Today the sun was out so there were no more excuses… time to go for a run! Last week I got into the Beach to Beacon 10K that means I have three big races! The Tri for a Cure in July, Beach to Beacon in August and the Maine 1/2 Marathon in October. The journey of a thousand miles starts with the first step…
My last time in the woods was on December 31st… that’s right skiing on new fallen snow. I wrote about this in another blog post. Since then we have had snow, rain and ice so I have stuck to the sidewalks. I sneak into the mudroom, slip on my sneakers without Molly knowing what I am up to. I don’t have time to have her drag me around sniffing after every smell she comes across.
I step out of my garage door and the warm sunshine hits me and fuels me with hopeful energy. I fire up all my apps… running isn’t a simple task for me. First my “Get Pumped” play list on Spotify, next the Map My Run app to track my route and my interval timer with its combination of horns and whistles that tell me when to run and walk. I hit the pavement as I start with a fast walking warm up.
The horn blares on my app to tell me to start running just as I enter the woods… it figures, I think, that my first running steps are in the woods. Hope I don’t trip on a root and hurt myself. Instantly the air is cooler under the canopy of pine trees. I run over wet decaying leaves trying not to slip or trip over a hidden branch. Pretty soon I am back to a walk.
The little rough trail of woods ends at a chain link fence that one of my neighbors cut an opening into. This trail connects to the trails on base that are now open to the public. I step onto the base trail where it is much wider, flatter and clear of debris. I pick up a run again and get into my running zone, listening to the music, walking and running when my app tells me to.
The trails are so different since that winter day months ago. The snow is mostly gone and has been replaced with mud and puddles. All evidence of winter is not completely gone as I have to gingerly cross large patches of packed down frozen snow tucked into shady parts of the trail.
The fresh air feels so good and refreshing after being cooped up inside yesterday. It smells so clean with the occasional scent of damp leaves. As I make my way through the woods I see turkey tracks, big dog tracks (hope it’s not the coyote), foot prints and bike tracks. Other people are out in the woods but I don’t see them.
For a few minutes I pop out my ear buds to listen. I hear some birds singing and some rustling in the underbrush. Other than that it is so quiet.
After about 30 minutes, I am back where I started. My legs feel strong and my lungs are clear. It was a successful first run with many more to go! I know these woods will be waiting for me.
Ahhhh, the peace and solitude that can only be found in the woods. Such a magical place.
That sounds like a really fun run I love running and going on hikes in the woods I don’t really like running on the road because the woods is such a adventure!!!
I love it!! It reminds me of my camp a little bit. I do track but running long races are a struggle for me. I get tired real easily. But I still like the feeling the wind on my face.