Charging the Hill Again

Clear skies and cooler weather today made the decision to run up Little Ossipee Hill again a no-brainer. Last weekend's run up the hill was a lot of fun and I really looked forward to being able to see the views without the fog. I definitely was not disappointed and was glad I brought along my cell phone camera along to get some shots.

The run up went well and I got to the top a little faster this time than last. I came to a viewpoint a few hundred yards from the summit and stopped to take in the views of Little Ossipee Lake, Arrowhead Lake, and the surrounding foothills which were awesome. However, they'd pale in comparison to what was just up the trail.

Finished the run to the top and even though I prefer not to climb man-made structures like fire towers as they wig me out, I sucked it up and climbed up to the platform about two-thirds up the tower (20 feet?) . It was worth it. The views were incredible. I could clearly see the White Mountains in all of their glory to the northwest. A few nearby trees in the way, but once the leaves fall off in a few weeks, I suspect I'll have an even better view that will include Mt. Washington.

To the east, I could see the sun shimmering off the ocean, which was a remarkable sight. And all around, I could see the other foothills, lakes, ponds and other landmarks dotting the countryside. It was really cool. Sat there for about 10-15 minutes to soak it all in and then climbed down and ran back down the hill.

The last three miles are on the roads and pretty flat and I picked up the pace a little here and cruised on home. Great run on a beautiful day.

Ran 11.0 miles @ 8:06 mile/pace.
AHR/MHR - 146/167
Paved roads, jeep trails, trails.
Insanely hilly.
Lower-mid 60s, sunny.

Splits:
1 - 7:48
2 - 7:40
3 - 7:33
4 - 8:08
5 - 10:01
6 - 10:35
7 - 8:10
8 - 7:44
9 - 7:20
10 - 7:14
11 - 6:56