Rave Run: Mckenzie River Trail

Last Monday, fresh from running part of the Mac Forest 50K course as a sweep over the week-end, I sat down with my training schedule to plan out my workouts for that week.  Looming on Saturday, was a 23-mile run... my longest training run, ever.   Ever, ever.  I was thinking about the gutsy perseverance of the back of the pack and also about all that single-track trail.  Ooph.  


And then it dawned on me.  


The bucket list.  An intangible, but ever-present, list of things I need to do.  And the chapter on Oregon had listed: running the length of The Awesome McKenzie River Trail... a nearly uninterrupted ribbon of trail undulating through old-growth forests and laa fields, with the constant companionship of the McKenzie River, complete with water-falls and deep-blue bone-chilling springs.  27.5 long... Fish Lake to Ranger Station.


Let's do it.


I was willing to do it alone, to even park at the bottom and hitchhike to the top.  But something like this demands company, and my good friends Heather and Jim agreed to shuttle and MTB it with me. (Not exactly with me... more like, start at the same time and meet me at the bottom).


At the start, it was oh-so-sunny, already 60 °F, and pleasantly calm.  I took the obligatory start picture with H and started running.  It was hard not to leap and bound around on the trail, so exhilarating was it to be in among the trees, running by mountain lakes, over bridges.


The trail conditions were perfect.  Hardly any mud, no ruts, no newly downed trees (the trail care crew has been busy), no snow... but you could see in spots were it had melted relatively recently.  Very few bugs (that'll change in a few weeks) and very few people.  I saw a total of 9 hikers, 14 mountain bikers, and 7 dogs during the entire length.


Along the way, I stopped a few times to take some video and pictures.  I walked around the hour marks to take in Clif Shots.  And, I had to walk off an ankle twist at one point.  But, aside from that, I bobbed and weaved, leapt over rocks, listened to the music of the rushing river and falls, and, well, just.... ran.  I saw Heather and Jim a few times along the way, but they were gone for good around mile 15, as we left the lava fields (and the technical MTBing) behind and entered the more swooping and smooth sections of the trail.


In case you are wondering, I am pretty sure I smiled the entire time!  I definitely never got bored.  I didn't listen to music... just nature.  It was epic!  If you are interested in the vital statistics.  Total time on trail- 4:08.  Total running time - 3:28.  Total running distance 26.4 miles.  Total distance covered 27.5 miles.  Two Clif Shots consumed (200 calories), 16 oz Clif Shot Drink, 1.5 L of water, 1/2 a Clif Mojo Honey Peanut Bar... I need to restock my Mojo for the last 30-minutes or so.

I was pretty happy to see Heather and Jim at the car when I came off the trail.  For their part, I think they were surprised to see me (the plan was for them to get back to the car, pack up and get the other car at the top, then come back and get me).  I was most excited to drink my chocolate milk and eat the Sea Salt and Pepper potato chips from the corner gas station.


The next thing on the list - eat a Snickers Bar fresh off the conveyor belt... and it might be possible.  I know they are made in Chicago by Masterfoods USA, in a Spanish-looking factory with a red-tile roof!





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