This morning, I’d intended to take on ten kilometers, but I also wanted to take on a new route.  The route won, and the 10k will have to wait for another day.

The city (county?) has been working to extend the Greenway eastward, with a connection between the Wildwood end of the trail all the way to Hutchinson Road.  I only ran on about half of the new extension, but it seems to be nice, and doesn’t feel as hilly as it looks.  There’s still work going on to clean up the trail, get signage in place, etc., but it seems like a terrific extension.  In fact, I think this will allow me to run from the house to the Greenway.  My only complaint is that there are a *lot* of traffic crossings, with the trail crossing back-and-forth across the access road that parallels Highway 100.  I’m sure this is done for safety, but it really hinders getting into a nice rhythm.

There’s no question as November comes to a close that this year has been transformative for me.  When this year began, a cold, cloudy day like today would’ve kicked my butt, and I would’ve struggled, walked, huffed and puffed through the distance.  Today, I ran almost the whole route at a comfortable pace, enjoying the time out on the trail, and not feeling like I was gonna fall over.  Running — at least at a 5k distance — has become enjoyable, and something I look forward to.

What a difference 2015 has made in my life!

This race benefitted WaterAid.Org, an organization that provides clean water and toilets that are essential for life. 

Race Course