Today’s run (Stillwell Woods trails): 4.7 miles at 9:54 per mile

It may have been the realization that the long Memorial Day weekend was coming to an end that had me feeling a little low this morning. In anticipation of a full day’s activities I set out early on a trail run at the local preserve (Stillwell Woods). I had hoped that the hard activity combined with running the wooded paths would help me improve my mood.

The weather people were reporting hot conditions so I dressed accordingly. The shade from the trees held off the heat from the sun but it was still extremely humid, even at 7:30 AM. I’ve learned enough about the trails to navigate with some confidence and I followed a two mile route that took me east and south. I repeated that loop but picked up the wrong trail at a cross point that took me in an unfamiliar direction. At one point, as I followed a tight singletrack path, I was startled to see a large dog standing in my way. I hoped the dog was friendly and was glad when its owner appeared and quickly called it off. Later in the run I saw them again but this time I was prepared for the encounter. Occasionally I’ll encounter an overly exuberant dog in my runs at Stillwell but I’m happy to say the dogs are never aggressive or threatening. Along the way I encountered a few other people running their dogs and a handful of mountain bikers bombing down the trails at speeds I would not have attempted. I eventually found my bearings and made my way back to a trail along my planned route where I continued until I reached the big field. One loop around that field and my run was done.

It’s been a week packed with many runs including some fun experiences in Cambridge, at Eisenhower Park and today on the trails. I plan to rest tomorrow and then start planning for my next race, an 8K that happens on June 13. I plan to go shopping this week for a new lightweight tech shirt to help me handle the summer heat. That’s always a nice way to elevate the mood and break up the work day.

Today’s run (Stillwell Woods): 3.75 miles at 9:53/mile

Given the way I felt during most of today’s run, I was pleased with the outcome. I had a rare eight hour’s sleep the night before and I went out to run at 9:00 AM when I’m usually at my best. Despite having pre-hydrated with coconut water I started out feeling a bit sluggish. I didn’t feel weak but I lacked my usual morning energy as I made my way toward the Black trail at Stillwell. My hope was to accurately follow this trail so that I would not get lost. That hope wasn’t fully met. I did better than normal in terms of navigation and I even recognized some trails well enough to understand where I was from time to time.

The one time I got lost was when I ran out of trail at the north of the Preserve where it terminates at Stillwell Lane. Soon after heading in the other direction I encountered steep hills and fast drops that tested my conditioning. I felt stronger as I went on but by the 30 minute mark I was fairly exhausted. I reached a crossroad and recognized the direction that would lead me back to the main open trail. I followed that path and did a final lap around the big open section before returning to the trail head. I then ran a lap around the athletic field to finish my run.

It was beautiful weather for outdoor activities and, along the way, I encountered hikers, people running their dogs, mountain bikers and a couple of other runners. Everyone I passed seemed to be in a happy state of mind and politely waved or said hello. Spring is in the air and it felt great today on the trails.

I had such a nice experience at Stillwell Woods yesterday that I decided to return this morning for another run on the trails. My plan today was to do the majority of my run within the interior of the Preserve. I figured I’d be more protected from the wind than yesterday so dressed a little lighter. I also wore my Helly Hansen Trail Lizards because I knew that I’d encounter some technical terrain and I’d need all the help I could get. That turned out to be far truer than I’d anticipated so it was a good choice of footwear although at times I wished I’d brought something with a little more horsepower like a 250cc dirt bike. But since I have not been on a 2-wheel gasoline powered bike since Reagan was president I needed to get by with two legs.

My first thought every time I enter Stillwell is how long it will be before I get lost. It’s a given that will happen but I don’t worry about it since there’s only so far you can go before you reach civilization. My second thought is how to avoid the spectacularly difficult inclines that are carved out within the woods. I am good for a 10-12% grade with the right shoes but some of hills are much greater than that. I made a mistake within the first few minutes when I misjudged a path off the field trail, thinking I was traveling east when I was actually heading south. I eventually figured out my error when I came upon a construction site near the railroad tracks and I reversed direction taking another path the brought me back to the field trail.

I eventually made my way north and then east, encountering trails that were increasingly difficult. At one point I came down a steep path that put me at the bottom of a valley where all exit routes were as steep as the trail that brought me there. I knew I had to go somewhere and I didn’t really feel like tackling any of the available options. After a second look I saw a more level path (relatively speaking) that got me traveling east. On the way back I ran into a few more steep challenges. I was growing tired but my larger concern was that I may have been redirected away from my intended direction and that I would end up exhausted and far from the the trail head.

I ended up becoming waylaid north as I grew closer to the western side. The trail literally ended and I followed the path back the other way. The sound of men playing flag football gave me hope that I was relatively near my destination and after a while I saw the path open in a way that told me I was nearing the open field. I was very happy to reach the trail and I followed it back past the trail head to the parking lot. According to the Garmin I covered 4.26 miles in what was a much more rigorous workout than what I did yesterday. I was pleased to have completed two trail runs this weekend and I left Stillwell once again with the feeling that I could run those trails 100 more times  without ever really knowing just exactly where I was.

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Today will be a busy day, we’re hosting our annual family holiday party and before long the house will be filled. Knowing that my window of opportunity for running would close by mid-morning I headed to Stillwell Woods around 8:00 AM to get in a trail run. I’ll admit that my definition of trail running is fairly broad. Recently my trail runs have consisted of running the hard-packed dirt track that circles the open field that sits to the west of the woods. Technically it is a trail but it’s not very challenging. Still, I love the experience because I do run by the tree line on all sides and I appreciate the more forgiving surface of dirt versus the usual pavement that I run on most days.

Today was cold – 23 degrees without wind – and there was wind. I decided to run the field course four times and then head into the woods for a change of scenery. Half of the field trail was pleasant and the sun exposure made my first four minutes very comfortable. Once I headed north the wind hit me head-on and the sun was blocked by the taller trees. I wore three layers of long-sleeved tech shirts, a pair of compression shorts and my Champion tight running pants over that. I also wore my heavier running hat that covers my ears and my ASICS glove-mittens that came in handy when I needed access to my watch. I wished I had worn my balaclava when the wind was hitting with force but by the second time around my body had regulated enough to almost appreciate the cold.

After four loops around (about 3.4 miles) I peeled off onto a wooded trail that I had never followed before. Soon I came to a split with marker that said “more difficult” to the left. I took that route, not for the challenge but to hopefully connect with another trail that would put me back on the field trail so I could finish. I came upon some very technical terrain, loose rocks and dirt and straight-up hills. I managed to make it through that but I wished I had my Helly Hansen’s at that point. I finally reached the connecting trail and I followed that back to the trail head. In total I covered about 4.4 miles in a little over 40 minutes. It was a great run and I again appreciated that one of the great trail preserves on Long Island sits less than five minutes from my home.