Friday, October 23, 2009

New Gear, New Trail, and Lots of Mud!

Today, I decided I needed to make more preparation for winter and so I went out for some trail shoes. I was a bit disappointed about the selection, but I settled on a pair of Brooks. Gore-Tex and quite comfortable, what the heck, eh? I also bought a pair of wool socks.


Well, of course I had to try my new gear out, of course, I hit the trail. The weather was perfect mid 40's, light rain. Then the fun began....I encountered perhaps the best running experience to date. About 1/2 mile into the trail it began to get sloppy. Rather than tip toeing around the mud, I sloshed through it. This continued throughout the run, and let me tell you, it was AWESOME! It may sound crazy, but there is something perfect about running through the woods with reckless abandon, slipping and sliding through the mud, exploring and just enjoying the outdoors.


Needless to say and hour later, I was completely spent and muddy. My pace suffered, but this wasn't about pace today. It was about a new experience and having a great time. Here are the after shots.



So much for new gear. I'd highly recommend this adventure to anyone of my fellow bloggers out there who are looking for a little extra challenge. I'll be going back soon and hope to get as muddy. I'd be more than happy to have anyone who wants to join me come along. Just be prepared to get dirty and to laugh a lot!
Mileage: 6.01
Time/Pace: 1:17:09/12:50
Avg HR: 152
Elevation Gain/Loss: 2142ft/2094ft

5 comments:

  1. FGR, it sounds like you might be a good candidate for a cross-country race. My first venture into this territory a couple weeks ago was fun, but very wet and muddy. Anyway, you should think about it, if not this year then next. The Upstate SC series info can be found at www.peteglavin.com. And if you decide to run, my club would be happy to "adopt" you onto our team!

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  2. Erin, Sounds very interesting. You may have just found a new recruit. Tell me more!

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  3. I'll be glad to...again, check out the Upstate XC website at www.peteglavin.com. I can fill you in on more details at the Chestnut Ridge 10K next weekend...especially since I'll be traveling to Rochester the day after to run a 6K XC race again. Yes, I will be very tired and very sore after the Chestnut Ridge race, but I'm going to run the XC next Sunday anyway. Either way, it's good training for the Trot as far as I'm concerned! If you like mud, sweat, tears and hills, XC is for you!

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  4. Hey Fat Guy Running. I'm fairly new to my addiction to running, so forgive me if this is a stupid question. Do you recommend trail shoe for winter running every where or just for "off roading". I live in the Chicago Loop, so I generally don't hit many trails, but I do have a concern about slipping and sliding once some snow its.

    Any advice?

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  5. Hi Phil, Welcome to my blog. I too am a new runner, I started this spring and this will be my first winter running. My plan as far as shoes was to look for something that will keep my feet as warm and dry as possible. I live in the Buffalo area, so needless to say, I will be battling the elements at times. I looked for a trail shoe for both the off-road stuff I do and for the winter that I am anticipating. Not sure if this is the right approach, but it seemed to make sense for me. The bottom of the shoe I bought, has large "grips" as opposed to my street shoe which is generally flat. My hope is that this will prevent me from slipping and sliding too much. I wold have liked even more tred, but I also wanted the Gore-Tex for warmth and moisture control. Check out some of the trail runners that I follow, they maybe able to help you more. Good luck, and happy reading.

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