Backs to Black Mountain: keeping moving forward. And up!

Not this weekend, but last Saturday, and the week before Skyline 50K, I went back up to Black Mountain. Technically three times as I also did the Bella Vista and Indian Creek trails loop on the other side so that makes two climbs to the top (otherwise, it's an 11.5-mile climb from my house). All in all, 3 ultra runs in 3 weeks for a big change. And improvement!

I used to visit Black Mountain several times a month in the good ol' days, that is on the weekends I wasn't either racing or traveling abroad. So much have change between the pandemic and my hamstring injury. No business travel since March 2020 and a couple of periods without much running, certainly nothing hilly. Although every left stride triggers pain in my butt, my doctor says "this shouldn't prevent me from doing what I have to do!" Define the what... Let's start with enjoying the 360-degree aerial views of the Bay, the Pacific Ocean and Peninsula!

Zooming on the extraterrestrial Apple Park in Cupertino (left):

The Pacific was clear of smoke last weekend of July, but that has change since:

And also enjoying some heat and hill training combo...

On this familiar run, a few things have changed as well. First, I'd say I still see more people on the trails up there, even folks camping. More than I used to before the pandemic. It seems like some new good habits have been formed from an outdoor physical exercise standpoint, there is that! Up on Montebello Road I still get a kick when passing cyclists. I used to be passed only by one local guy but, with my lower fitness, I just barely lost to a road cyclist at the top of the road. Never mind I was at mile 10 our of 28 and he turned around.

Another major change reflect another local crisis, the drought! The Stevens Creek Reservoir is so low, it's closer to a puddle at this point. Yet, they release water to make sure the creek itself doesn't dry up under the dam. This is the view of the reservoir from the start of Montebello Road. See the expected water level on the left?

Let's zoom in to give you a sense of how far and low the water is today...

And to continue on the water topic, there is still water at the campground, fortunately in this heat! It's marked as not potable, but my first trail running mentor, Charles Stevens, assured me there was an UV filter upstream, as long as power was on at the relay (and you can figure this is the case if you don't hear the power generator kicking in).

As for the pipe on Waterwheel trail, the dripping is really getting low (and, no, I don't drink that one). It's so refreshing, I'm enjoying it to the fullest like it was the last time, like the Planet was going to burn tomorrow...

I rarely see anyone on that trail, I strongly encourage the detour. Well, unless you have a special permit from the Park Rangers, the closest public parkings are 2 miles away (below the campground) or 7 miles down on Montebello Road at the winery, you still have to plan running a few miles to visit. Here is my favorite section on that detour, a mile-long downhill after the pipe.

By the way, with the drought comes much dust on the trails. Playground for wild fires...

Overall, it feels great to get back up, albeit slower than I used to on these tough training runs. One step at a time. One feet of elevation at a time. What's next? What about a 100-mile race in the Marin Headlands next weekend?!