Mud, Blood, Sweat and Love

Trail running...oh, how I have missed you! 

This weekend, my beautiful wife and I rented a beachside house in Stinson Beach for the three day weekend.  Renting the beach house was part a celebration of both of our birthdays this past week, part a "get the heck out of the city for a few days" and part, my brother, his wife and newly adopted daughter are coming in to town and our city condo is too small for all of us for three days.

Besides enjoying some beautiful weather and scenery compliments of the Cali Coast, I am enjoying some hours of solitude on the trails around Mount Tamalpas.  Namely, the butt kicking ups, downs and technical work on the Dipsea trail.  Enough has been written about Dipsea (Here is a good link if you like.  And yes, as the link says, it is one of the most beautiful trails in the world!) so I won't spend any time blah, blah, blahing about the Dipsea. 

However, what I will blah, blah, blah about is what an unqualified blast trail running is.  As I have spent nearly all my time the last 18 months road running, I neglected trails.  I am asking myself what the heck were you thinking?  Trails are why running is fun! 

First, when you are trail running, you have to get into the moment exclusively.  One lapse of attention and you will find yourself on your ass, sliding down a hill or tripping over a rock, root or log...and sliding down a hill.

Secondly, there are no cars, people or other road worries in the woods.  No looking over your shoulder to see if the car coming down the road sees you.

Third, it is dead quiet.  Deeeeaaaad quiet.  You cannot get much more quiet than being 3 miles deep into a forest.  It totally rocks.

Fourth, the air!  On the Dipsea you get a mix of Eucalyptus, Redwoods as wide as a semi and meadow smells.  No car exhaust!   Check out the size of the tree behind me...(yes, I took a cheesy self photo...just to show the size of the trees in the woods here!)

Finally, if you want to jump a log, skip over a rock (no, I don't skip...but if I did, the woods would be a great place to try it) or hop over a stream no one will see you!  It is like being six years old again! 

Anyways, if you have not run on a trail...give it shot, I will personally guarantee it will reignite your love of running...heck, you may even skip afterwards!

E