Hello!  Where has the month of November gone?  It’s the week of Thanksgiving and the weather has been nice.  We had a few days of snow, but nothing incredibly cold.  If you are like me, you are officially in the post-race season haze.  You now you need to workout.  But, you aren’t exactly motivated to push yourself hard without a plan. 

Personally, I am very tired of my usual road running routes.  The same streets, the same bathroom stops and the same views…run, after run, after run.  I need something new to stay motivated.  I need something that will make me want to go out and run.  My usual tricks aren't working.  From new music to new outfits, I cannot make myself go out and run my normal routes.

I've been interested in trail running for a while.  But, I've never considered myself to be very coordinated.  After the Bad Apple Ultra, I decided I wanted to give trail running a little more attention in my schedule.

This past weekend I went for a trail run at a local park.  The course is less than a mile but it has a few small hills and changes terrain from woods to grass.  I started my run slow and steady doing my usual run/walk intervals.  Once I moved further into the park the sounds of the road diminished and I was able to listen to the sounds of the woods.  My favorite sound is the wind blowing through the leaves. Instead of focusing on music or what mile I'm in, I was able to focus on the scenery.  It was nice to run just for the fun of running and enjoying what running was allowing me to see. Even if it was only a short run, I felt invigorated afterwards….something I have not felt since the Bad Apple Ultra!  Looks like trail running can help clear out the running cobwebs that build up during a road running season.

Going forward, I'm going to incorporate more trail runs into my workout schedule.  At the very least, I'll be able to enjoy the scenery!