Sandy Creek Park: Lakeside Trail

I decided to try a new trail—the trails at Sandy Creek Park. I've been meaning to try them for a while. (Did them after work on a warm day.)

I decided to try the long one—Lakeside Trail. (It's 6.5 miles + walking back to your car) I'm tough, right? Haha. I definitely bit off more than I could chew.

Sign #1: I brought mismatching grey Belega socks to run in. They have slightly different padding. Oh well.

Sign #2: Getting texts driving to my run about work drama. Ugh. And all the more reason to run.

Sign #3: Falling and skinning my knee within the first quarter mile. The trail wasn't especially bad. I just fell. And got dirt all over my arm and shirt. I can't remember the last time I fell running a trail. And I fell again mile three or four. TWICE. I fell twice. But I didn't sprain anything. I was pretty worried about putting a hole in my Lululemon crops :( But I didn't. And I survived.

Fall #1. Scraped my knee. Was happy to walk away intact.

I skinned my other knee with fall number 2.

Knee. Two days later. Black and sore. 

I just didn't have 6 miles in me today. My legs felt tired in the first mile. The trail was NOT EASY. It wasn't as bad as the White Trail. But I needed to stop and walk a lot. And my ankles kept trying to trip me. They do this on occasion when I need to stop running.

I haven't had to walk this much in a year. MY SLOWEST RUN IN A YEAR. I should have quit after mile 3 but it's a loop. I had to make it back. And I wanted to finish. So lots of walking. Which is fine. I was scouting a new trail.

I wanted to run 7 miles today. But that didn't happen.

That said I did like the trail.

The trail is REALLY WELL MARKED. Way better than the botanical garden. I got confused about 3-4 times. The first time was at the beginning of the course. But if in doubt—GO LEFT. And the next few times I should looked around until I figured out which way to go (usually left). One time there were actually purple signs that I think said WRONG WAY. I figured it out in a few seconds. I just needed to stop and look around. So easy to find your way. I completed the trail I wanted to (unlike the white trail, which I didn't.)

It was pretty. Pretty views of the lake. The trail was well maintained.

On the downside:

Hills. A little hillier than the IM Fields, but not AS BAD as the Botanical Garden. And definitely some steep, narrow parts.

Mud. There were a few jumps across streams and mud puddles that took some figuring out how to maneuver. Maybe 3-4 of them that you couldn't just leap over. You had to run through or jump and run. Totally fine. Wasn't expecting it. Don't wear new white shoes.

I saw 3 people on the trail while I was running. So not too many people. (Good and bad?)

I'm trying not to feel too bad about this run. It wasn't great. But I was trying a new course and it's okay to have a slow day!

I'd definitely run this course again. I need to get my time down!!