The Winds of Change

Each time I run on a trail, no matter how many times I have been there before, it is different.  From one day to the next, week by week, new flowers bloom while others die, trees lean and fall, creeks swell and lower.   These changes are what makes each run a new and delightful experience, much like the changes in our life.  If everything were to stay the same, we could never fully appreciate what we have.

Four years ago I met up with an incredible group of trail runners that introduced me to the forest.  Not the "occasionally I go camping" forest, or the "lets take a hike with the kids" forest, but the miles and miles of rocky, hilly, muddy, sticky, quiet forest where you can run forever, because it goes on forever.  You only need to stop when you get tired, but even then you can sit down, have a drink, eat a sandwich, and continue running.  It is limitless, boundless, and beautiful.  And that is what my friends showed me.  It is like a well kept secret that anyone can know but few can understand.  And it is beautiful.

Deep and dark, or sunlit and sparkly, the trails are always holding a surprise.  Yet, even as they change, the trails are comfortingly familiar.  Excitement lies in what might be ahead, but at the same time, you know that there is always a way back if you venture too deep, or ever want to return to where you came from (if only for a little while).  It's not hard.  Because the trails, just like the Evil Sisters, will be ready to open their arms and welcome you back whenever you want to come back home.

Love to Evil Sisters Rhonda and Beth....as they take the path less traveled.  

Back on the Horse...

After a pretty miserable late March and early April, I finally feel like my old self again.  In fact, I feel so good that I ran both a half marathon and a 50K in the last seven days. Crazy, I know, but now that I have gotten all my "issues" figured out, I am like a new woman.  I didn't burn through the course at the Frederick Half, but finished in the top half of my age group, so I was happy with that.  I wondered how my knee would feel as I picked up the pace, but it stayed so well behaved I had to remind myself it had ever been injured.  It was a cool, crisp day, perfect running weather for me (and just about everyone), and with the relatively fast course, I didn't struggle at all.  Probably should have gone faster, but with a 50K just 6 days later, I didn't want to risk it.  It was good to cross the line and feel good.

The following Friday, after a v-e-r-y long drama banquet, we headed to West Virginia for the Capon Valley 50K. I first planned on driving in early Saturday morning, as I had done in the past, but my hubby suggested cashing in a few hotel points to get the extra hour or two of sleep. Coincidentally, it also gave him a nice place to resume sleeping after I began running (;
We didn't arrive until midnight, and I woke at 4 a.m. but at least we were close to the race start.  It had poured and poured all through the night, but was just misty when we arrived.  It seemed strangely lonely without the rest of my "Evil Sisters" there, but we were off so quickly, I didn't have time to think too much about it.
Three words can sum up the run this year: Mud, Wet and Deforested.  I had received an e-mail warning the runners that many trees had been cut, but new ones had been planted.  It was so sad to see some of the majestic trees lying in heaps in the mud, even with so many new ones planted in their place.  These areas were shoe sucking mud pits that threatened to swallow you whole if you stepped wrong.

Add that to the steady rain that fell and you can imagine the coating from thighs downward.  Luckily, the race directors planned the course with an abundance of stream crossings that were very high, so bathing was no problem.  I was worried about my knee in the sloppy conditions, but once I started running through the mud, it actually felt like my shoes had extra cushioning and I was bouncing over the trail!  I didn't try to avoid the puddles (there was no way) and instead stirred up the water and mud as much as I could.  I was already a mess, might as well have fun!  And I had a ball.   I really felt like I was six years old and had an endless supply of mud and water to play in.  The small streams had become rushing waterfalls that were just beautiful and at some points I was knee deep in water. There was no way for me to run really fast, but I ran a lot, only walking some of the steeper inclines.  Twice I saw tiny orange salamanders (newts?) crossing the trail, and running under the power lines with the rain pouring down gave off a strange electric sound that had me stepping up my pace!  I was truly happy on this run from start to finish.  My knee was completely fine, even on the pounding downhills and I didn't get tired at all.
Hubby was waiting at the finish to snap a few pictures, and after scarfing down one half of a chicken and a piece of blueberry pie, we headed back home.  Back on the horse and ready to get down to business in preparation for an official finish at Highland Sky!