Mountain Lions, Scorpions, and Rattle Snakes...Oh My!

I had the privilege of going to Tucson last week for 5 days...all expenses paid at a swanky resort. Yeah, I had to work, but I also had the opportunity to have lots of fun...

The first day was filled with travel, lectures, mingling, eating...and relaxing in the hot tub. Day two we (my colleague, Rebecca, and I) opted to skip a drug rep lunch for a more enticing adventure...a hike/run in Sabino Canyon. She wanted to walk/run, while I had plans to run/run, so on arrival we inquired on the best trail to take. We were immediately advised that we shouldn't run alone or with headphones as there have been more mountain lion sightings this year. "Oh hell no!" As someone who watches too many episodes of "I'm Alive" and "I Survived", I am horribly afraid of running into a mountain lion. I think I am more afraid of mountain lions than bear. I mean, it's jut a bit creepy...mountain lions stalk you and wait for the perfect time to attack, and you will never know they are there... And, although I was advised by a friend that I should be more worried about the rattle snakes and scorpions, I felt it was easier to tackle and avoid these little beasts compared to a giant ferocious cat. So, while Rebecca chose to adventure more slowly on a less traveled trail, I opted for the more populous tram road.

I started out very cautiously, eyes and ears attune, afraid of what hid in the bushes. I even stopped one time after hearing a rustling that was...just birds...heart pounding through my chest. But shortly enough the joy of the run took over...passing other tourists and racing the tram...rolling hills that gradually got tougher and tougher to climb as I approached the peak. At the top, I rested briefly to enjoy the view and then flew back down. The climb up was tough, but the reward of flying down was fabulous! I stopped at the trailhead Rebecca took, but was advised by another runner that if I was afraid of mountain lions, I shouldn't take that trail. That was all I needed to hear to keep me away, so I called Rebecca and told her I would run to the starting area and come back to meet her at the trailhead. I ended up doing that a couple of times as I was having so much fun running and didn't want to stop. At one point, I was asked by an older man, "Are you done yet?" as I passed him for the umpteenth time. I simply smiled and replied "Nope!", and off I went. When I finally decided to stop, I had completed the most enjoyable ten mile run I think I have ever had...if only I had the time to keep going! But alas, it was back to schmoozing and networking with conference goers.

Day three was packed with activity. It was the day of my presentation, so my nerves were shot. I had planned an early evening run to relax before the end of the day. My presentation went well, the lectures were stimulating, but I was tired. Rebecca and I decided to take a short nap prior to heading out for another adventure. After resting a bit, we headed out, with map in hand. The nice thing about the resort was Runner's World created a 3.3 and 5.5 mile route for runners, all documented on a handheld map. The bad part was that it was initially confusing to follow, which wasted precious time. We ended up running on a pseudo dirt trail next to the main road, followed by smaller residential roads. I started out at my usual pace and gradually got slower as I ascended a steady one mile climb. The funny part was I didn't realize at first that I was climbing because it was such a gentle slope. I had wanted to run seven or so miles, but by the time I completed two, the sun was setting. So I turned around, to fly down the hill and head home, faster and faster, trying to beat the oncoming darkness. Then into the hot tub with a little sangria. Fabulous ending to the day!

I was determined to run farther on day four since my measly four mile run on day three seemed like nothing. So I opted to skip the morning activities and headed out with the same helpful map, this time understanding the route. In order to add some mileage, I crested the mile hill a couple of times, being rewarded doubly with the amazing view and the flying run back down. I ran around the residential streets in solitude, as there were very few people out. Again I felt free and light hearted as I had a few days before in Sabino Canyon. I didn't want to stop, but knew I had to get back to the conference. I tried to take in all I could from this final run in Tucson.

On our final day of the trip, we got up early and relaxed at The Red Door Spa with a lovely massage. What a nice way to prepare for the long journey home.

I will leave you with a little advise in case you should ever run into a mountain lion...