Happy Trails to You?

Today I ran my first trail run, which was part of the =PR= Race Series Trail Series. The series was designed to introduce:

• beginners to trail running, 
• more experienced trail runners to new trails, and
• all trail runners to other trail runners!

There were four runs in the series; I couldn't attend the other three (Algonkian, Burke Lake, & River Bend) because they conflicted with prior commitments. Today was the last in the series, Lake Fairfax. Three different runs were offered: 30 minutes, 60 minutes, and 90 minutes. Within each run there were informal pace groups that developed.

I ran with my PR Training buddies Sallie, Rachel, and Jamie. We'll be running together a lot over the next few months as we train for the Marine Corps Marathon! 

Sallie, Rachel, Jamie & me

The trail was more technical than I expected, with branches, hills, and mud. I felt like I had to look down much of the time so I didn't trip or slip. I found it mentally and physically harder than road running (although not quite as hard as the cross-country run from a couple of weeks ago). We had selected the 30-minute run and I was glad we hadn't aimed higher! We ended up running for 35 minutes and that was just the right amount for me.

Take-aways:

• Apples really hit the spot after a run
• My new Brooks tank is going to be great for summer runs
• I would prefer less technical trails, like Burke Lake
• I would not enjoy a dirty girl mud run
• My training buddies are willing to rally & do lunges with me after runs
• My training buddies are going to be awesome to train with this summer and they will help get me through uncomfortable runs!