Im currently training for The Top of Utah Marathon in September and a few days ago i needed to get a 10 mile run in. I didnt have time in the morning for whatever reason so about 5pm i decided to get my but out and do it. It was around 85 degrees which of course isnt terribly warm but when its been in the 60s it proved a big jump. I decided id run some of the race route up Black Smith Fork Canyon. 5 mile up and turn around and come back down to where id parked. 10 minutes in i knew i was in trouble. Earlier that day i had done a Rip 60 workout week 5. If you aren't familiar with it its a suspension trainer program that is awesome. Needless to say doing both on the same day will not happen again. So my legs already felt like crap and i was already really hot. Not another minute went by and i saw my first of way too many rattle snakes on the road. This one being around 5 feet long about did me in. ive been working on my snake phobia lately so i brushed the encounter off and resumed. My run soon came to a run for a while then walk to get my HR back down. Oh did i mention my freaking HR wouldnt cooperate either? I was almost always 15-20 beats higher than normal. i was like...WTF? Then guess what happened?...snake number 2 came along, then 3, 4, 5, 6...until i lost count after 10 or so. I go to my stash of water and nutrition still somewhat optimistic about the return cause it would be mostly downhill. That was short lived cause now i had to pass every dam snake i had just encountered for a second time, and of course they were all out on the road waiting for me just sunbathing...little bastards! About 25 minutes after my intended arrival time i got back to my motorbike and my awaiting nalgene of much needed Endurox drink. i just started laughing at my self cause of my stupidity but also considered it a small victory for not giving up and finishing the intended mileage.
Probably wont see me up Blacksmith Fork running again till September though....
used it before but it just shows perfectly how horrible snakes are
