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150 Replies Last post: Apr 11, 2006 8:53 AM by Aruba 1st   Go to original post 1 ... 4 5 6 7 8 ... 11 Previous Next
Click to view markvoss077's profile Amateur 27 posts since
Oct 31, 2006
76. Mar 15, 2005 12:51 PM in response to: Aruba 1st
Re: Arizona
I did a nice, slow long run at South Mountain last Saturday (3-12-05).

88 F in full sun in March? Wow! I had to slow down a bit and keep looping back to the Pima Canyon trailhead waterfountains.

The wildflowers are incredible!

Especially in Javelina Canyon which is west of the 46th St. Trailhead (3 blocks north of 46th St. and Baseline). It can also be accessed from the western saddle where the Rim trail ends just above the east side of the Mormon Trail.

Javelina Canyon is a very rugged trail. But with its narrow, twisty singletrack and steeply sided hills covered in flowers it just seems so much nicer than the wide gravel road that most people run, bike, stroll on from the Pima Canyon trailheads. It's also easy to loop the Javelina Trail back to Pima Canyon via the Beverly Canyon Trail or the singletrack that leads east towards The Pointe Resort and the East Loop Trail.

BTW, there is water available at the 46th St. Trailhead. It's just west of the parking lot by the horse hitching post and water trough (Don't drink from the trough!...) There are two hydrant faucets that you can cup your hands to drink or fill your water bottles. Just be careful. Sometimes bees really like that horse trough and buzz 'round it pretty good. I've never had any problems, but if you fear bees you'll need to have your guard up.
Click to view markvoss077's profile Amateur 27 posts since
Oct 31, 2006
78. Mar 29, 2005 12:23 PM in response to: Aruba 1st
Re: Arizona
Lost Dutchman State Park - Jacob's Cross Cut Trail
March 26, 2005

If you've never been there before or if you've never been there when the spring wildflowers are out (last time was 2001) then you must go NOW! You've got about three weeks left of maximum flower exposure. It is unbelievable, and this is coming from a guy who's spent seven years hiking and running in the Superstition Wilderness!

From the main trails I took the Jacob's Cross Cut Trail about six miles south until it came to a T-junction with two very rocky, un-runnable trails--one headed east up to the mountainside (Monument Canyon) and the other looked like it headed west down to some trailhead (Broadway).
http://www.azstateparks.com/Images/parkmaps/dutchmantrails-copy.pdf[/URL" target="_blank">

Jacob's Cross Cut Trail gets progressively more rugged and narrow as you go south. And it's full of curves and dips in and out of arroyos. I don't think there is a stretch of singletrack that is straight for more than 50 yards for the entire length of the trail. For me that's just exciting, and the miles fly by. And right now the wildflowers are a bit overgrown and make it look like you're running over a perfect carpet of yellow, purple, and blazing orange. If you can't take a few scratches on your legs then you'll want to wear some running pants. The trail is really rather flat, maybe call it rolling at most. So there are no big climbs or descents.

The entire trail lets you see the Superstition Mountain to the east and wildflowers everywhere.
http://www.travelrapidly.com/destinations/info_lost_duchman_az_usa.html[/URL" target="_blank">

But on the way back I took the Prospector's Trail up, up, up (wow, a hard climb after 12 miles) and finished my 14 miler by bombing down the east descent of the Treasure Loop where it intersected back with the Jacob's Cross Cut Trail.

If you really want to crush a climb, then take the Siphon Draw Trail up into a really narrow canyon. It's about a two mile climb which is very, very rocky (hard on the descent). And this is where all the tourists think they'll walk up doing 30-minute miles, stopping every 100 yards in the middle of the trail to catch their collective breaths.

Be nice to the hikers. Most are tourists and have never hiked before. So they don't know that people would want to run fast around the curves and blast out of arroyos. Say hello and smile when meeting them head on. And just ask them if you can pass them by as you approach them from behind.

Take and carry your own water unless you want to go hunt down a drinking fountain down in the park facilities.

To Get There:
Go east out on Hiway 60 out of Phoenix to the Idaho Rd. Exit. Go north about three miles to Hiway 88 (The Apache Trail). Go east about five miles to the State Park turnoff.

OR, if you want to save 5 bucks and can do without any facilities, or if you left too late in the day (this place actually fills up past capacity and they won't let any more cars in)...

Drive 2 blocks past the State Park turnoff and turn onto First Water Road. Go about 1/2 mile on this bumpy (but passenger car accessible) road and find the Cross Cut Trail parking turnout. It's a one mile hike/run southwest on the Cross Cut Trail to intercept the Lost Dutchman State Park trails.
http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/tonto/wilderness/superstition/supers_map.htm[/URL" target="_blank">
Click to view CrazySlowDistanceMan's profile Amateur 36 posts since
Apr 1, 2005
79. Apr 3, 2005 3:53 PM in response to: Aruba 1st
Re: Arizona
Im so mad! i would have run in the Marathon in january, but i got my wisedom teeh pulled on new years eve! start the new year with a bang, baby!
I live in chandler, and i am CrazySlowDistanceMan!

