Tucson training

I do hate to admit that I went a solid week between runs but I was a bit busy getting ready to be gone from work for a day and a half for our trip to Tucson to celebrate both our birthdays and Valentine's Day. At least those "holidays" were the justification to go somewhere WARM!!!

The sun shone the entire time and the temps climbed to near 80 degrees. Jodi and I were very happy campers, well hotelers. I was given strict orders by my good friend Serena to take Jodi to a nice hotel, NOT camping this time.

And nice hotel we found, by using Hotwire. My first time using it but not my last. We plan to return to Tucson many times and I hope we can get this Sheraton every time.

Friday afternoon after the birthday lunch that Lovelace Westside throws each quarter for those with birthdays that quarter Jodi and I headed south then west for what turned out to be a fantastic weekend. Even when we got there Friday night well after dark it wasn't cold.

Saturday morning we chose to drive clear across town for breakfast because we had come to explore Tucson. After breakfast we slowly wound our way back to the hotel and got biking gear together. I wanted to experience the Loop, a major cycling project of the city of Tucson so we found the closest access we could ride to from the hotel. We had no idea when we left just how great the trail would be and how much of it we would see that afternoon, turned out that we rode over 40 miles and loved it!! Oh, mostly we loved the warmth! It was breezy but not bad.

After coming back and relaxing in the hot tub to rest our weary muscles we planned our next adventure. Get up on Sunday, have a leisurely breakfast then don running clothing and shoes and head to the hills. I chose Sabino Canyon because I had read great things about it online and because it was on our side of town. When we pulled in the parking lot and could not find a parking space we knew what I had read must be true. After over eight and a half miles of gorgeous running, with some hiking breaks, we realized it was better than I had even read. I have to say Bear Canyon to Seven Falls is an absolute EPIC trail!

I can't wait to go back. Unfortunately we had to pack it up and leave Monday morning. It was almost as hard to leave there as it was San Diego back in October! I fell in love with the desert all over again.