Over the River and Through the Woods. . .

Running is...well, it's running. It's not my favorite activity nor is it my least favorite. It is more than just a means to an end, but I am always open to new ideas that will make it more exciting.

Enter Trail Running. A friend of mine invited me to go trail running with her. Initially she suggested a 9-mile run. Supposedly, the mountain bike trails in Loudonville, Ohio (where I grew up) were spectacular and she very much wanted to run on them one more time before moving out of state. A day later, she contacted me and suggested that we do an 18-mile run instead. Hey, you don't have to ask me twice. That sounds like a challenge I would like to pursue.(Photo: entrance to mile 1 of 24 of the Mohican Mountain Bike Trail)

DIGRESSING: A few things I have learned about myself through this process (1) I am always up for a challenge (2) I prefer to attempt the completion of insane tasks "in the dark" so that I do not know what I am getting myself into before I begin (3) I don't need a lot of reasons to agree to something as long as one or more components make sense.

This is what I knew and what I needed to know before committing to my second 18-mile run - EVER; I have to do a long run anyway, so why not run on a mountain bike trail. I know it is probably more difficult, but it sounds like a lot of fun. I also knew that I had completed one 18-mile run already, so this should be a simple repeat of past events (except that my first run was mostly flat).Oh well, let's just give it a shot and see what happens to me.

So, on May 19, 2010, I began my journey (on foot) on a 24-mile long mountain bike course. I have to admit, it was BEAUTIFUL and everything everyone had told me about it was true. It was an amazing course. The trees provided much needed shade on a warm day and the hills covered in ruts, rocks, limbs and thorns provided enough of a distraction as to draw my attention away from how far I was running and instead keep me focused upon where my next footstep would land.

On mile 9.5 we stopped at one of the cars we had parked mid-way through and filled up our water bottles, ate a little and headed back the same 9.5 miles we had just completed. I was feeling wonderful. As we continued running (sometimes practically crawling up steep inclines) It was amazing to me how quickly the first hour of the second half actually went. It honestly felt like minutes. The last hour, however, was not so fast. At 2:30:00, the lactic acid started to make my legs hurt. I have come to recognize this feeling and know that I will in fact, live, however uncomfortable it is. I watched in great anticipation as the mile markers came and went, helping us count down our small running victory. We would come around a corner on that last mile and think, "this is it, we are done" only to find that we had another hill to climb to corner to run around. It actually made the last mile a bit better despite how painful because we honestly could not see the end until it was upon us.

Our final time running the 19+ miles of the Mohican Mountain Bike Trail was 3:32:00. I keep thinking about not too many months previous, I had a difficult time running past 1:45:00. It's very important to note that my body is getting stronger. It can only help my confidence when I run the trail the next time. I have a feeling, what I was experiencing mentally the last mile will be very similar to what I feel during the Ironman (hoping my legs hold out just a little longer, knowing that the end is in sight although I am not certain where the end is and being determined to get to the end regardless of the discomfort). (Photo: my legs and shoes after 19 muddy, and thorn-covered miles).

I have found a new love in trail running. It is beautiful and shaded. The terrain is not the same from one step to the next; very easily one can get confused about how many more turns or hills remain before the end. I love inching my way up steep hills, dodging logs, stepping lightly over rocks and slowly sliding down steep slopes. It is a nice distraction to the total duration. The trail offers a natural cushion and the sounds of the wind in the trees overhead, the birds cheering me along through song, and the smell of fresh pine makes me want to go back as soon as my legs are ready to take on the challenge again.

(SPECIAL THANKS: I have to thank my parents for providing dinner. My mom had dinner ready immediately following our run. It was pretty spectacular! Thanks so much!)