------------------
BE AFRAID!
Don't trust anything that can run 10 miles in 110* heat and doesn't
DIE!
Corona Del Sol CrossCountry 2004
Click to view CrazySlowDistanceMan's profile Amateur 36 posts since
Apr 1, 2005
81. Apr 4, 2005 11:44 PM in response to: Aruba 1st
Re: Arizona
lol
I try for some distance, but i need to get some things straight! i thought i ran a 16 mile run (furthest ever! YEAA!), but i was totally off by like 6 miles! yikes! (Chandler blvd to baseline and back, thought that it was 8 one way )

I usually run around...well, anywhere. im in track right now, so i cant get as many distance days as i'd like to (took some arguing to get distance day every thursday!)

I usually just stay within an 8 mile radius of the school, going any further could be dangerous (long walk back if i got hurt!)
ugh! one more thing im not good at, giving directions (other is learning street names)

CrazySlow (Nice pace, my warmup is the same as my 800, mile, 2mile, 10mile, and more! its your general "run" pace
Click to view CrazySlowDistanceMan's profile Amateur 36 posts since
Apr 1, 2005
84. Apr 21, 2005 11:56 PM in response to: Aruba 1st
Re: Arizona
Well, just finished my last track meet yesterday. my only even was the 2 mile. im not too fast, considering i usually get lapped twice by my friends! but yesterday, i flew solo, i was an army of one. I was the only guy running for my school! felt cool, strong, important. It all went downhill, then, somehow, there was an upside.

There was a meet at mountain point. I ran the 2 mile against, like, 8 DV (desert vista), 3 mountain point, 3 mcclintock, and 2 marcos guys. since i was the only one from corona, i had to start in the 2nd or 3rd lane (sorted by school). the gun went off, and i was trapped, running at full speed! now, usually i run a comfy 1:41 400 when i do distance, i flew through the 400 in 1:30! that was THE fastest 400 i have ever run, in my ENTIRE life! needless to say i was dead. i got lapped a few times (gave up counting ) and somehow, i ended running my last lap all alone! haha, i had my own victory lap! my goal was under 15 minutes, but i got a 15:15! i guess that that is pretty good, considering i sprinted the first lap (im pretty slow)
im happy though, it was nice to be an army of one, i ended the season by breaking my PR (previously 15:36, before that, 15:50). But i am happy, mainly because i can finaly do some distance runs! i mean real distance, like 20 miles.
dont know why i posted this, just felt like sharing!

Tom
Click to view markvoss077's profile Amateur 27 posts since
Oct 31, 2006
85. Apr 22, 2005 12:13 PM in response to: Aruba 1st
Re: Arizona
Papago Park!

Tempe Town Lake has the paved running trail only along its south (downtown side) and north (Papago Park) side. And half of the north side is closed right now due to construction. So for the rest of the summer there is no way to "loop" the lake trail.

But never fear! just run 1 block further north and you'll discover a great little place that very few people take advantage of.

Just "across the river/lake/whatever" from ASU and Downtown Tempe. Run 1/4 mile across the Mill Street bridge and just head east and down into the LoPiano Bosque habitat.
http://www.tempe.gov/lake/Habitats/Habitats.htm[/URL" target="_blank">

(The Ironman Arizona actually just used this as part of their marathon course a couple of weeks ago).

It's a 2/3 mile long flat dirt road that parallels a nice little canal with lots of trees around it. The 202 Freeway parallels you about 100 feet to the south (and 50 feet up a steep bank). Find one of the bridges that heads north over the canal and you'll be in Papago Park.
http://www.tempe.gov/lake/images/Maps/PapagoTrailsMap.jpg[/URL" target="_blank">

You can run around the little buttes and in and out of the arroyos (dry stream beds). Some of the trails are really wide, mostly the ones on the ridgelines. But there are plenty of exciting singletrack trails too.

There's no way you can get lost. The 202 Freeway will always be to the south which you can still hear day and night. And if you cross any streets you'll have a high enough perspective to figure out where you are.

There is a drinking fountain in the little green park just to the east of Papago's desert terrain just below the tallest butte. Running on the Tempe side you'd never be more than a five minute run away from the drinking fountain. Look for the playground that looks like this:
http://www.tempe.gov/pkrec/parkfacil/images/PAPAGO%20PLAYGROUND1.jpg[/URL" target="_blank">

There are also public park restrooms at the northeast corner of that little park across the little pond.

There are enough little loops in the Tempe section to put in up to four miles without retracing your steps. But you can also head north across the street into the Phoenix section of the park that has similar trails but has more hills.
http://phoenix.gov/PARKS/hikpagud.html[/URL" target="_blank">

Oh, yes. Understand that these are desert non-paved trails but very runnable. And you'll probably only have to share the entire park with some quail, some funny running birds, and a horse (and rider) or two.
Guest
89. Apr 25, 2005 5:37 PM in response to: Aruba 1st
Re: Arizona
Anyone know of any running clubs in Yuma, AZ. Or does anyone live in the area that needs a running partner?