I biked the Eightmile Trail loop out near Hood River on Saturday. It's only 6.2 miles, but has a little vertical and was challenging enough for me in my unfit state. In the past I would have done two or three laps; this day I was happy with a reasonable climb up the 'more difficult' direction and a fast, fun downhill ride back to camp. Hank (my wife's aussie shepherd) was pretty cocky on the climb but ran out of gas pretty quick trying to keep up with me on the downhill back to camp. The sign at the trailhead describes the clockwise loop as easier and the opposite as more difficult. I've done it both directions before. The ccw loop is a steeper climb at the start, but it's pretty short, less than two miles and you then complete almost the whole remaining trip running downhill.
I took Sunday off and ran after work today. My first run in a few months. I took Hank again and walked about half of my three-mile loop. My legs have never felt as tight as they did the first half-mile of the run. I stopped in the Garden Home Rec Ctr park and stretched on a bench. Felt a little looser as I continued. Walked through another park and tossed the stick so Hank could chase it. When we got home Hank crashed; I guess we are working ourselves into shape together.
