Did you know that Saturday, August 22 is "National Trail Running Day"? Well, it is! Go out and hit your favorite local trail. Lately I haven't been very adventurous...it's been my local Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve trail almost every weekend...and weekday. I suppose it's become my "favorite" trail since it's so close to home. It never gets overgrown with itch weed, poison ivy, briars, or fallen trees. I don't like what the park officials have done lately with all the new drainage pipes and earthen bridges. I enjoyed crossing the creeks and dodging the lower muddy spots. That made the trail a trail! Now it's so tame it might as well be paved. Still, it's better than roads.My "real favorite" trail is the northfork trail at Clinton Lake State Recreation Area. I miss running that Clinton Lake trail (still overgrown). Once fall gets here, I'm sure the trail will begin to open up and be runnable again. The cooler temperatures are better for those long & hilly trail runs anyway. I suppose I'll appreciate the Clinton trail even more after I've been running my local tame trail all summer. The first run out there usually kick starts my more serious ultra training. It reminds me what 33 hills in 10 miles feels like...it ain't easy! Yes, this is the same trail used for the Clinton Lake 30-Mile Trail Run each spring. Next race date is March 27, 2010.
5 comments:
August 22 is my birthday, too! How nice. How technical is the Clinton Lake trail besides the hills?
Clinton Lake trail is a 10 mile loop with lots of hills and small stream crossings (with small wooden bridges). It's run around a lake and is usually twisting through trees. Some areas are out in the open meadows and grassland. Mostly single-track, but not very technical. All the hills are small and the trail is easy to follow and doesn't have lots of rocks and roots. The entire trail is runnable--although the hills do eventually wear you down.
PS...happy birthday to you Heidi. Have a great day and do a fun trail run.
HI Chris, was out at McNaughton on Sat....that trail is in real good shape.
Donna,
Thanks for the trail update regarding McNaughton Park. I may have to go up there for a long run soon. I'm getting a little tired of my tame 5-mile course at Lake of the Woods. I'll probably do the 50K at Rock Cut Hobo on Sept 20, so I need at least one more long run before then.
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