TALES FROM THE TRAIL (AND SOMETIMES THE ROAD TOO)

Monday, December 20, 2010

Texas Ranch Running

Two days driving and no cardio since Wednesday, my body actually began to stiffen up.  My joints ached.  My hips ached, my legs, my back, even my arms.  My first morning waking in Texas, I just had to get out and run, run to get rid of this stiffness.

I went for low mileage today, just a leisurely run about the ranch.  The grass was high.  The thorns cut deep.  Two vultures emerged from the trees, scaring the daylights out of me – their big black wingspan looked like it was SIX feet wide.  No lie.

My legs got pretty scratched and cut up.  The terrain actually drew blood.  The terrain was not difficult in the sense that it was hilly.  It was difficult in the sense that there was no trail.  There was some dirt roads, and some nice grove areas with little obstacles.  But most of it was plowing through thorny brush or waist high grass.  I’m not used to bushwhacking on the trails I normally run : )

Still, the run was delightful (as it pours down rain in my hometown, the sun shines brightly here in Texas).  I was completely alone (except for those vultures) and I got rid of those aches.

First quarter mile of today’s run (out to end of driveway)

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Where the branches snagged my earphones (I lost a piece in the brush, never to find)

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Post Oak grove in the wintertime

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1 of two stock ponds

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I just thought this was pretty

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Running through dry creek bed

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Stopping to pose in dry creek bed

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Looking for the road back to the house (never found it, because it’s not there anymore : ) – the road, not the house. : ))

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Miles logged:  5.17

My Activities stephenville, tx 12-20-2010

14 comments:

  1. Look blue sky!

    No Texas snow this time of year?

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  2. Aw, I'm so glad you got out there - you look so happy!

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  3. What a lovely run! I think nature was trying to tell you something "you don't need music when you run out here".

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  4. Welcome to Texas! Let me know if you decide to make the trip to the Northshore Trail. Would love to run with you!

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  5. Yes, blue sky Stuart -- and lots of it. It's wonderful. A little warm though. Doesn't look like we're headed for any snow.

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  6. Thanks Johann. You are probably right. But I love my music : )

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  7. Thanks Kate! It is very pretty, but more thorny than I'm used to! : )

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  8. Thanks Trail Jogger. It sure is nice here. Don't think I'll make it out to Northshore. But I'm working on the family to get out to that one park you recommended. I hear it's only 30 miles from here.

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  9. Thanks Rachel for reading. It really was a gorgeous run. One thing though different from our great runs in the O.C., is that the thorns cut pretty deep in Texas and you end up with bloody legs. Nothing too terrible. Merry Christmas. Hope you have a happy new year!

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  10. Oh you are so grateful about this run of yours. Good For you. Others have tossed their shoes on that famous tree shoes. Texas is a good place to run though. Good to have South Texas Ranches For Sale for you to have your own anyway. Cheers!

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  11. Thanks for reading Texazranches! I really love Texas. If things don't pick up here in the great state of California, we just might be looking for work in Texas. Texas definately is a great place to run. And I've only conquered a very small portion of it.

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