Running Happy

It's been a long time since I've had a happy long run. Combine coming back from an injury with the nasty humidity we've been having this summer, and you get one unhappy Sparkplug. But today, I finally felt like I was running happy. The sun was warm, but the air was dry and there was a lovely breeze. I ran the Cathance trails, enjoying the sound of the water tumbling over the rocks in the river and the birds flitting about in the woods. The red bunchberry berries are out, and I saw quite a bit of Indian Pipe too. Halfway through the Ravine Loop, I crossed the stream and ventured onto some new-to-me singletrack that wound through a pretty birch glade and some stretches of low-bush blueberry bushes down to Head of Tide, a neat waterfall along the Cathance River. I came back along the Heath, and stopped to enjoy the view:

Pretty nice, huh? With all the twists and turns on the singletrack, especially the miles outside the Cathance proper, not to mention a few stops to take in the scenery, I wasn't exactly running quickly, but I felt good.

I didn't see a soul while I was out there during the 12 miles/2:06 I was out wandering along the trails. And it was such a beautiful day! Weird. However, I didn't mind having the trails to myself. I saw 5 turkeys, 3 deer, 1 sunning painted turtle, plus lots of grasshoppers and birds, and had 0 deer flies swarming around my head. Now that is what I call one happy run!