Playing In The Dirt

I've decided if I have any prayer of running FlatRock this year I really need to hit the trail a little more. I also hate running in the morning. If I run on the trail it's shaded and I can wait until after work. Right now I can do that anyway. It will get too hot for that soon.

I wasn't going to run at all Monday but for some reason all I could think about was the trail. I decided to just go with it and drove out to the lake. I took a portion of the Table Mound hiking trail that is 4 miles out and back. Well, you have to run a little bit of the road at the tunaround. When I got to the turnaround I started to run on the road a little. Up to the left is an area where bathrooms used to be. I decided to run up around that area. When I got up there I saw a trail that I didn't know about. It said it was a mile long and I didn't have time to run the whole thing but wanted to check it out. Here is what I found:

You just want to run across, right? Alas, I didn't have time. I decided I was definitely coming back the next day. I finished my run and thoroughly enjoyed myself. It was just a really fun run.

On Tuesday I went out again planning to do 5 miles. I must have done something wrong on the new trail though because it was less than half a mile long. It is a loop (I think) and I must have missed something. Actually, on the website for the lake it says the trail is 2/3 of a mile and on 2 different signs it says 1 mile. Since it wasn't even 2/3 I'm not sure what happened. Also, on the website it says it has 2 bridges and I only saw one.  

Tuesday's run wasn't as fun. I was tired from Monday and had also done a boot camp workout that morning. I probably should have skipped the trail run, but I really wanted to check out the new trail. It was actually a lot harder than I expected it to be! It was more technical and the part I ran had a lot of uphills.

Some more pics

I went down right here because I could see a mark on the tree. I don't think I should have. I think it's where I went  wrong. I think maybe when the trail circles back it comes close to itself. I saw the marking and thought I should go that way. I have a terrible sense of direction! I shouldn't run by myself.

 Right here you go through the rocks

Here is the sign that alleges the trail is 1 mile. It isn't the only one!

I finished the run, but only because I had to in order to get back to my car. No way for anyone to come pick me up. It wasn't as fun as Monday though. I ended up with a little over 4.5 miles, which isn't too bad. It was also hotter Tuesday and I didn't anticipate my water needs very well and ran out of water. Note to self: When it is 85 and humid I am going to drink a lot!!

Saturday we have no plans and I can run as long as I want so I'm going to do part of the FlatRock course. I'm going to start at the trailhead by the lake and go to Oak Ridge. I think it's around 9 miles. First though I'm meeting someone in Independence to run 2 miles. It will get me nice and warmed up! I'm sure it's going to be a very tough run, but heck, I have all day and a pretty view on most of the trail. I can stop and rest as much as I want. I know, I shouldn't stop and rest. I'm trying to stop caring about what I should do and instead do what I want to do. So far I'm enjoying it. I think sometimes runners get too caught up in the "right" way to do something. I'm trying to be more relaxed.

In the meantime, Ryan said he would run 3 miles with me in the morning! We'll see what happens when I wake him up at 6:30. I suspect he will change his mind.

Oh yeah, the title of my post. I get so dirty on the trail! It's funny because I really hate dirt but for some reason it doesn't bother me when I'm running. It's just so much more fun to be on the trail than the road that I'm willing to get a little dirty.

Happy Running!

~Mel