Tough "sledding" out there today

"Do not follow where the path may lead... go instead where there is no path and leave a trail"

I waited all week for today's trail run. In fact it has been two weeks since I've been able to run in my favorite trail, the Seaton trail. Many people who live in the Ajax/Pickering area don't even realize that there are such beautiful trails right in our own backyard. I confess, until I started running I didn't know they existed. Now, despite the fact that I still have a hard time navigating through there, I like to call that place "home."

My running partner and I left just shortly after 7:00 AM this morning and we wanted to do a long run today. The goal was to run the entire trail and back (approximately 24 K's). When we started out we noticed how much snow was on the trails. That meant one thing, this was not going to be an easy run. It never really is when you are trail running, especially in the Seaton trail, but the snow certainly had an impact today.

It was one of the toughest runs I've had in a long time and I'm lucky that my partner was there to motivate me as I needed it today. Every run I have in these trails, though, will only make me stronger for my race in April.

Finishing that run was mentally very tough and as I drove home all I could think about was my hot shower. It's hard to believe that come race day, I'll have to do that loop 3 times. I'm lucky I have 11 weeks left to prepare.

Tomorrow I will be running approximately 32-36 K's. I may have to do that all on my own, something that I'm not looking forward to but something that I'm prepared to do.