Berkeley Fire Trail Run

In preparation for the Big Sur Marathon (just 4 weeks away!), I began increasing my running mileage and last weekend, I passed the 2-hour mark when I ran up the fire trail on the hill behind the Berkeley campus. I'd run up this trail before and regretted not having a camera with me because of the awesome view of the whole bay area from the top of the hill. So this time round I brought my camera with me, and was rewarded by the beautiful sceneries captured below:


This is how the sky looks when i left the apartment...perfect weather for a run...


Against a steep slope (see left side of picture)..from the very beginning..


Along the way I passed by the "food center" where i have lunch almost everyday...it's a favorite (mostly because of the lack of option near the school of engineering) hangout for engineering students..


And of course I passed by Cory Hall too, the hideous-looking building that houses supposedly one of US's best Electrical Engineering Department; a place I stayed behind too late for too many nights...


Running pass the fence that circumfrences the...


...the Stadium, home of the Cal Bears...(definitely not as grand as the Big House back in gd ol' Ann Arbor)...


"Cal"


Finally, the concrete jungle gives way for the real jungle...the air here is much more pleasant too...


Finally, I see the place I'm heading for...if all goes well I should be on top of that hill in an hour's time...


"And the road is long...."


"...with many a winding turn.."


self-explanatory..


I. HATE. MUD.


More trees...and light streams cutting through the forrest...sweet!


And I'm not alone in this journey...


....I...need..wa..water....


This is the worst part of the whole run...a murderuos 45 degrees slope...this guy in front of me is probably sub-4 marathon runner..he cleared the entire slope in half the time i took...damn it! wait for me...wa..water...aaaa..


phew! i finally climbed up the slope...yeah~~


the city council fittingly installs this emergency "Call Box" at the top of that ridiculous slope, possibly for people who's about to suffer from heart attack after climbing up that slope....


"..I'm on the top of the world, looking down on creation..."


...chasing my own shadow...


more woods...


beyond this slope...


...is a view to die for..


And of course a video of the magnificient view from the top...it's a really rewarding feeling to be greeted with this amazing view over the Bay Area after a tough run to the top...


and now...i'd just have to get to the other hill over there...


the road more travelled (left) or the road less travelled (right)?....i took both and started with the right side first...


finally! a sign that says "fire trail"...


a cable tower tugged in the valley...


a slope filled with wild flowers...


can't help myself...but the flowers were lookin so pretty i just had to pluck a few out for tammy :)
Dog's thinking "why's this dude talking to himself? and wat up with the flower..."


The right side started to get a bit boring so I turned back and checked out the left side (road less travelled)...it isn't a proper trail and the path is more narrow and winding...then it finally leads me to a clearing with this lone tree standing there, as if in defiance to the other trees hugging closely together in other parts of the forrest..


it's getting late..the sun's setting..and my body's wanning down...time to head home...


the forrest now appears more brownish and mellow under the setting sun...


Home...sweet home...surprisingly, i didn't feel as tired as I'd expect...in fact I feel rejuvenated...it was a wonderful time...i'm definitely running up there again~