Out of our way!

I have a serious pacing problem and it only gets worse on crowded trails, like the Mount Si hike Steve and I did yesterday.

It's my second time up and the first time I was a little surprised by how much it kicked my ass - yes, I know it's 8 miles roundtrip with a 3,500 foot elevation gain, but usually I don't have to stop every five feet to catch my breath like an aging smoker. I'm blaming the eggs benedict I ate for breakfast that day.

Anyway, back to the issue at hand - pacing. Here's the set-up. I'm 5'4 and Steve's 6'7. As you can imagine, his gazelle-like legs allow him to walk far faster than me. But I'm also a runner and I walk pretty fast. So, over the years and the trails, we've managed to set a pace that works for both of us - he walks a bit slower and I practically run down the trail to keep up with him. This balance works great when it's just the two of us, but it gets completely thrown out of whack when anyone else comes with us, or when we're on a popular trail.

Take yesterday, for example. We're flying along, feeling good, ignoring the icy slush that quickly turned to deep snow (although padded deep snow because of the popularity of the trail) and then we come upon .... a hiker. And then another hiker. And then three hikers. And we constantly have to pass them because we're going so fast (and I'm saying this not because I'm stuck up about speed, I swear. If you've ever met Steve, you'll know exactly what I mean.)

Anyway, it's no problem passing people (unless they have trail etiquette problems, more about that later) but then you're forced into keeping your speed. Because if you take a break, even a mere sip of water, they might pass you again. And then you're forced to pass them. And then suddenly you're playing this annoying game of trail leap frog.

So say, to avoid this game, you keep going, even though you're desperate for a snack or some hydration. All of a sudden, the hike turns from fun into a strange race, where no one is admitting they're actually competing, but yet they are. These are the things I actually obsess over while I'm hiking.

That's why trails like Mount Si are great for training (and beautiful, don't get me wrong) but not the most enjoyable, at least for me. What's with all the people??