Trail Running

The ultimate challenge. A rocky path. Best to hike over this when just beginning or you could break a bone or two! Even advanced trail runners use extreme caution what running this type of terrain.

Yup, you heard it right folks,Trail RunningIt has been what I have been preparing for and doing the past couple of weeks and one of the reasons why I have been MIA a little more lately. It all started the past few weeks as bird activity started to lesson and I was looking for other excuses to get outside and in the woods, fields, etc. It started off with walking, than fast walking, etc but then I discovered how fun it was to run trails the day I saw the Northern Goshawk at Wachusett Meadows. The normal terrain in a typical trail run.

I went home that afternoon and decided to do a little research on trail running and liked what I had read. Now I have been running off and on since junior high school and found that it got tougher for me after the age of 35 because I started getting knee problems that seemed to get worse when running on pavement. I found that if I ran on the beaches in Maine, my knees would be fine afterwards so it got me to thinking that perhaps the softer surface of a hiking trail may afford me the same benefit and it has so far.

That's not to say you can just jump into it because while it is easier on your knees, it is quite demanding on other parts of your legs like your hamstrings, quads etc. so I have been hitting the weights, doing more hill hiking and stair climbing to prepare myself and avoid injury which I am very good at doing. ;o) Muddy terrain. Kind of like black ice for the driver. It looks oh so innocent until you hit it at full speed and slide into a tree. Never run when you see mud!

I was able to do my first two full runs this week and it's a total blast. I can even get some birding and photography in if presented with an opportunity to stop for a photo but so far the only thing I have been doing is birding by ear as I pass by birds deep in the woods as they sing their first morning song. I was out there at 6am this morning and heard American Crows, Blue Jays, Eastern Wood Peewees and even had a skunk run across the path as I was about to approach it.

That's not to say I won't be birding as much as I have over the past few months. In fact, I am still birding about as often as I was in May, but just not taking as many photos. It's just another hobby I picked up along the way and makes me even more excited to get outdoors everyday!

Have a great weekend everyone!