*NEW* Discovery

I have lamented countless times mentally and verbally the fact that my new place doesn't have anywhere decent to run.  I really was spoiled living in my condo at a junction that met up with tons of different running trails.  I could go out for a half-hour run roundtrip and come across Iwo Jima memorial, Arlington cemetery & Lincoln Memorial, and have a view of all the rest of the DC landmarks along the way, for example.  If I wanted to turn left away from Iwo Jima, I could catch the beginning of the Mount Vernon Trail down to the right and run 18 miles along the Potomac river to George Washington's estate.  Or how about hooking on to the Custis trail to the left which leads to the 45 mile W&OD Trail?  ENDLESS options.  Endless.  And it was right outside my door.

My new place?  Not so much.  First of all, the road I live off of is a 2 mile stretch of rolling hills.  And there's really nowhere to run once you reach the top or the bottom of the road.  Plus, running on the sidewalk proves painful for my knees.  I spotted a paved trail across the street and I was really excited to see where it went.  I set off, and discovered it dead-ended not even half a mile later.  How disappointing!  Why do people build trails that abruptly end?  What is the point?

I've been doing most of my training on the treadmill at the gym.  But running outside is SO much better.  I'm happy that the evening sun sticks around longer and longer now, but it still isn't light out long enough for me to get in the distance I need.  So on weeknights after work, I'm stuck on the conveyor belt.  Not wanting to repeat a long run on sidewalks, my last long weekend run I drove in to DC and ran the loop from Lincoln Memorial to the Capital and back.  Twice.  It was brutal.  I woke up that morning feeling a bit stuffy and like I was getting sick.  Wouldn't you know, that evening I was miserable and my sick lasted about 2 weeks.  What is it with me getting sick or injured in the middle of my training?

Anyway, the week I was sick, my friend told me about this park that he and his dog went to and mentioned that it might be a good running trail for me.  Now that I'm finally feeling better and can go run again, I decided I needed to actually get out and do it.  (I got a bit lazy after I was officially not sick any more and didn't work out.  Work has been extremely busy and stressful lately and I am so completely exhausted.)  So yesterday (during my work-from-home lunch break), I decided to check it out.  It was only a 6 mile drive up the road from me.  I kind of hate the idea of driving somewhere just so I can run, but that's how it's gonna have to be now.

The nearly 5 miles of trail at Accotink Park wrap around the perimeter of a man-made lake.  There are a bunch of woods, and it was really very enjoyable!  Minus it being quite chilly out.  I came across 3 or 4 other runners, some walkers, a bike rider, and a FOX!  I only had my phone with me, so the picture is not the greatest.  Nor does it convey the close proximity of the fox.

Do you see him?

I was quite enjoying my run, as all the scenery was brand new to me.  It kept my mind engaged and I didn't get bored.  I smiled and nodded at all the people I came across.  I DID notice that everybody I encountered was going the opposite way I was.  I wondered if there was some sort of trail etiquette that said you should only travel clockwise around the lake.  But likely I just wasn't fast enough to catch up with anybody else that happened to also be going counter-clockwise like me.

Anyway, just when I was about to hit my half-way mark and turn around, I noticed there was this girl who was walking very slowly with a backpack.  She had on a hooded blue coat, and as I got closer, I looked at her face so I could smile and nod.  She lifted her head and I saw the most freaky haunting face I think I've ever seen.  She had huge bags under her eyes, her mouth hung open and she stopped walking and stared right in to my eyes.  Like she was challenging my soul.  It sounds stupid, but it seriously SCARED me.  The way she looked at me was just freaky!  My heart suddenly stopped and then immediately started pumping wildly, and I stopped at my halfway point wondering what I should do.  If I turned around now, I'd have to pass her again.  This time from behind.  What if she was this psycho killer?  What if she had weapons in her backpack?  What if she attacked me?  I hadn't passed anybody else in a while.  Would anybody hear me scream?  Are those houses along the outer edge of the woods inhabited?  Would they come to my rescue?  They're probably all meth houses and murder-producers.

I should just keep going the same way on the trail and not turn around.  I'll only add another 1.5 miles on to my total distance.  But I'm only supposed to be gone for an hour tops.  I can't be away from work for that long.  I'm already late getting back as it is.  I'm being stupid.  There's nothing going on with her.  She's probably just walking home from school or something.  But her face looked older than school-age.  Why is she wearing that backpack if she isn't in school?  Maybe she's in college.  She looks like a walking corpse.

I let my heart and nerves calm down and looked to see the blue coat still meandering down the trail.  I must have been sitting there with my contemplations longer than I thought because she was further down the trail than I would have liked.  Whatever.  Time to GO!  I pressed play on my iPod and set down the trail after her.  I kept playing out in my head what I would do if she made any sudden movements.  My eyes were on her like a HAWK.  I kept telling myself to watch her hands.  She should hear me coming up behind her.  I was going to be ready if she reached in to her coat or behind to her backpack.  When I was about 15 feet away, her hands came up from hanging limp by her side.  My heart sped up.  My feet slowed down.  What is she doing?!  Her arms and hands were in front of her and I couldn't see what was going on.  Then she brought her hands back to her waist and shoved her gloves in her coat pockets.  I almost laughed out loud.  I was just about to pass her when she stopped cold, turned around and STARED at me again with that soul-piercing, hauntingly creepy face.  GEEZ!  My heart leapt again, pounding in my chest.  I HATE YOU, I thought.

 

Totally doesn't give her freakiness justice. But I don't have an artistic bone in this wannabe runner's body.

I decided to run like I was running for my life.  Maybe she was pissed that I interrupted her leisurely murderous stroll down the trail not just once, but TWICE.  She could be screwing in the scope eyepiece and assembling the silencer on her ridiculously accurate hunting rifle.  I refused to look back.

I was totally out of breath and my chest hurt like none other, but I didn't stop for a good mile.  Then finally I felt comfortable slowing to a walk.  There were some steep hills that I had to run up and my heart was already over-working itself, so I was beat.

Wow.  I kind of had to laugh about the whole experience, but I can't deny that I was completely shaken up over it.  Just seemed like the right setting for murder.  Cold, dreary day - everything gray.  Still not quite Spring, so no leaves on the trees.  Everything just seemed barren and gloomy.

BUT!  I will be going back!  What a great discovery!  I think I'll be running this trail lots & lots.  I plan on DOMINATING this trail.  
:D

9 short days until I collapse on the 10 mile route among the Cherry Trees.  If I'm gonna die running, let it be suicide among the blossoms.