December 7 - Archer - back to running joy

My fellow HFCRC friends at at 7:00 am in 10 degree with a little windchill.  I laid awake for awhile and was tempted to join them, but I had other plans.  The only real issue with the Marcothon is the amount of concrete pounding my body is absorbing.  The plan for the weekend was trail and trail only even though I wanted to enjoy running with others.  I sent a message to Jason to check his interest in running at Izaak Walton.  Izaak Walton is a hidden gem in Homewood.  The privately owned preserve allows none members to use the trail which include a 3.6 mile perimeter loop trail. The trail changes from twisted forest, crushed cinder open field, angled pond banks, and slight elevation changes.

I spent the day with Abigail (spousal unit) with the understanding that I needed to get to Izaak by 2:00 to enjoy the trail in daylight.  She had a list of places to go which included picking up a live Christmas tree.  We pulled into the driveway at 3:00 knowing that I couldn't leave until the tree was secure in the tree stand.  Got a text from Jason the he was headed that way and would run clockwise.  Rushing to put on the right layers for 17 degree, I made it to the parking lot by 3:35.  Final adjustment to clothes and 2 minutes spent securing a Nathan Quickshot Handheld waterbottle. The strap kept coming of as I tried to get it over the gloves.  Because of wanting to run into Jason and figuring I would spend 1/2 a lap running in the dark.

Once on the trail, I couldn't keep from feeling good right down to the core.  Running on trails, not paved ones, matches the very reason I love to run.  The sense of movement, the beauty of nature that nothing we build compares to, and how much easier it feels on my body.  My original inspiration for triathlons were reading the blog of Jill Homer.  I have read her blog for over 4 years.  Her sense of adventure, great writing, and the pictures to live vicariously through them lit a fire for adventure.  The adventure the made the most sense for me was Xterra Triathlons, swimming, mountain biking, and trail running. Mind you at the time I wasn't swimming, biking, and running, just weightlifting.

2/3 of the way through the first lap I came across Jason.

I didn't know you would be out here :-)

The photographer instructing how perfect the light was

 He reversed is direction and we coldly ran together until he peeled off to run back home.

 Jason left right as we finished the twisting section of the trail which was good timing given that was pretty much dark.  I still had just short of three more beautiful miles of trails in the twilight changing to night.  I finished the 7.2 miles in 1:15 which I didn't adjust even though I stopped often to take the photos, because I didn't care what the pace was. Knowing I damn good I felt, body and soul was all that mattered tonight.

Below are a few sights that I saw tonight.  Enjoy the full Google plus slide show.