Ahhhh, Alaska.

Caribou antlers and Denali from the new Eielson Visitor Center.

After my long ride on Saturday I took Sunday off which accidentally extended on in to Monday. I blame two friends on that extension. These two had won a road pass to drive the Denali Park road and invited us along for a day of sight-seeing. We've been dealing with the autumn rains here in Fairbanks over the past week and I expected our day in the park to be drizzly, but hopefully wildlife filled. In fact we drove down early in the morning in clearing fog and clouds to arrive at the park entrance under blue skies and last of the autumn colors glowing in the sun. Though all too many hours in the car and all too few on foot across the tundra, it was a day well spent.

Detail of North America's highest mountain.

The Toklat Valley, looking north in black and white.

Returning to Fairbanks late in the day left no time for a run or ride and left me jonesing for some exercise. So yesterday I hit the trails hard on foot. I ran a 3.5 mile tempo run at lunch. It would have been an unremarkable run except for the fact that the first major frost had hit the trees over the boardwalk sending the last of their leaves tumbling to the ground. This made for a very slippery running surface which I learned less than 100 feet onto the first stretch of boardwalk. I was rounding a 90 degree corner when my left foot went out from under me and sent me tumbling. This wouldn't have been bad were it not for the hand rail on my right side. As I fell my right arm came down the rail yanking it hard and abrading the inside of my arm from elbow to armpit. Being the tough guy that I am, I grimaced for several long moments, winced at the scuffed and reddening skin and then ran on (only to wake up this morning with a markedly sore shoulder...ouch).

Yesterday evening after dinner I headed out for another run, this an easy, mid-distance trot. I set an easy pace, what I refer to as my "marathon pace" the speed I feel like I could keep up for a long, long time. I headed down to my local trail maze, climbed a few hundred feet up a long hill, descended through another trail network and arrived home in fading light of evening. It felt, so, so good. After 5.5 miles, I felt like I could have easily just kept on running. This may be the most fit I've been since I ran the Equinox Marathon a few years back. I'm not up for 26 miles yet, but I could do 13 or 15 now I'm certain. It feels good, but I want more.

Finally yesterday was my weekly weigh-in: 236 and 28% body fat. Down a pound from last week and up a % in body fat. I suspected last week's body fat estimate was a bit low. Still all this aims at a downward trend in both figures and that makes me happy.

Mileage: 16 August
Running: 9 miles

August Mileage:
On Foot: 41 miles
Biking: 62 miles