10 miles of fanny-kickin' hills

I sent an email to JP last week and we were able to meet for a trail run saturday afternoon. I met him at Sand Run and we ran the 'infamous' Mingo trail. I have heard a lot about this loop and it was a very pleasant trail with lots of ups and downs. I have not been running hills lately, in fact, I have not been running much at all lately, and those hills kicked my fanny pretty good. We finished the Mingo and then started off on the connector trail to Cascade park, which is also a nice trail. JP was trying to explain to me how the various parks are all interconnected and how you can string them together into an all-day run if you wish. I need to see a map before it will really click for me but I am anxious to get back down in that area again.

Sunday, Denise and I ran 4 miles together and then Abby and I took an hour-long tandem ride. She is growing so fast now and her legs keep getting stronger and stronger! It almost feels like Densie back there pedaling away! After the bike ride, the combination of the exercise and fresh fall air was too much to overcome and I fell into an 'exercise-induced-coma' for an hour. Gee, that nap sure felt good!

Tomorrow morning, I'll bundle up and get out for 4 miles before work. I really like running in the coolness of the fall mornings. The air is so crisp and the sky so very clear. There are even fewer people out on the path when the temperatures start to drop and I'll probably have the trail all to myself, except for the deer...

Ah, yet another reason why I run...