Trail Running with Friends

Peeing in the woods is less fun in 20 degree weather.

This morning I met up with some folks at the entrance to the Greenbelt Trail in Woodbury near the Stop and Shop. After I posted on Tripp's wall saying that I had signed up for the 50 mile race, Michael reached out to me to join the weekly trail run. It was so nice to be invited to make new friends. I'm not being facetious; I'm rarely invited to do something I really enjoy with people I don't know who also enjoy doing the same things. I tend to get invited to drink with people I already know and don't really like.

photo courtesy of Michael

The trail was beautiful today and the weather was great - sunny and in the 20s. Some of the group planned on doing a 5 mile loop. Michael was running to Cold Spring Harbor and Stacey said she wasn't sure if she'd run the whole thing. I told myself that I'd run as far as Stacey was going to run because my knee started to act up.

Everyone was really friendly and I really enjoyed running in the group before the 5 mile folks turned back. Stacey was much faster than me (and not stopping to take photos) so after she checked to make sure I knew the way, she went on ahead. She schooled me.

The trail was gorgeous with the snow. It was also slippery. I walked when it was particularly steep or icy. I managed to stay on my feet except for when I got a little lost and slipped on the ice. Every time I run the Greenbelt, I get confused at the same point. Today I also managed to run an extra part of the trail because I stopped looking for markers. In my defense, the trail markers for runners are white and snow is also white.

I ran 9.5 miles in 1:59:27 including my pit stops, photo ops, and walking up hills and over roots. Not too bad but I need to spend a lot more time on the trails to get ready for Rock The Ridge. My left big toe started to hurt around mile 6 and my knees feel a little old ladyish now. I wore my La Sportiva Wildcats (I have the orange pair) because I think they provide more cushioning than my Adrenaline ASRs.

When I got back to my car, Stacey was just returning with Dunkin Donuts hot chocolate. She is my absolute favorite person today.