Summer 2019 Blogging Challenge Week 2 - What is my attraction to trail running?

When I first started running many years ago, I stuck to the treadmill, running only on my lunch hour. It was basically a way to lose weight and become more fit, I hadn't yet found the correlation to my mental fitness. As the years went on I started running outside, on the streets, on a path during my son's soccer practice, whenever I had time, knowing that my sanity almost depended on it.... and then I started running on trails in the woodsy atmosphere of nature.

I first started running on trails just as something to change the monotony of road running, but it didn't take long to realize that running on trails is nothing like running on roads. First off, there is a physical difference. It's softer on the knees, but a little rougher on the ankles and you definitely need to be more aware of the path you are running so you don't trip or roll your ankles. On top of the physical difference, I noticed a definite sense of calmness when I was done running that I didn't always get during my road runs.

I'm not sure what causes my mentality to benefit so much more from a trail run over a road runs as they both provide me with the "runner's high" that keeps me sane. Maybe it's the peacefulness and beauty of nature that helps calm my mind and allow all my troubles to almost wash away for those few quiet hours that I spend on that trail.

 Unfortunately time does not allow me to do all my runs on trails but I try to take advantage of the beautiful trails central Florida has to offer as much as possible, including adding many trail races to my race calendar. I definitely recommend spending some time on the trails, whether it be running or hiking.