#trailtuesdaythrowback to #running up (and down) Mt. Tam almost two weeks ago with pal Hannah (1). The #trails are not (2) as green as they were two months ago (tantek.com/t4zc1). After an 88:31 climb (tied my 2nd fastest time) to Mt. Tam’s East peak summit, I could barely see the tiny San Francisco skyline poking through a thick fog blanket (3). Looking East the sun was rising far above the horizon, already well on its way at 7:30am (4). Chasing Hannah back down the hill was faster than a month ago, setting a PR on the first 1.6 miles of steep technical descent. With a gentler downhill, Hannah ran ahead and disappeared. I settled into a good rhythm and pace of my own, having become more familiar with these trails. While enjoying the Tenderfoot trail forest, I noticed the ground felt squishier from the recent rains. The trail narrowed with a hill on one side and ravine on the other. Suddenly the earth gave way under my right foot, I felt my lower body start to rotate and fall downward in slow motion, impact the side of the ravine, and start sliding. I remember thinking, how far am I going to slide, followed shortly by, I have to stop! I spun to press against the hill, threw my arms up, dug my hands & fingers into the soft earth, slowing and stopping the slide. Took a few seconds to realize what happened, spit out some mud, and balance myself against the side of the hill to look up. I’d slid ~20-30 feet down into the ravine. Nothing felt broken. I looked down and couldn't really see how far down I’d have to go. Looking back up I pressed against the nearly vertical earth for extra grip while I climbed up one limb at a time, holding on and pressing gently downward with the other three. Made it back up to the trail. Collected myself, scraped most of the mud off my body and water bottle, wiping off the top so I could drink what was left. Another self-inspection, lots of scrapes from left forearm, to thigh, and knee which was bleeding but didn’t hurt. Shock, I’m sure. Ran down the rest of the trail, and onto Cascade road. I could start to feel the dirt stinging in my skin. Made it back to Equator coffee in downtown Mill Valley where Hannah was waiting. She checked to make sure I was ok, then took a photo at my request (5). Not pictured: my forearms muddy from elbow to wrist. After wiping off a bit more, I drove us back to the city, went home, and scrubbed off all the mud & dirt in the shower. Scrapes & bruises, nothing broken, nothing sprained. Despite the fall, I set my second fastest time for the Mt. Tam Loop. Still learning to fall, still learning to get (crawl) back up and keep running. #MountTam #Marin #trail #trailrun #run #TemelpaTrail #MtTamEastPeak #50ktraining #optoutside #getoutside #befierce #pushyourself #facethemountain #trailrash #fitstrongfierce #nofilter #latergram #20190523 #2019_143

Tantek and Hannah sitting on top of Mt. Tam, bushes and rocks right behind them, clouds and hills below in the distance, partially visible San Francisco building tops poking through thick fog in the far distance

Temelpa trailhead, trees and grass a mix of green and dull yellow

Thin stretched clouds drape across a partly blue sky, over a fog covered San Francisco in the distance, hills and clouds below, a bush and few boulders in the foreground

The sun shining through an upper cloud layer, high above distant mountain peaks, themselves poking through lower clouds, a partially visible bay, and nearer hills, bushes and a rocky outcropping in the foreground

Tantek standing, mud and scrapes on left leg and right shin, standing on asphalt

#trailtuesdaythrowback to #running up (and down) Mt. Tam almost two weeks ago with pal Hannah (1). The #trails are not (2) as green as they were two months ago (tantek.com/t4zc1). After an 88:31 climb (tied my 2nd fastest time) to Mt. Tam’s East peak summit, I could barely see the tiny San Francisco skyline poking through a thick fog blanket (3). Looking East the sun was rising far above the horizon, already well on its way at 7:30am (4).

Chasing Hannah back down the hill was faster than a month ago, setting a PR on the first 1.6 miles of steep technical descent. With a gentler downhill, Hannah ran ahead and disappeared. I settled into a good rhythm and pace of my own, having become more familiar with these trails.

While enjoying the Tenderfoot trail forest, I noticed the ground felt squishier from the recent rains. The trail narrowed with a hill on one side and ravine on the other. Suddenly the earth gave way under my right foot, I felt my lower body start to rotate and fall downward in slow motion, impact the side of the ravine, and start sliding.

I remember thinking, how far am I going to slide, followed shortly by, I have to stop! I spun to press against the hill, threw my arms up, dug my hands & fingers into the soft earth, slowing and stopping the slide. Took a few seconds to realize what happened, spit out some mud, and balance myself against the side of the hill to look up.

I’d slid ~20-30 feet down into the ravine. Nothing felt broken. I looked down and couldn't really see how far down I’d have to go. Looking back up I pressed against the nearly vertical earth for extra grip while I climbed up one limb at a time, holding on and pressing gently downward with the other three. Made it back up to the trail. Collected myself, scraped most of the mud off my body and water bottle, wiping off the top so I could drink what was left. Another self-inspection, lots of scrapes from left forearm, to thigh, and knee which was bleeding but didn’t hurt. Shock, I’m sure.

Ran down the rest of the trail, and onto Cascade road. I could start to feel the dirt stinging in my skin. Made it back to Equator coffee in downtown Mill Valley where Hannah was waiting. She checked to make sure I was ok, then took a photo at my request (5). Not pictured: my forearms muddy from elbow to wrist.

After wiping off a bit more, I drove us back to the city, went home, and scrubbed off all the mud & dirt in the shower. Scrapes & bruises, nothing broken, nothing sprained.

Despite the fall, I set my second fastest time for the Mt. Tam Loop.

Still learning to fall, still learning to get (crawl) back up and keep running.

#MountTam #Marin #trail #trailrun #run #TemelpaTrail #MtTamEastPeak #50ktraining #optoutside #getoutside #befierce #pushyourself #facethemountain #trailrash #fitstrongfierce #nofilter #latergram #20190523 #2019_143