Trail Run Today

Where the Trail Goddess gets Smacked Down



My own dumbass fault. I go for a run in Salt Fork State Park. This is a route I run frequently, probably 8 times a year-or so? Anyways, I start out everything is fine. I'm feeling like a fat cow out on the trail, but some of that is disgruntled hormones, the rest is just fat cow feelings.

So I get about one mile or so into the run. This route is a loop, it takes me right down to the lake and then back to my vehicle.

I'm not feeling the trail love today, just kind of the fat cow feelings, so I decide to take a short cut-hey it's a loop, I should come across the trail on the other side, right? I find a deer path and feeling all smug, going to find the trail on my own. I do note that I am running west, right into the sun.

As I go on, the deer path deteriotes into multi-flora rose thickets. Not familiar with this?



"Multiflora rose is extremely prolific and can form impenetrable thickets that exclude native plant species. This exotic rose readily invades open woodlands, forest edges, successional fields, savannas and prairies that have been subjected to land disturbance. For these reasons, multiflora rose is classified as a noxious weed in several states, including Iowa, Ohio, West Virginia, and New Jersey. "



In Ohio, you can spot the multi-flora rose since it is now lightly greening. I kind of wind my way through areas of this. I am noticing now the sun is moving over and getting lower in the sky. Okay, this was a stupid idea.

I decide I need to turn around and find the trail again. This is not as easy as it sounds. I am trying to keep the sun on my back, but the multi-flora rose makes me detour. I realize I am quite stupid for going off-piste at 5pm in the afternoon. Sure, a nice morning romp through the woods is fine. Eventually, I would find a road. Now I am out in the woods, in a tank top, capris, with a 1/2 bottle of water and a Halloween Size PayDay bar. I'm not feeling any trail love, just extremely cranked off at myself.



I find the trail! Okay, which way to go? I pick a direction. Nothing is really looking familiar. I haven't been out here in a while. The trail always changes every season. I finally get to the high point and see the lake down below. Great. I know where I am. I can either run forward and finish the loop, which is at least 2.5 miles, or run in reverse.



I decide to retrace my steps, because I'm not in the mood for the shoe sucking mud which is down by the lake. I'm definitely cranky and not having a typical wonderful trail goddess experience.

I get back to my vehicle, 4.67 miles in 1.49 hours! At least Garmin worked! Oh well, it was time on my feet!!