Thorncrag Run

It's always fun to find a new place to explore and run, especially with a guide to lead you on all the best trails. This morning, I met up with Valerie at Thorncrag Bird Sanctuary, just outside Lewiston, for a run. I have been reading reports about the tough running at Thorncrag, and how much Val loves it there, and I was so excited to finally have the chance to go and run there! It was a chilly start, but the sky was bluebird blue with no clouds in sight and the sun was warm. The trails had been nicely packed by snowshoers and skiers, and the woods were gorgeous. There was even a vista atop the hill with a view of Mt. Washington, enshrouded with clouds, so we just had to imagine the snow-covered summit. It was a great run with a good friend, and lots of fun to chat as we ran along, our words mingling with the crunch-crunch of the snow beneath our feet.

We started out with a stout hill, winding our way up through the forest, and then down a big drop. We ran through an open field with a few apple trees, the sun warm on our faces. We ran up to the vista and then meandered around, coming and going and winding and turning, returning multiple times to a big fireplace on the hill. I had to laugh when we finished the run and Val showed me on the map what we had done. Whoever laid out the trail system had done a good job of cramming a lot of trail into a small space, and we had covered all but the tiniest bit. We got in 5.86 miles in 1:07:18 for an average pace of 11:29. I was definitely feeling a bit tired going into this run, due to lingering congestion and the fact that today was day #5 of running in a row, so although the pace was slow, it really was perfect. Perfect for the terrain, for how I was feeling and for chatting as we wandered through the woods. A great morning run! Thanks Val!