Mihai Munteanu: Trail Runner Notes: When Running is better than skiing...

Last week the winter showed us again that it will not go away without a struggle... It was cold ant it snowed again until Friday covering again the city with fresh snow. Of course, even more fresh snow fell on the mountains! Yesterday I went skiing and enjoyed the glorious sunny weather, the fresh snow and the perfect winter like conditions on the ski slopes, some of the best for this winter season.

After an overdose of skiing, I did feel I need something different and quieter for today... of course a train run! And what a trail run it was! I woke up early in the morning, ready to run all the way up to Postavarul Peak. I wanted to be early for two reasons: I knew that the snow on the prepared ski slopes will be perfect for running, as the clear skies would cause the night temperatures to drop well below 0, freezing the snow to create a perfect surface for running. And I was right. The ski slopes were perfectly smoothed by the snow groomer machines and frozen just enough for running - not icy but also not too soft. The other reason I woke up early was to avoid the skiers on the slopes. I managed to run on empty slopes and leave the ski domain just before the first skiers appeared.

So I had a perfect running day. Perfect snow surface, perfect sunny and windless weather, and empty slopes where I could enjoy the mountain nature as it was waking-up in the sunshine after a frosty night.

I could also have gone up the mountain on touring skis as I often do during the winter, but on Postavarul, on the prepared slopes I find it a bit silly to carry all that equipment on me... Running is just simpler, lighter, feeling more agile... I just leave home on foot and run the 12km and 1200m elevation gain till the top of Postavarul Peakand and then back... beautifully simple!
Of course, there are days when touring skiing is the best choice, especially in the middle of the winter when the weather is harsher and when I like to venture up the mountain through the deep snow of the forest. But there are days when although the conditions are perfect for for skiing, I prefer running.

Here is my track of today:

And a few photos taken with my crappy phone's camera on top of Postavarul mountain around 8:30AM.