Times Two

I just felt like doing something different yesterday, so I walked ten miles instead of five. 
My Saturday night plans had fallen apart -- a couple that my sister and I hung with in college were supposed to meet us for dinner, but sadly, had to make emergency hospice plans for a family member.  I had planned to go to the trail mid-afternoon, but my son needed my help on a writing assignment, so I didn't get out of the house til almost 5:00. I didn't bring Banks this time, because I was half-toying with the idea of doing ten and knew he probably wasn't up for that.

So I drove to the trail. At almost the four-mile mark, where you cross to the south side of the trail via the 1st Street Bridge (then add another mile on the other side), I took a deep breath and kept going.  This is supposed to be a ten-mile loop,and it was appealing to think of doing it properly, rather than doubling my mileage by simply backtracking at the five-mile mark.  But at that point in the trail, it was startling how quickly the other runners/walkers disappeared and how quickly the sun jhad gone down.  I was tempted to play it safe and turn back at the five mile marker, but gave myself a pep talk: Take a chance.  Do something different.  Trust that you won't get lost. Push yourself. 

But at 4 1/4 miles, I decided to trust my gut, and listened to the arguments against proceeding:  1) this side of the trail seemed seedier and less-traveled; 2) darkness was setting in; 3) I was unfamiliar with this territory, and 4) I didn't have Banks with me.  One plus 2 plus 3 plus 4 = stupid.  So I turned around.

But if I thought that solved me problems, I was wrong.  It was so dark!  Remember, this trail is in the woods, and there are no lights.  At least it was familiar terrain, but it was definitely a little scary.  It was a relief to reach the section parallel to Cesar Chavez where the Saturday night traffic was whizzing by. 

You know what's almost as scary as walking alone in the woods at night?  Wondering if anyone in those cars knew me and thought I had nothing better to do on a Saturday night.

At long last I reached marker 0, and though I wanted nothing more than to jump in my car and go home, do you think I was going to get this close to 10 miles without finishing?  With 1.5 miles to go, I turned around yet again, walked to the 3/4 marker, and backtracked.

Yes, my knees were aching a little, and I was stiffer than after a 5-mile walk, but I felt fine.  And I've earned my happy self a day off.