That Ain’t No Squirrel

AO: Hulkamania

Conditions: 38 degrees, calm, sunrise

Truth be told YHC was lukewarm to the idea of running today, I waited to see if anyone else would step up and HC & asked for other to join. Hamburglar did just that yesterday afternoon.

SkidKong bowed out early and stated that he had an obligation to watch the Gamecocks and/or Chanticleers this evening and that obligation required adult beverages (for obvious different reasons).
YHC saw Hamburglar’s text later in the evening and not wanting a fellow PAX to have to run alone, I hard committed & asked where and when? The reply: Hulk Trail, 6:45.

After my HC, I started to second guess myself, so to lock it down I set my alarm early & then set a 2^nd alarm to make sure I wouldn’t ‘accidentally’ oversleep.

Morning came early. YHC checked his weather app and found the temp would only be 38 degrees. I layered up and by the time I stepped into the Gloom the clock read 6:43 (I was running late).

As I pulled into the Hulk (6:48), Humburglar was still in his car staying warm. YHC was glad that he didn’t start without me. Although I was only 3 minutes late, Hamburglar said he was giving me 15 minutes to arrive (he wasn’t happy with the temp either). As we said hello,  we each slipped on a pair of gloves and off we went.

Hamburglar took off like a man possessed  as YHC tried to keep up and then eventually tried to keep Hamburglar insight. These are the trails we ran:

North Field – Roller Coaster – Speed Racer – Tall Pines – Great Wall of China – Hulk Island – Q-Bert – Crop Circles – Table Tops – Bluffs – Bayou – David Banner – Tarzan – Mountain Goat Pass – Aladdin – Knee Deep – Amazon.

When we finished the trails, we were just over 5 miles so we continued to run down Frontage Road. We turned right (opposite Col Bob Bell Path & the Bridge) into a secondary lot and run course bordered by the Intracoastal Waterway and the Battery.

We then re-entered on Frontage Road and ran to the entrance of the Battery, then continued north onto to St. Julian Lane until it ended at a cul-a-sac. We looped back around and turned right onto Moutrie Drive.

Halfway down Moutrie Drive a strange animal, that was the size of a raccoon but looked like a squirrel with a bandit masked face popped out of the underbrush then leaped into the trees. YHC thought it was a marmoset, while Hamburglar thought it may be a gigantic Mexican cacomixtle, we finally agreed that it was definitely a Lemer most likely visiting the GrandStrand for the epic Mormons V. Mullets battle of the Unbeatens. 

After confirming with each other what we just saw, we took Moutrie Drive all the way down to the gate at Frontage Road and immediately turned back around and headed east once more. This time we turned right onto the alley that runs parallel to St. Julian Lane. We took the alley to the entrance of the Battery and out the main gate. Once on Frontage Road we ran south & double timed it back to the Hulk.

8:08 – Time Called

Note: Trail running is a great way to strengthen your joints because your body is constantly adjusting to the uneven terrain.

Note: Due to the single file nature of the trail, Mumble Chatter is limited.

Note: That animal we encountered was definitely not a Squirrel!

The Numbers: 7.71 miles; 9:17 pace. 1:11:39 run time

Announcements: Freed to Bleed; Fostering Hope; Ugly Sweater; F3 10 Year Anniversary; MB GrowRuck

Aye!

Quaker