Here’s an old post off of my non-public running blog which has sat quietly for three years.
What will probably be my last race of 2014, and possibly my last in the 30-39 age group, turned out to be my favorite of the year.
On December 6, two friends and I ran the 18k at the Isle Du Bois trail run. The race was held at Lake Ray Roberts State Park and hosted by Endurance Buzz Adventures.
If you haven’t run a trail race, you should. Winding through the woods, over rocks and logs, and up and down rough hills is as much a mental challenge as it is a physical one. The woods can become disorienting, especially when you can’t see anyone ahead or behind. But hearing the sound of the wind on water, or leaves crunching under your feet, and smelling the leaves, trees, and dirt, is better than hearing feet pounding pavement and smelling car exhaust.
The trail at Isle Du Bois is a challenge, but not nearly as technical (difficult) as the one at Rough Creek in Glen Rose (the Endurance Buzz race in September.) It is narrow, making it impossible to pass unless the person in front pulls off the trail to let you go by. But that’s one of the great things about trail races; not only is everyone willing to pull off, but they cheer you on as you go. I don’t mean that runners are just strolling through the woods. People are running their hearts out, but they encourage you to run yours out, too.
After the first mile or so, I fell into a group of 3-4 guys close to my age. We ended up running most of the race together, taking turns leading. (It takes energy to just stay on the right trail.) When I thought I couldn’t push anymore, I told my buddy to the south that I was pulling off to let him pass, thinking we had 3 or 4 miles left. The best news of the day was when he said, “Don’t slow down now; we only have a mile left.”
At the finish we all got our bear bottle of natural honey. The top three in each age group got cowbells (I was 5th out of 23 in my group, but I’ll be after that cowbell next time). And all entrants got a super soft long sleeve T made from bamboo, hemp, and organic cotton.
Add a trail run to your plans for 2015. And if you live in North Texas, make it an Endurance Buzz trail run.
Isle Du Bois results: http://www.webscorer.com/race?raceid=33809
Nowhere Tribune 
Well done! Running through forest does sound a lot nicer than on the road, which quickly gets boring. I saw on that website they have a 55km run as well, eeek.
Posted by TheCovertAtheist | December 16, 2018, 12:50 pmThank you. Yes–55km would be a challenge!
Posted by Nowhere Tribune | December 16, 2018, 1:30 pmSounds like a great day on the trails! Are you running again? I ran one of EB’s races before they quit directing races. That soft shirt is one of my all-time favorites. We also got a handmade medal and the honey. Such a nice guy, too. Sad to see him get out of the business. Trail Racing Over Texas has taken over the Tyler State Park race that I ran. It was called Whispering Pines, but now it’s called Running the Rose. I plan to be there volunteering next month. Great place to hike, too.
Posted by pkadams | December 16, 2018, 9:51 pmAwesome that we have run with the same company! Yes, I’ve started running again; I’ve gone to three 5k’s this fall, and I’m back up to 6 miles. I’m looking for a longer race to sign up for in January or February. Thank you for stopping by!
Posted by Nowhere Tribune | December 17, 2018, 9:23 amGlad to hear it! Check out the http://www.trailracingovertexas.com/Running the Rose race at Tyler. They have various distances.
Posted by pkadams | December 17, 2018, 6:12 pmCool–I’ll check it out. I live on I-20, so it would be a straight shot to Tyler. Just a very long straight shot. Thank you!
Posted by Nowhere Tribune | December 18, 2018, 7:46 am