Mel On...Run Quickly and Carry a Big Stick

So, you know how I take like a gazillion pictures when I run new trails (scratch that...on pretty much any trail I run)?  WELL....it turns out that my obsessiveness pays off because those pictures got me home yesterday when I got "misdirected" exploring a new trail!

I knew it was bound to happen...I've been getting a little too brave for my britches here lately and I have zero navigational skills so I should have known not to go down this trail.  But, curiosity got the best of me and, well, I went...


It was a beautiful day, the sun was shining and it wasn't too cold.  It did sprinkle a bit here and there (and hailed once, that was a new one) but for the most part it was really nice.  I only intended going 4 miles up "THE HILL" in our village (a grade of 19%) and around the windmills at the top.  However, I was really getting into it and when I passed by the turn to go down this new trail (a trail me and my friend, Bri, have been wanting to go down) I just couldn't pass it up.   Afterall, it couldn't be more than a mile or so...right?

10 MILES later I end up back at my doorstep!  About half-way in I realized that I wasn't looping back and I was just going further and further into the woods.  I had to back-track but there were too many turns and I ended up "exploring" more than I intended.  I wasn't too worried about it until I passed the same tree two times and realized I didn't have my mace and I was feeling the urge to pee...and I just wanted to go home!

Once I figured out where I was I felt like I was flying going into my village.  I didn't care I looked like a bo-bo sprinting through the street, mud up to my knees, sweaty, carrying a big stick with tear stains on my face...I was HOME!  My only goal was a humongous glass of water and the bathroom!

After I got some food and showered I took a little over an hour to stretch and roll out on the foam roller (love me some FemFusion "Stretch" and "Roll" videos!).  I really think it helped me not be so sore the next day.  I was hurting when I went to bed but I woke up this morning ready for our Monday run (on a familiar route)!

I even made it to Amanda's circuit/Pilates class and let her torture me for an hour.  She smiles at my pain.  I love her though...

Now for some Motrin and some more stretching...only 6 more days until the Rock-n-Roll 10 Miler in Nice!  Woot! Woot!