Hitting the trail

Today was my first trail run of the season! It's something I've been looking forward to for quite some time. I am fortunate enough to live about an hour's drive from a few wonderful state parks. Palisades-Kepler state park, which I went to today, is less than a 10 minute drive from home.

I've been looking for a non-torturous way to incorporate hills into my regimen, particularly for marathon training. I think I may have found it in trail running! I have always loved to hike but never gone much faster than a brisk walk on the trails. Living where I do in Iowa there aren't a ton of hills to choose from that are close, and honestly the thought of running repeats on a never ending stretch of tilted asphalt is less than appealing.  I'm all about the joy of the run, and I know I'm in for a stiff mental game once the milage starts ticking up, so it was vitally important to find something that I could truly enjoy, and switch up the scenery. 

Today I headed out and started at the Cedar Cliff nature trail. I felt like Pocahontas flying down the path! Ok…honestly more like a fair haired, ghost white, less coordinated Pocahontas with an aversion to barefoot running, but you get the drift. There were portions of the trail that were well packed and wide, I really enjoyed picking up speed there. Other points I had to slow to a quick walk to pick my way up or down a winding stone stair case. Of course there were hills in abundance! I can say in all honesty that I enjoyed every single one of them, though they were hard work. 

As I ran the thought occurred to me that I may need to actually invest in trail running shoes. I've been wearing my Adidas Supernova Glide Boost ( Find them HERE ) and they are perfection for distance. My only complaint would be they err on the side of being stiff and a bit heavy for speed workouts. With the beautiful weather today they did fine on the open parts of the trail but some grip on the rocks and stone staircases would have been great. As it stands I am officially in the market for a great pair of trail running shoes! 

I left feeling blissfully exhausted and very relaxed. There is something so wonderful about getting some alone time out in nature. I did not see another soul on my run but I was lucky enough to spot a doe and her fawn, a woodchuck, a few pocket gophers (which I managed to startle) and more than a few cardinals. I can't wait to head back and enjoy more time on the trails!