Chrysa and I get Runners World in the mail. Every month I read about athletes who have a soul run or spirit run. One of those runs when everything is just perfect. I usually read those articles and do a bunch of eye rolling. I usually consider running to be work. Even when I run with a run club I am still exerting effort. I’m still working. The closest that I have to a soul run is not putting on my timing watch. I think things changed for me today. I think I had a bit of a breakthrough.
After meeting with the Wabash River Run Club on Saturday, Chrysa and I went shoe shopping. Trail running is a popular activity around these parts and I didn’t have the proper footwear. I ran the Black Mountain ultra in my minimal road shoes and I still remember how bad of shape I was in after that race. I figure if I’m going to do more trails, I better have the right gear.
Anxious to try out my fancy new footwear, I laced up this morning with the intent to do a nice, slow “break in your new shoes” run. The locals had said that the Wabash Heritage Trail has no pavement past a certain point. That would be my target area for the morning. I arrived at the ballpark adjacent to the trail and it was time to get to work.
I started out slow. I was on pavement at this point and I didn’t want to risk injury. I’m not used to trail shoes so things felt a little weird at first. The new kicks were nothing like my old shoes. They felt hard underfoot. I knew I wasn’t on the correct surface yet but after a half mile or so I became a little concerned. Did I buy the right thing? The true test was soon to come. The asphalt ended ahead.
As soon as I left the pavement everything changed. The shoes felt light. The grip was good. I’m not a natural trail runner, but after a quarter mile or so, I had the confidence to look up and observe my surroundings. I was not disappointed.
On my right was forest. On my left was the Wabash River. Ahead of me was a flat and well maintained trail. The trail followed the course of the river. Early in the run the path kept a safe distance from sheer drop down to the river below. As the forest on the right gave way to a corn field peeking through the trees, the trail edged closer and closer to the drop off. I could tell there was no danger. The path was well used and I didn’t see any signs of past disaster.
As I traveled along the corn gave way to another field of lower vegetation. The river to the left was fully visable with no trees to block the view. The weather this morning can only be described as perfect. The air was cool and dry. No humidity or wind. The river didn’t seem to move it all. The surface was glasslike with nothing to disturb it. I continued to run and soak in the experience and the silence. I was the only one on the trail, and the only sounds I could hear, were my own footfalls.
Lost in my own thoughts time passed quickly. Before long I had run three and a half miles without knowing it. A park lay ahead and that would be my turn around. I didn’t want this experience to end so I explored the bridge that lay ahead. It looked old and it was certainly not purpose built for this trail.
I learned that the bridge was built to replace a ferry crossing long ago. Normally I would have lingered on the bridge. I would have enjoyed the history and the view, but not today. I longed to get back on the trail. I wanted to see if the run back would be as effortless as the journey to the bridge.
While not effortless the run back did go quickly. I knew it was time to rally these good feelings into a good training run. The day would be a total victory if I could run fast while still being “in the zone.” My view narrowed and I gave my full attention to the trail. I left the distractions of the river and the corn fields behind and I ratcheted up the speed. I grew more and more confident with each step, and before I knew it, I was back on the hard and unforgiving pavement.
I reached my car unaware of what I had just done. I managed to enjoy a run while getting the training I needed. I had done so in an environment alien to me. I often feel excited after a race. I usually feel accomplished after a training run. Today, on the trail, I felt both.
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