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It must be extremely satisfying to set a challenging goal, train for it, and reap the rewards of discipline & hard work. Other times, it is fun to throw yourself at the wall to see if you stick. This adventure was example of the later. 

Mei pointed out this "soft" FKT (https://fastestknowntime.com/route/yosemite-red-peak-pass-loop) after hearing about it on a podcast. The route appealed to me as I've enjoyed prior visits to the Clark range and sometimes relish mellow trail miles. The time on the FKT website was 20:32 (which I was confident I could beat). I'm sure many other people have put in faster times on this route as it really is a natural running loop. Alex Honnold had run a <harder> version of this loop in June 2022 in ~14ish hours. (https://www.instagram.com/p/CewUAVwONrL/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==) This became a stretch goal for me early in the year and kept me motivated as I ramped up some local trail running. 

Fast forward to March and I managed to tear peroneal tendons in both ankles on a climbing trip because I'm old & don't know how to take rest days. This 100% shutdown running for 6 weeks followed by a very slow and sporadic ramp up. Prior to march, I had ramped my weekly running volume well above 40 miles. Post injuries, I hadn't yet exceeded 8.5 miles in any single week, with plenty of zeros. 

I had gotten out quite a bit, mostly swimming & biking with an increasing amount of hiking with both ankles securely braced.

Anyway, in the middle of last week I got the itch to give this route a go with a "what the hell" attitude. We drove up the day before and camped just outside the park. I armored up (rolls of KT tape, moleskin, and ankle braces) and set off. (Mei set off about 15 minutes later on her own distinct/non-overlapping (HUGE) day (Cloud rest loop from Mono meadows) so that my effort would fit the criteria of "unsupported." 

** From here on out the word jog = an ugly jog/trot/shuffle somewhere in the 12-16 min mile range. 

Conditions were great. I jogged the easy sections of trail (sand or dirt) and hiked the rocky or steep bits. I kept my feet dry in the Mono Meadows swamp & creatively in the Illilouette creek crossing. This ended up not mattering as there were a few easy, but mandatory wet crossings on the unfamiliar Merced pass trail. I reached the turn off to Red Peak pass trail having only seen a few campers still waking up. I passed a couple of friendly solo backpackers on the gentle climb up to Red peak pass making the pass 6 h into the day. At this point, I thought the 14 h goal *might* be in reach. Even though I had only completed 34% of the mileage, I had completed most of the gain. In fact, the next 26 miles!! are a gentle downhill to Nevada falls via the triple divide fork and the middle fork of the Merced river (two beautiful canyons which my usual peakbagging adventures had not brought me to.)

A combination of class 2 scrambling, snow walking, and a short glissade or two brought me down below the only significant snow on route. I passed another solo backpacker and jogged much of the trail down the next two canyons. I felt pretty good - but could still only muster the above mentioned shuffle pace where the trail was impeccable (which was often). Whenever it got a bit rocky or step-y I'd drop back down to a hike). 

Somewhere around the high Sierra camp I realized the 14 h goal was out of reach (i.e. would have to break out a PB half marathon to close). But, I continued on at a relaxed pace & enjoyed the day. My legs were a bit sore, the final climbs out of the ditch & back up to glacier point road were onerous ... but my ankles held up well (minimal pain & 0!! subluxation) & I can honestly say that the day was entirely (or nearly entirely) type-I fun.

Unbeknownst to me until after returning to the Bay Area, Wyatt Barrett had put in an effort at 14:57 just 3 days earlier (I wasn't yet on the site when I checked on the 4th. Congrats!!

Anyway, the Red Peak Pass loop is a beautiful, non-contrived worthy running loop. ~8000 ft of climbing over ~50 miles means it never gets crazy steep & much of it is "runnable" even to punters like me.  I'd highly encourage some of you speed demons to push that time down to single digits (cough, cough ... Dylan, Keith, Sean, Marc, Renee, Clement etc)

Post note: today my legs are pretty damn sore. Doing more "running" mileage in one day than you've done since March is probably not the best medical advice. Splat! 

⛰️ Red Peak Pass (3,401 m) | 🌐 summitbag.com

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chris henry

Red Peak Pass Loop - “trail run”

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