Franklin Mountains Trail 50K

I love the sting of shin dagger in the morning, don’t you? There’s nothing like starting a 50K trail run on a cold dark morning, pointy vegetation lapping at your ankles and shins while you slog up a rock strewn trail that ascends 400 feet in about a half mile. The Franklin Mountain Trail 50K, held in the Franklin Mountains State Park in El Paso, is the toughest of its kind in Texas. Later this morning we will climb up to the N. Franklin Peak at 7192’ elevation and the entire course has around 7500’ of total vert, qualifying it for the USA Skyrunner series. I’ve never run this race, but have been training on this course for quite a few years so I know every twist and turn, rock garden and Spanish bayonet plant to watch out for. Even so, one can never fully prepare for the Franklin Mountains; they will destroy your body and soul!

N. Franklin Peak
Photo: Trail Racing Over Texas

El Malpais National Monument

El Malpais National Monument is a gem just south of Grants, NM. I visited the day before I ran the Mt Taylor 50K so I didn’t do any running, but drove to a few scenic overlooks to take in the sights. El Malpais is a volcano field with lava flows, cinder cones, lava tubes and caves. The McCartys Flow, one of the youngest lava flows in the lower 48 states, can be seen here and is only about 3000 years old. 

Sandstone Bluff Overlook