. Happy Hour Run is EVERY Thursday at 5:30 PM: all year, all weather, all trails." Sign up to the email group to find out about runs:
groups.yahoo.com/group/bouldertrailrunners

* Read more about Scott and his training in this Denver Post interview.