Browns Creek State Trail

Thursday, Jun 27, 2013:

The Browns Creek State Trail is the rail right-of-way for the former Zephyr Railroad, a dinner and entertainment train which operated out of Stillwater, MN.  We three enjoyed that dinner train several times, and when it closed in 2008 the owner sold the right of way to the State of Minnesota and Washington County.  The new Browns Creek Trail will connect the city of Stillwater to the existing Gateway Trail about a quarter mile southwest of the Gateway's bridge over Highway 95.

Sunrise driving to Mayo Clinic

We parked at that bridge and I had to take a look.  The sign says Trail Closed, so of course we three were obliged to run on it.  The rails and ties have been removed, but that's about the only improvement so far at the Gateway end of the Browns Creek Trail.  The surface is small gravel, the remains of the old rail bed, and it's not bad running actually, but after about a mile the trail ahead disappeared under water and I turned around rather than go for a swim.  Total distance about 2.5 miles, and it took me about 30 minutes because I was stepping rather carefully.

Whining: None at all.

Tuesday, Jun 25:

After four days off, we three are back at it again.  5.8 miles in the park, on the paved trails because the grass & dirt trails are mighty soggy.  Since we last ran here three major thunderstorms have rumbled through the Twin Cities, causing a lot of damage.  In one place a crew had sliced up a huge oak that had obviously fallen right across the trail, making our passage through the piles of wood quite uneventful.  This was a lovely run, actually, a little humid but with temperatures at about 70.

I felt a little draggy today, maybe because of the lovely but humid weather or because of four days off from running.  Probably that second thing.  My time showed the weariness, doing a 40/20 run/walk of 5.76 miles in 58:54 for a pace of 10:14.  No pains, no problems.  I’m back.  Where’s the next marathon?