Today was a long trail running day…20 miles or longer. Happy #NationalTrailsDay! I’m not quite sure of the exact distance I ran. I was out on the trails for 6 1/2 hours. Some of you may wonder why I do it. 1) because I’m training  &  2) the experiences I have along the way.

Disclaimer: Keep in mind I ran 20 miles over many hours. This is a selfie of me w/two hours left. Lake: Upper Palisades Lake, amazing colors. It’s worth the hike!

I do it because I love meeting people on the trail. In the final three mile stretch I passed a couple I had seen earlier on the trail up high. Turns out, they live down the road from the house I grew up in. Small world. I love chatting with strangers I meet along the way. It’s always so fun to hear their story. I also love the different experiences along the way. Today, intense heat! I had to eat three GU’s just to keep going. I found a hidden meadow on the trail. It was so far up a canyon with down trees and not a great trail, I’m sure many people don’t venture up that far. I love the solitude I’m exposed to. As I looked around, I witnessed the snow lined ridges up high, the sun shining down on a trail meandering through the meadow. It was just me and nature.

When I run, I let my mind wander and sometimes I’m surprised what my mind wanders to. Things are presented to me in ways I would never have thought of on my own. There are no obstacles stopping my mind and it becomes crystal clear high in the mountains or on a mountain top. When my physical body and abilities are struggling to keep going, it seems the fog lifts from my mind.

When I’m in nature I easily tap into my true self, my true feelings. Yes, there have been times I have cried like a baby and processed life and situations. No one is around to hear my sobs but as those alligator tear drops fall, I understand and my vision is unclouded and I can accept that situation. My discernment is clear.

You don’t have to run 20+ miles in nature to experience this. A walk at sunset as the rainbow reveals itself, a drive through nature, or a short hike away from the normalcy of life will do the trick. You’ll be refreshed and ready to tackle anything. Just get outside and see what mother nature has to offer you. That clouded mind will see the sunset or rainbow it’s been looking for.

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100 miles new marathons? | training ultras | beginners guide to trail running 

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