Run Like a Girl

I've never really considered myself a runner. Despite the fact that, no matter where I live (and I've had upwards of a dozen apartments in ten years) or where I visit (Puerto Villarta, Virginia Beach, Hilton Head, Sanibel Island, Rhode Island, etc.), I always make a point to go running, I've never felt like a "runner" until this summer when I really started logging some miles and enjoying hating running less.

While the Sailor has been at the East Coast Sailing Championships in Annapolis the past few days, I've been busying myself reading magazines (one of my favorite things to do). Among Bazaar, Vanity Fair, Oprah and Town & Country, I also caught up on an issue of Runner's World highlighting a trail run.

Since it's been pretty bo-ring running the same footpath every single day, I was inspired to drive a couple miles down the road (literally, I could run there- how's that for lazy?) and check out Five Rivers, 450 acres of fields, forests and wetlands maintained by New York State (Hallelujah, the "Empire" State can do something right).

                                                    



I selected a 2.3 miles run from the trail maps and decided I would combine that with either some mileage on the treadmill or on the footpath near our home to reach my daily mileage goal. The first mile or so at Five Rivers was well marked, but before long, I realized that, in admiring the splendor of the woodlands, I meandered off the path. Lost as usual! But getting lost in the woods is a little different than being on the the scenic route of highway or country roads that my internal compass (mis) leads me to follow.

Fortunately, I was able to find my way back to the path within a few minutes, and after recovering from the near panic-attack brought on by traveling off the path and being just a "little" lost in the woods, I was eager to get back to where I started my run. Fate has a funny way of working though.

Once I got my bearings, I rounded a bend in the path and found myself in a wide clearing, staring eye to eye with a fawn! I immediately regained my composure so I wouldn't scare Bambi (err, rather I think I was more frightened that Bambi was going to charge at me!) and here's what I saw:



As soon as the Sailor, who's also a hunter, returns from his trip, we're going to have a little talk about sporting...