New Trails

This week, we are finally moved and settled. I have moved from the deep South to Midwestern Suburbia.

5 years ago I trained for a marathon on the local county trail system which spans a lot of different cities. I live in a different part of the city now but was still able to pick up the part of the trail. The trail head is close to my house (but I have to drive to get there) which is nice since I'm not sure that my neighborhood is conducive to running.

Today I headed out to this new-to-me part of the trail system. It looks a lot like the other paved trails: paved, dense trees, well maintained, and weaves through city parks, soccer fields and baseball fields along the way.

It was Saturday so all the fields were being used and the trail felt really safe with so many people. The air was cool for summer - maybe in the 70s!
It isn't as exciting or interesting as my Alabama trails. It isn't as natural (unpaved) or unexpected (dirt bike paths). But, it's clean and wide and I still have a chance to run in nature.

Springfield, Missouri

I'm currently staying at La Casa del Marcy. ...err... otherwise known as my friend, Marcy's, apartment. I am currently a transient, moving from Alabama to Kansas. My friend has graciously offered to let me stay with her before pressing on towards my new home. Besides opening her home, she has accommodated all my crazy food allergies with an eager willingness, helped me make TONS of delicious allergy-free foods AND to top it off, took me on a few runs this week.
Springfield, Mo has a short city trail called the Galloway Greenway which is part of the Ozark Greenway Trail System. It weaves around a macob pet cemetery, a (busy) Sequiota Park, very cute (busy) bars and stores, a (chilly) cave, waterfalls over quartz rocks at the Nature Center, and fruiting elderberry bushes (which we ate mid-run).
The first two runs were both 4 miles in length. It rained a little one run and as we turned around to come back through the old iron James River Bridge, it had flooded out where it had been perfectly dry before! We ended up having to veer off the trail cross the street on top the bridge. Then picked up the trail up again on the other side. -It surprised us how fast water can change course like that!
We are about to go out for another run tonight. How awesome is that? A true friend, a good cook, a wonderful host, and a running partner all in one little gal.

2 Southern Runs

This week I ran my last two runs in Alabama. I am moving back home to Kansas. It will be good to be near my family but sad to be leaving my southern home - very sad. I loved the weather, the forest trails, the base, and my friends here but that season is over. Change is upon me.
I like this picture of a plank "bridge" some Army maintenance unit put up over the dry ditch.. Seemed like a metaphor for this run where each footfall leaves behind Alabama and the next step brought me closer to new paths.

I ran twice for only about 2 miles each time. I had gotten some blood blisters on my feet (Doctor's office procedure) and couldn't do much more without irritating them. I have also been recovering from ITB which cropped up on my last 14 mile run.

One thing I love about the trail at Parcours Lake is that the bikers trek new, narrow paths all the time. It's an opportunity for a little exploration and a change of pace. Since I have my Garmin 405, I can go anywhere. My path, time, and distance is always tracked, allowing me the freedom to go down any new trail. Love it.

There is not much more to say - each run was lovely. My ITB never flared up. I'm cured for now. Check out the following post (below) for pictures of all the mushrooms sprouting on the forest floor.

Mushrooms and Forest Floor Fauna