I love to do physical stuff. No secret there. I like Spinning, yoga, running, swimming, hiking, lifting weights and other great stuff. My favorite thing to do though is trail running. Once I get off the asphalt ribbon and on to the dirt it's like my whole self shifts into a different gear. The rough surface under my feet forces me to become more aware of where I am and tune in to the environment around me. Suddenly instead of being intensely listening to traffic and being watchful of cars coming at me I can hear my soft footfalls on the dirt beneath my feet. I can hear rustling in the bushes of a bird or small critter as I run silently along the single track. I can even hear birds as they fly over my head. Even if I am on a trail in the heart of a city, I am suddenly transported to a more natural place. Even though my heart rate increases I feel increasingly relaxed as I let myself move in tune with the rhythms of my breath and my surroundings.
It wasn't my intention to wax philosophical in this post, I really just wanted to talk about my run this afternoon. I am fortunate to be in Morro Bay, CA for the week, my favorite place on earth. After sleeping in and then spending some quality time at Starbucks and Barnes & Noble we got back to the RV park and I decided I needed to go for a run. Morro Bay is a place that just makes you get out and run. Whether you run on the beach, run on the miles of trails or even just run along the city streets it is a runners paradise. Today I wanted a bit of a challenge so I decided to do a loop up the backside of Black Mtn all the way to the peak and then return on the road, a run I have done before.
The first half mile is a bit nerve-wracking, running along the shoulder of the narrow South Bay Blvd. Facing traffic coming around several curves where they may not see you until they are just a few yards away causes you to be super aware. Finally able to cross the road and turn on to State Park Rd it gets better. Just a short distance up State Park Rd, right where it intersects with Golf Course Rd comes the right turn on to the trail and the real fun begins. From here to the top of Black Mtn is all uphill, with only one really short level/downhill section to break the climb. My heart rate quickly went from the 120's up into the 150's as I kept my feet moving, climbing slowly up the single track. Suddenly I heard rustling in the brush to my left so I slowed down and came to a stop to see if I could see who was about. After carefully watching and listening for a few seconds, I spotted him. A beautiful wild turkey was creeping through the underbrush, keeping one eye on me as he moved away. These are the moments........ The thing about this trail that makes it challenging, along with the steep climb, is that it is continually crossed by exposed roots. You have to pick your feet up on every step! Finally after about a mile of climbing I arrived at the peak, took a few moments to enjoy the 360 deg view and then started back down. Clamber over the rocks back to the trail, line up on the single track and begin to stretch it out. As much as the ascent to the peak was challenging uphill this section was an equally challenging downhill. I was feeling so I was able to really open up the speed and finish this 3.9 mile run feeling awesome!!
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