Running again

Yesterday I had a really fun run!  Not all that far and not all that fast!  But a great time none the less.

Anytime I'm visiting my hometown, I HAVE to go for a run at Bay's Mountain Park.  I've run those trails for probably 30 years or more and I still get excited as I drive up to the Welcome Center.  The park has it all . . . sweet, flat fine-gravel roads, beautiful single track, views to kill for and hills . . . plenty of ups to suck your breath away and make your legs spaghetti!

This trip was especially nice because I was taking two beginning runners up there to run their first trails!  That's right . . . two total trail virgins!  My nephew, Andy Hicks and his wife Blake started running back in the spring and have become quite dedicated.  But they have always stayed on the roads so this was going to be fun.

Blake has been sick for several weeks and had not run much . . . and I was glad!  Not that she had been sick, but that I would have someone to walk some with me!  We decided to just do a short one around the lake on Lakeside Trail . . . a beautiful and fairly gentle trail but enough hills to make it a good experience.

Temps were in the high 30s or low 40s . . . perfect for a run!  Trails were in great shape . . . with just a little mud to make sure it was a genuine 'trail' experience.

We definitely didn't 'burn up' the trails . . . but that wasn't the plan or the point.  We all just wanted to get out there and run some and walk when we needed to.  And that is just what we did!  Most enjoyable!

When we got back to the planetarium I jokingly suggested we continue on up to the observation platform, thinking Blake and Andy would say no way.  How wrong I was!  Blake said let's do it!  And off we went.  Maybe 1/2 mile up to the top but I tried running sections!  Just what I needed!  And the views from the top were super.  I just love Bay's Mountain.