Minnehaha Falls visit

Now that I've decided to sign up for a trail 25K next month, it's time to start bumping up the mileage on my weekend long run. I love this because instead of making the long run feel more tedious, it actually is more fun for me because a longer run opens up so many more route options. I love a long run that takes me up to the University of Minnesota's campus or around Lake Nokomis or even over to Lake Calhoun. For these longer workouts, I keep the pace nice and gentle because I'm working on rebuilding endurance.

Today's route: a 12-miler that meandered over to Minnehaha Falls.

It's spring! It's spring?

Brr. It was hard to dress properly for this run because the temperatures were more typical of January or February, especially with the wind, but the March sun is so much stronger. I alternated between being toasty and cold, depending on whether the wind was in my face or at my back.

As I got close to the falls, I heard the water flowing. I remember visiting Minnehaha Falls with friends last summer, when the Sea Salt Eatery lines were long, the patio was packed, and the park was full of visitors. I wondered how different it would look.

The answer: pretty different. My first view:

(Author's note: A day after publishing this post, I stumbled across a photo from that summer visit and had to include it for contrast. Ready?)

The staircases leading down to the falls were closed, but I got a good view from above the waterfall. You can see the water flowing in the center of the falls area. The rest is ice. Here's a better look, with water on the left and ice on the right:

One last look before I turned around and headed back to St. Paul:

I've never seen Minnehaha Falls even partially frozen, and I'm glad I got the chance today.