We visited Carkeek Park for a second time in Week 10. This week entailed even more uphill stretches than last week, partially due to my misreading the trails and having to run all the way back up a hill we had already descended.
Around 20 of us started along the same path as last week, up the hill through the forest and along the bluff to the North Meadow. After a brief rest, we reentered the woods and jogged down the North Meadow Hillclimb to the big lean-to survival shelters in the middle of the forest. I thought one of the smaller trails would take us down to the North Traverse trail, but we ended up somewhere else entirely. Risking mutiny, I had everyone run back up the trail to the junction where it meets the Grand Fir Trail, and from there we took the North Traverse and the 12th Ave Hillclimb down to the main road.
Instead of crossing to the south side of the park like last week, we made another climb up the stairs of the Education Center Trail, and then took a small trail on the other side of the main road back down to the Pipers Creek Trail. At the next junction, we took the South Ridge up the tall hill, which was just as unpleasant as last week. The rest of the run along the ridge and the South Bluff Trail was the same as last week.
Once we got through our customary pushups and uchikomi, we took turns doing reps with Arnold’s battle ropes. Finally, we went to the jungle gym for some cool-down pull-ups, this time using the judogi suspended from the bar.
We spent the rest of the morning goofing off, bullying Sophal, and enjoying delicious homemade brunch from Maki, Leslie, Johnny, Chanae, Kozue and Mrs. Miyake. Thank you!
