Trail Running

Sometimes I enjoy trail running.

It's a hot, sweaty summer day and the canopy of the trees provide some nice shade. I'm staying at camp for the week and the woodsy trails are my only choice for a light jog.

And sometimes I just like to get off the concrete and give an uneven, rooty, dirt track a try.

However, there are reasons I prefer sidewalks to swamps, pavement to pine forests, highly populated areas to ghostly abandoned backwater trails.

I went to Google to prove my point:

Kiwi (1/6/2012)
Missouri (12/20/2011)
California - Calabasas (9/4/2011)
Hollywood (1/21/2012)
Milwaukee - East Side (9/11/2011)
Milwaukee - OC (1/24/2012)

Tell me I'm overreacting (I am). Tell me it's a rarity (I suppose it is, relatively speaking). Tell me I watch too much Law & Order (that's definitely true).

But trail running, especially early morning trail running, never fails to make me imagine what I would do if I were the unfortunate one who found a body in the empty forest.

This, in turn, leads me to pack my ID and cell phone before I head out - two things I (regrettably) rarely bring with me.

This train of thinking then makes me wish I had some sort of small packable weapon to bring with me *just in case,* not to mention makes me rethink living alone (you know...so then there's at least someone on the planet who knows when I don't return on time).

Then I think about how glad I am I live alone because then there's no one to be angry when I lose track of time and turn my planned 3-miler into a 6-miler.

Then I remember to pack along some cash in case my 3-miler actually does turn into a 6-miler and I need to stop at the gas station for a bottle of water.

This, in turn, makes me wish my SPIbelt was one of those fancy ones with water bottles attached, because then I start thinking about how many plastic water bottles we use and throw away every year.

Then I start thinking about how I live in a concrete jungle and once, just once, it'd be nice to run surrounded by nature - smelling the fresh air, hearing the birds chirping, and occasionally spying a cute little bunny.

Then I end up right back where I started, mapping out a trail run at any number of Milwaukee's local parks.

And now you know the frightening reality of how my mind works.

____________________________________________________________ Current Couch Potato | Aspiring Runner
Mandi recently completed her first marathon! Her next goal is running a full half marathon (no walking!) by her next birthday (May 13, 2012).


Follow her journey.
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