Why I wear long pants while trail running

I woke up this morning at 5am to head out for a long run, feeling rested and ready to run  having taken yesterday off to juggle kid's sports (one of my kids having had a tournament yesterday).

I decided to run out of Millard to Mt Wilson to avoid the crowds  on the Sam Merrill Trail.  It was a beautiful crisp morning and I made the summit (11.8 miles) in 2:24.  I headed down the Toll Rd to add a few miles and came back up to the summit via the single track- 15 miles in 3:00.  Re-filling my bottles I charged down the Mt Wilson Road to Eaton Saddle at a 7 min pace, hit the trail and and flew down to the Mt Lowe railway-  so great to be out there!  I stopped to snap a couple photos, it was just so pretty:

I continued on, pushing the pace.  My left knee which had been a little sore lately seemed to feel better if I pushed, as opposed to slogging and breaking.  I just felt terrific.

About a  mile down from Markham Saddle I was flying along ...caught my right toe and  the next thing I knew I was on the ground:  Hands were OK since I was holding hand bottles, but both knees were cut through my long pants and the right knee was bashed pretty hard on a rock.  I got up and started limping down;  after a dozen or so paces I started running as I still had to get down 8 miles farther to my car.  The right knee hurt but I was able to make reasonable time.  When I reached the Cape of Good Hope I decided to take the paved road down instead of the Sunset Trail-  right knee really wasn't liking this downhill so I opted for the slightly shorter   non-technical route.

Here is what it looked like after I cleaned it off at home:

This is why I wear long pants!

I am icing the knee now and hope it settles down quickly as this week my plan is to start the mileage ramp-up for the SD100.  The plan going forward is:

Week of  May 1:  85 miles
Week of May 8: 100 miles
Week of May 15: 100 miles
Week of May 22:  100 miles
Week of May 29:  80 miles
Race week-light mileage-  race Day June 3

As it is I may have to ease up this week as the right knee is bit swollen from the impact.