I try my best to not break my ankle as I navigate rocks and other tripping hazards at the base of Mt Taylor near Grants, NM. The sun isn’t up yet, so I steal a little bit of light from those running with headlamps around me. Wouldn’t it be a shame to get injured in the first half mile of the Mt Taylor 50K trail race? I’m careful and take my time; the sun will be up in 15 minutes anyway. Before long I’m power hiking up a forest road with about 180 other runners. The weather is perfect; about 45 with little wind and dry as a bone. We will eventually go to the peak at 11,300’, but not before we run a 16 mile hilly loop to make sure our legs are good and trashed before the brutal ascent.
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| Mt Taylor as seen from Sandstone Bluffs, El Malpais National Monument |
