Ran Wildwood! (Supported)
Posted: August 8th, 2019, 11:59 am
Dear Hikers,
I recently ran the entirety of the Wildwood, which has always been on my bucket list. I agreed to run it with a buddy I met while running the Portland Trail Series, in spite of not running over 15 miles since my first/only marathon in 2014. I’m an avid hiker/backpacker/runner so I thought I could whip myself into shape in a reasonable amount of time.
We decided that we would train for 8 weeks before making our bid - which is roughly the length of the running series.
I logged as many miles/cross-trained as much as I could in that timeframe. Sadly, my friend had a work event come up the weekend we agreed on and bailed last minute. By that point I had already mentally committed to running it and made my bid solo.
I had my partner drop me off at the trailhead at 9am (thanks boo). I packed enough food and water to last me for a couple hours, and asked her to meet me where Wildwood crosses Cornell Rd with more supplies. My game-plan was to run all the flat sections and walk the uphill/downhill sections.
I usually run or workout after work when i’m already exhausted, so I was feeling pretty good that morning after a light breakfast.
So good, I ran all the way to 53rd at a half marathon pace. After 53rd, my feeling of invincibility quickly faded and then the real test began.
I remember hitting a wall at the base of Pittock, and *cheerfully* walked to the Summit. In the back of my head I knew that the summit is only a handful of miles from the end of the trail - so holding onto that thought really helped me get through it.
After winding through the confusing sections of Wildwood in Washington Park - I finally finished around 5pm. It took me a little over 8 hours to complete.
In hindsight, taking on Wildwood point to point is very doable for regular runners/experienced hikers - especially if you are aiming to hike a decent amount as well. It’s relatively flat and you even get 1 to 2mi stretches to yourself North of Germantown Rd.
If you are training for Wildwood and have any questions - feel free to drop a comment below!
I hope you enjoyed this report.
Thanks,
Abe
I recently ran the entirety of the Wildwood, which has always been on my bucket list. I agreed to run it with a buddy I met while running the Portland Trail Series, in spite of not running over 15 miles since my first/only marathon in 2014. I’m an avid hiker/backpacker/runner so I thought I could whip myself into shape in a reasonable amount of time.
We decided that we would train for 8 weeks before making our bid - which is roughly the length of the running series.
I logged as many miles/cross-trained as much as I could in that timeframe. Sadly, my friend had a work event come up the weekend we agreed on and bailed last minute. By that point I had already mentally committed to running it and made my bid solo.
I had my partner drop me off at the trailhead at 9am (thanks boo). I packed enough food and water to last me for a couple hours, and asked her to meet me where Wildwood crosses Cornell Rd with more supplies. My game-plan was to run all the flat sections and walk the uphill/downhill sections.
I usually run or workout after work when i’m already exhausted, so I was feeling pretty good that morning after a light breakfast.
So good, I ran all the way to 53rd at a half marathon pace. After 53rd, my feeling of invincibility quickly faded and then the real test began.
I remember hitting a wall at the base of Pittock, and *cheerfully* walked to the Summit. In the back of my head I knew that the summit is only a handful of miles from the end of the trail - so holding onto that thought really helped me get through it.
After winding through the confusing sections of Wildwood in Washington Park - I finally finished around 5pm. It took me a little over 8 hours to complete.
In hindsight, taking on Wildwood point to point is very doable for regular runners/experienced hikers - especially if you are aiming to hike a decent amount as well. It’s relatively flat and you even get 1 to 2mi stretches to yourself North of Germantown Rd.
If you are training for Wildwood and have any questions - feel free to drop a comment below!
I hope you enjoyed this report.
Thanks,
Abe