Sunday March 14, 2010

To the End!

The rain has finally ended and this morning starts off damp and cool. My normal Sunday run takes place on the Monon. So today I am heading North to the end .



A short drive to the parking lot and point my feet to the north and go! It's been a few weeks since I have traveled the Monon Trail, and after the mudfest run yesterday , I was hoping for a good run.



I am heading out later than usual, heading to church late, but on a very good morning to run, the mini about 8 weeks away, I would have expected more people out on the trail, but it was pretty empty.

Yea its cool and damp, but it is a perfect day to put in some miles. In a couple months we will wish for mornings like this .


Well by now I am crossing to the Westfield portion of the trail.
This to will come to a end soon , as the construction for the new bridge over 146th is to begin soon. This will be a giant help , but runners heading north from Carmel will be turned around until late fall.

The Westfield portion of the trail seems wider , but I am pretty sure the train tracks were the same size , but they were able to acquire more land than Carmel.

I am close to 30 minutes into it and the trail does come to a end, and it sure doesn't seem to me that a extension is anywhere close. Newspaper articles say a few more purchases and clearing will take place to US 32. This will be great if and when it happens , but at this point you can't even cut a dirt trail on this section.

The next thing I noticed was the mile markers on Westfields section. Really nice an every 1/2 mile . Indys mile markers are the same , every 1/2 mile all the way to downtown.

Most runners and walkers can work off 1/2 mile markers and get a pace , figure out if they are having a good run or not, and there watch makes more sense with halves and miles, plus these look really nice. Money well spent!

So as I head back across 146th to the Carmel section you see these wonderful spray painted markers, that are beginning to fade and crack , and are every 2 tenths. Whats that about?
A few years back when these appeared on the path , it was like who decided this? Did anyone in charge ask anyone competent about the distances to mark off ?

Quarter mile , halves and miles, but 2/10 of a mile ? Strange .
I am thinking , why not follow Indy's lead, 1/2 mile nice markers, but I guess this section is to good to take the lead from Indy Parks.

So we get spray paint on the path. Maybe they should take a few thousand dollars from the new ConcertDome proposed marble floors and gold urinals and purchase some nice markers. More people will see the nice markers.
I love running on the trail and it is very well used in the community, but spray paint, I am sure or tax dollars could pop for 12 of these every 1/2 mile.

The run ended and was very good , 29 min out and 26 back. Felt really good, and looks as if weather will be good next week again. Spring begins next Saturday at 1:30 pm, but it is Indiana
and don't be surprised if we get a little snow still.



7 miles and felt great , 8:30 pace out, 7:30 pace back