Bonnevile Shoreline Trail "Run"

If you know me, you know I am a road runner.  

Give me my Newtons and a nice paved road,

 that is relatively flat, a few rolling hills and I am a happy runner.

But put me at 4,586 ft with a pair of trail running solomans on a winding dirt road with some serious incline and suicidial mountain bikers and well.. 

I am way out of my element. 

But none the less, I am in "trail running capital of the world" so I figured when in Utah.  

Running stop light to stop light can be quite annoying, and while I love Liberty Park's flat paved trail, I needed some variety and incline in my life.

I did some quick research and decided the 5 minute drive to the Bonneville Shoreline Trail was going to be today's workout. 

The following information was taken from bonnevilleshorelinetrail.org

Trail Description

City Creek Trailhead (.85 Miles -dirt)

The BST crosses City Creek Canyon Road at its intersection with Bonneville Drive. The trail heads up canyon on the south side of the pond, where there are a few parking spaces. The trail goes up canyon and then turns right and quickly begins to climb. The trail climbs over 1,250 feet out of the canyon 

Access

City Creek Trailhead- From South Temple St take B St north up the hill. At the intersection of B St and 11th Ave. Bonneville Blvd decends into City Creek Canyon. Stay to the right of the one way street, bikers and joggers occupy the left side. At the bottom of the canyon park in the small pullout on the right side of the road. The trailhead for the main BST trail heading east to the Morris Meadows trailhead (1.1 miles) is on the right (southest) side of the canyon where Bonneville Boulevard intersects the City Creek Canyon Road at the U-turn.  There are a few informal parking places at this trailhead but you may have to park in the main parking lot just beyond the City Creek gate. Restrooms and a water fountain are also located at the gate. The second trailhead for the main BST heading north-northeast up City Creek and around the North Cove development is on the left (north) side of the City Creek Canyon Road, approx. 250 yards past the main gate.

I headed up B avenue and found the one way road that winds around.  Finally I saw the big curve in the road (at the top of Memory Grove) and saw the parking area on the right.  I parked the car, stashed my keys, laced up my sneakers, grabbed Olive and hit the trials. 

Let's be honest. 

I am not a trail runner, so the way up was a lot of run walk walk walk run walk walk.  A very narrow winding trail that went straight up hill.  Throw in a few mountain bikers plunging down the trails and you really need to be paying attention (leave your music at home folks).  

Of course I took a few pictures breaks because

 I was huffing and puffing and come on... look at the view?

I will admit, while this was tough, the scenery was beautiful and quite distracting.  You are paying so much attention to your footing and surroundings you have less time to think how painful running can be.

Finally we reached a nice flat section of the trails.  Here we were able to do some more consistent running while still enjoying the beautiful scenery.  The sight, flat nice trail made me so happy.   

And then this made me not so happy
Being verrrrry careful to avoid any rattle snakes and keeping Olive on a VERY short leash. 

I have a serious new fear of rattle snakes out here.

After enjoing the scenery and this lovely flat part of the trail, we turned around at about 1.5 miles and headed down back to the car.  The downhill was a little intense and again, took a lot of focus to not go tumbling down the hill with the lose rocks.  

And oh those mountain bikers.  It is a little scary to share a trail with mountain bikers. 

All in all, it was a 3 mile workout, with some more walking on the way up, and ran the top parts and on the way down.  This is a whole new world for me so I really wanted to take it low and slow.  Maybe each week I can throw in a trail run that tries a little harder, pushes a little farther.

But for now, its going to be once a week!  

Be right back while I go lace up my Newtons and find a track ;)