Run 2:15:55 [3] 11.69 mi (11:38 / mi)
shoes: Saucony Kinvara 8
Flying into San Diego I spotted some sweet trails on some hills, so I made it my goal to get to Mission Trails Regional Park before I left town. I was able to sneak out right at the end of the sessions for today. I had my eye on as many of their 5 peaks as possible, and I ended up with 3, having to descend from the final one in quickly-declining sunlight and run the road back in the dark. The true highlight was my new friend Alejandro. I passed him on the first uphill, and he caught up to me a bit later after my second peak (I had been stopping to read a map and take pictures). We got to talking and he told me that he planned on only one peak but I was inspiring him to keep going. He joined me for the rest of the run too, and then offered me a ride back to the hotel, which was way out of his way.
The views were unbelievable, the terrain was good and challenging, and I think that Alejandro was the nicest person that I've ever met. Not to be hyperbolic, but this was the best run of my life.