Race Rundown: Dirty Spokes Heritage Park 8m Trail Run

I worry too much.

There's your standard end of the world, nuclear holocaust fears. Then there's the someone breaking into your house in the middle of the night fear. Running in general doesn't scare me, although, I did just buy pepper spray due to a surprising and nerve wracking encounter with a dog.

Trails make me nervous. 

I think it's the unknown - all the things that could go wrong. Tripping. Falling. Getting lost. Lack of preparation. Yet I continue to sign up for races. A fact pointed out by one of my facebook running friends when I posted this dramatic, pity party post on our running group board:

 

Beth's comment made me stop. It made me think. WHY do I keep signing up for trail races when all I do is complain about how I signed up for another trail race? No one forces me to do these races. In fact, most of the people in my life, including my husband, think that running marathons is quite enough. Maybe that's it. Maybe running just marathons isn't enough for me anymore. Maybe I need to be nervous and push myself out of my comfort zone. All I do know is that I'm going to stop whining and complaining because...  

This morning I ran in the Dirty Spokes Heritage Park 8m trail run and it was fabulous. I tripped, jumped, and ran to a 1:20:02 finish. 

Yes, it was hard. Yes, after about the 20th time I tripped over roots I was ready to scream. Yes, it was exhilarating and yes, I thought I was super cool when I ballerina jumped over the creek and didn't get my feet wet. 

Trail running makes me feel super cool so I'm going to stop complaining about it. Although I'm probably going to complain about my sore ankles. Sorry, you can't win em' all.