Running at 6,500 feet and above in ABQ!
Last week on a drive back from visiting a couple of hospitals in Clovis and Tucumcari, I found a bike trail that ran parallel with Tramway Blvd. (the part that runs north and south), after exiting onto it from I-40, that I wanted to run on out here in Albuquerque. (The trail is basically part of the first 7 miles of the New Mexico Marathon.)
After being a little lazy Monday and Tuesday, I left work early enough to get in that area no later than 6 p.m. as I wanted to run for close to two hours; however, I couldn't figure out a logical place to park my car. So that necessitated a change in plans. I had browsed earlier in the day about the Elena Gallegos Open Space Park. The area has an extensive series of trails, the Foothills Mountain Bike Trail System, that are popular with cyclists.
I paid the $1 entrance fee (less than the $3 at Huntsville State Park), parked the car and started out hitting the trail. I hadn't looked at a map of the trails. I just started running. Well, two weeks of not having run at the altitude, it was a run/walk because the park sat at 6,500 feet above sea level.
I figured I might as well keep going up as long as I could and I got in what they call the "Sandia Mountain Wilderness area" that is only available for foot traffic. Again, it was a combination of run/walk-hike, but I knew that I was getting even higher in elevation (and looking at a map I think I might have been up over 7,000 feet at one point.) I went up for nearly 35 minutes until the trail got to a point that I was unsure about whether I could find my way back out.
I ran back down to a place that looked familiar, but soon thereafter I realized that I wasn't headed back in the direction of the car. I had made a right hand turn onto a wider, easier to run trail. I passed a hiker, said "Hello!" and then stopped realizing that I should probably ask for some information. He pointed out to me where I needed to go; however, I decided to run awhile longer and headed off down a different trail (visualizing where I needed to come back to.)
I ended up running (and walking some ... going up any incline at 6,500 feet is a little challenge) for just under 1:30. I felt good. My left calf muscle, that I pulled umpiring baseball on Saturday sprinting down to third to make a call, got worked some and it is a bit tender right now at 9:30 p.m. Mountain time.
I'll go back here and run some more, especially since I know some mileage on one of the trails.
After being a little lazy Monday and Tuesday, I left work early enough to get in that area no later than 6 p.m. as I wanted to run for close to two hours; however, I couldn't figure out a logical place to park my car. So that necessitated a change in plans. I had browsed earlier in the day about the Elena Gallegos Open Space Park. The area has an extensive series of trails, the Foothills Mountain Bike Trail System, that are popular with cyclists.
I paid the $1 entrance fee (less than the $3 at Huntsville State Park), parked the car and started out hitting the trail. I hadn't looked at a map of the trails. I just started running. Well, two weeks of not having run at the altitude, it was a run/walk because the park sat at 6,500 feet above sea level.
I figured I might as well keep going up as long as I could and I got in what they call the "Sandia Mountain Wilderness area" that is only available for foot traffic. Again, it was a combination of run/walk-hike, but I knew that I was getting even higher in elevation (and looking at a map I think I might have been up over 7,000 feet at one point.) I went up for nearly 35 minutes until the trail got to a point that I was unsure about whether I could find my way back out.
I ran back down to a place that looked familiar, but soon thereafter I realized that I wasn't headed back in the direction of the car. I had made a right hand turn onto a wider, easier to run trail. I passed a hiker, said "Hello!" and then stopped realizing that I should probably ask for some information. He pointed out to me where I needed to go; however, I decided to run awhile longer and headed off down a different trail (visualizing where I needed to come back to.)
I ended up running (and walking some ... going up any incline at 6,500 feet is a little challenge) for just under 1:30. I felt good. My left calf muscle, that I pulled umpiring baseball on Saturday sprinting down to third to make a call, got worked some and it is a bit tender right now at 9:30 p.m. Mountain time.
I'll go back here and run some more, especially since I know some mileage on one of the trails.
posted by WalkSports.com | 10:29 PM
1 Comments:
i have been to Alb. a few times now and have yet to run there. I have done some hiking on the Sandia Tramway though and it is one of the prettiest areas in New Mexico in my opinion. (I wish I would have had a bike though-I tired out quickly as well!)
-Jessica, A Houston runner
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