Christmas Eve Trail Run: Sheltowee Trail

Stopping for a photo-op

Every Christmas Eve, the leader of our local running club - the Falls Road Runners, usually has some sort of interesting run to celebrate his birthday.

On his 33rd birthday, Chris ran 33 miles to celebrate with a number of others joining him at varying stages to help him get to his goal. The first one I tagged along for was two years ago when we ran the trails at Levi Jackson State Park. That also happened to be my first trail run.

To celebrate this year's birthday, Chris decided to head out to Vanhook Falls on the Sheltowee Trail. In all, there were 17 of us to make the 5-mile trail run.

I'm not the most experienced trail runner even though I really do enjoy it, so this was my first trip on this particular trail. I am so glad I went on this run. It is amazing some of things you find in your backyard, and the Sheltowee Trail is a gem, especially the trek out to Vanhook Falls.

Sometimes Even I Question My Sanity From Time To Time

OK, I'll admit it.

There are times that even I question my sanity.

And before today's run was one of them.

For whatever reason, I texted my friend Chris after I saw him post he was going to do a 14-mile trail run ... beginning at 4:30 a.m. ... after it rained for nearly 24 hours straight (while it seemed like it did) ... in 32-degree weather.

Not going to lie, I was concerned about this run happening yesterday afternoon/evening as it poured the rain all day and the forecast called for the potential of ice on the roads. Fortunately, the rain pretty much stopped around 8 or 9 p.m. and the roads were fine this morning.

How I Saved Myself Hundreds Of Dollars

Did the title catch your eye? Good! It was supposed to.

But I must tell you this is no get-rich-quick scheme nor is it how you can save hundreds off your car insurance. No, this is just a simple running tip I feel the need to share with you.

So, how did I save myself hundreds of dollars? Two words: Ziplock baggies.

Scratching your head yet? Great. Keep reading.

Remember last autumn when I took a great fall while trailing running? Sure, you do. It was epic! I mean, it happened right smack in the middle of my training for the 7 Bridges Marathon. Well, I didn't share every detail about that spill, but now you will get to hear (in the words of the late Paul Harvey) the rest of the story.

Funny Thing Happened Along The Training Plan ...

My knee after my tumble.

Everything was going so well, so smoothly and the miles were piling up.I was closing in on a career-high monthly mileage total. Marathon training was going great. It was as if it was too good to be true.

Then reality hit, and it was too good to be true.

Actually, reality didn't hit. I hit ... the ground ... hard.

On August 25, I decided to take my marathon training to the trails. I was getting a little bored running on the roads, so I thought I'd mix things up on the trails. The plan was to get 20 miles in, but those plans got changed shortly have mile 3.

Things were going great. It was a comfortable morning, temps in the low 60s and the humidity was very tolerable for August. It was dark when I started at 5 a.m., so I was a headlamp. I wasn't going too fast because it was dark.

So I Went On My First Trail Run ...

A trail running we will go!

For the past year, I've heard so many tails about trail running. 

"There's nothing like trail running."

"Just you wait. You'll love it."

"Trail running is the best."

Those are just some of the things was told over and over and over. From more than one person, and from more than just from my local running group - the Falls Road Runners. 

So, this past Friday, I met up with seven others from our running group and hit the trails around Levi Jackson State Park in London, Ky.