This was my first attempt at the new "Los Gatos Creek Trail" version of the Bay to Umunhum course.
I started at 5:15am, and the weather was perfect - no jacket or gloves needed, and while it was in the low 80s as the day went on, the latter half of the run is mostly in shade, so it wasn't too bad.
Not much wildlife on the Guadalupe segment - some raccoons, and some feral cats. In the Sierra Azul Preserve area there were a lot more rabbits hopping around - I attributed that to me running on a Monday, when there was basically nobody else out on the trails to scare away the bunnies. I think I saw maybe 3-4 hikers, and no mountain bikers.
There are lots of opportunities to get water on the Los Gatos Creek trail. There is a nice bottle filler faucet on the trail just a mile from the gravel segment that runs up to Lexington dam, so I refilled my 100oz bladder there and a 20oz soft flask that had my nutrition for the first half, and topped off my belly at the drinking fountain right at the start of the gravel trail. But it was still not enough. By the time I hit Barlow road, all I had left was the soft flask, so I had to start rationing. But that last 5 miles with much of it 15%+ grade is a killer. I should have brought more water.
It was an awesome view at the top - perfect weather and beautiful blue skys.
I really liked not having to go through all the city intersections of the original course, but the added 4 or so miles and a LOT more climbing made this feel a lot more challenging.