Fahrenheit Be Darned winter training run #3 is this Wednesday. Looks like conditions are a bit cooler than last week, but a lot drier. We’re going to venture back onto some trails for the first part of the course this week and then finish on roads and bike paths as the daylight wanes at the end of the day.
The first part of the course follows what we did two weeks ago. Through the roundabout, up the hill to the ski hut, and follow the trails out through T-field, and up the power cut. This time go all the way to Yankovich and cross the road to follow the Equinox Marathon route backwards. Cross to the Large Animal Research Station entrance and veer to the right to follow the trail around the caribou enclosure. Follow the Equinox route through a sharp right turn and continue along this trail until you come out onto Dalton Trail. Cross the road and follow the trail paralleling the road briefly, crossing Kittiwake to another 90 degree right turn. Keep on the Equinox trail until you pop out onto Ballaine Road and turn right to head back to campus. Either run on the left side of the road facing traffic or use the gravel path that runs along the left side. When you get to Yankovich, cross over and follow Ballaine to where the bike path merges to the right. Follow the bike path past Ballaine Lake and eventually veer off to the right to take the bike path into campus. Go straight through the T intersection and stay on Tanana Drive behind the concert hall and library and around the back of Duckering. Cross through “Dysfunction Junction” and return to the Patty Center through the parking lot.
Total distance is 7.0 miles. If you want to cut off some distance, here are a couple options you can consider. When you come out onto Dalton Trail you can turn right to take it back to Yankovich, turn right to Ballaine, and back on course. That change will make it about 6.6 miles. If you still want less, when you first come to Yankovich, you can turn right and follow it all the way to Ballaine where you will pick up the course. That total distance comes to about 5.7 miles. Plenty of other options are possible for the adventurous.
Daylight savings time will be ending in two and a half weeks so make sure you’re testing out the gear you’ll need for dark winter running. Make sure you have reflective gear and think about a headlamp if you don’t have one. If you do, now is the time to change the batteries so you’re not stuck in the dark the first time you need it. If you’re new to Fairbanks winter running and aren’t sure what to get, ask any of the experts you’re running with on Wednesday nights. We all look out for each other. See you Wednesday!