Training runs continue! Shannon

Last Sunday, 8-8-10, I gathered up some of my favorite running buddies, who were available, and we headed out to do 14 miles (7 out, 7 back) out on the trails that I'll be running during the Sierra Endurance Marathon at the end of September.  I decided I wanted to run a part of the trail that I've only been on once before, so we met up at Rattlesnake Bar and headed toward Auburn.

I met up with my awesome Trail Turtle Buddy, Pam, and Mindy, Nancy, Patty, and Patty's hubby Ed, who I have renamed "Super Ed" for his rattlesnake wrestling abilities (keep reading).

The day couldn't be better for a run.  We started at Rattlesnake Bar which is a different starting point for us, typically this is our turnaround point for when we start at Twin Rocks, so it was kind of cool to do something different.  The first thing Ed pointed out to us was the BIG kitty paw prints on the trails, looking awfully fresh.  However, the prints were leading in the opposite direction from the way we were headed, so we figured she had gone down for water early in the morning.  That's our story and we're sticking to it.

Rattlesnake Bar is the start of where Folsom lake leads into the American River, which was flowing beautifully. 

Shortly into our run, Nancy took a spill, but popped up with only scrapped up elbows, thankfully.  Along the trails the blackberries are ripe and perfect for picking, so that's what we did.

From left to right - Nancy, Pam, Mindy, & Patty

Then as we're all enjoying the trail, chatting, having a good time, without a care in the world, Ed stops us in our tracks!  There is a big ole rattlesnake on the trail, standing guard, not wanting to move.  HHHHMMMMM, we're only a few miles into our run, we can't just turn around now, but there is no way around this wascally wattlesnake.  So Super Ed takes a branch and attempts to get it to move off the trail.  It started to work. The snake slithered toward the downslope side of the trail (this is good) but then it stops with tail still on the trail.  HHHHMMMM, so Super Ed keeps attempting with the branch, nada.  So he tosses water on the tail having heard this is a good way to get them to move.  Yeah, Mr. Rattlensake didn't like that too much and the tail started a rattlin!  I've never seen a rattlesnake rattle it's rattler in person before nor have I ever heard it before in person.  Pretty cool stuff! Of course my grandmother would disagree with my interpretation of a rattlesnake being cool, but that's another story.

So Super Ed went back to the branch and managed to get the bugger slither down the side of the hill while still making his (snake) music. (Pam attempted to get a video of the action, but you can't hear the snake, and most of what you see is Ed's tush). Once Ed felt it had gone far enough down, he walked past, then Patty followed, and then the rattling got louder which spooked Patty.  Ed stopped dead his tracks and Patty started pushing him.  It was all quite comical, but at the same time very serious.

Ed decided it would be best if we stepped up the side of the hill as best as we could as far away from the snake as possible.  So we did as we were instructed and moved on our merry little way.  You rock Super Ed!

Patty and Super Ed
with Nancy and Mindy in the background

We continued our run, with no more rattlesnake wrestling needed, but more berries needed to be picked.  So that's what we did.

From left to right - Nancy, Pam, Patty, & Mindy
HHHHMM they're almost in the same exact order as earlier.

The most exciting creature we came upon after the snake was this cool little Preying Mantis.  I just think these little guys are awesome!

All in all this was a very successful run.  We didn't quite get in our 14 miles, it was more like 13-13.5 miles, but that was close enough for me.  I really, really appreciated everyone who came out to run with me as I train for this marathon.  As it turns out, Nancy is also training for it and Mindy is considering it.  Don't worry, I'll get her to do it - peer pressure works wonders in the trail running world ! LOL!

Me and Nancy

This weekend brings golf in Napa with my golfing peeps, and a run in Tahoe on the Flume Trail with my awesome Trail Turtle buddy, Pam, and other FTRer's.

The Trail Turtles

Have a great weekend and get dirty!