the Way of the Turtle

3.3 Mile Run in the Pine Bush
Monday, October 25, 2010

Today was the first day I tried my new strategy to get my backside out for a run or a ride after work... essentially it came down to taking my running gear to work and heading out directly from there instead of going home first and falling prey to the lure of dinner and either the couch or bed. And it worked... in some ways. Unfortunately I didn't have much handy to eat after wrapping up my last extra help session so I went with a Powerbar and some chips while driving over to the Pine Bush, which may have contributed to the digestive issues I had about 1 1/2 miles into the run. I was halfway around the perimeter loop on the Great Dune trails, and when I got to the connector trail for the Madison Ave Pinelands I decided discretion was the better part of valor and called it an early night. While I wish I'd done another three miles or so (my original plan) it was a good decision, especially since it started raining not long after I got back to the car.

It was good to be back in the Pine Bush, even if I didn't stay as long as I'd hoped. We're having a couple of days of unusually warm weather, so it was a great evening to be out running. I startled a woodcock just after hitting the trails, and watched a bat zipping around in the meadow that's been subject to much habitat restoration over the last few years. After that it was too dark for me to see much, though I did spot some glowing eyes (deer and in one case a housecat) in the light of my headlamp. Of course, in a couple more weeks I'll be doing all my evening runs in the dark... sigh.

JMH