Fun with Running

Ahh....I love lots of things about being back in New York. And I'm not gonna lie, most of them are food. You just can't get better junk food than you can in the Finger Lakes Region.

But, thankfully, the weather here is also much more cooperative during the summer months for running.

While on vacation at Black Lake, I went out for what I thought would be an easy and relaxing 6 mile run. My plan was to turn out of our camp, up to Walrath Road, which had a nice big hill and take that to Yankee Street. When my satellite watch told me I had run 3 miles, I'd turn around, back down Yankee to Walrath. Good, smart plan.

As I got to the top of the hill, approximately 1.4 miles into the run, I noticed some horses not tied up or inside of a fence. Chilling, in someone's yard. Sorta like in Texas. Which I thought was cool. However, they spooked pretty good when I ran by them. Further complicating matters were the four large dogs that were also in that yard. They didn't like me running along on their road, and proceeded to growl at me, then chase me, spooking the horses further.

There went the plan to turn around and go back down that road. I may be crazy, but I'm not certifiable.

Anyway, because I've been living in Suburbia for 10 years, I figure I can just keep taking Walrath, make a right on Yankee, an eventual right on some dream road, and it'd put me back on the road which housed our camp. Great plan! Surburbia is built that way, EVERY place on earth must be!

If only my Garmin Watch could have pulled up this map, I'd have seen how screwed I really was.


View Larger Map

Notice how there are only like...oh....3 roads up there?

But, because I didn't KNOW that, I just kept running and running and running down Yankee. I ran past many Amish farms, where I am sure the men, farming the fields, thought I was absolutely insane. Most of it was either a pretty deep wooded area or an open plain/field with no houses. Rural is not the right word for this. DESOLATE perhaps. At one point I was pretty much convinced I was going to get eaten by either a bear or, thanks to my dad's most recent story, a Cougar. But, oh well, it's all in good fun, I was having a good run.

At about mile 5, I was starting to think I'd never see another road, and so I texted Scott who was back at the cottage that I may need him to come pick me up. Thankfully I had cell reception. Usually we get none up there. When I ran out of water at mile 6, I had mom come to my rescue. And thankfully she did! Because, I had gotten to the end of Yankee Street Road and made a wrong turn, I was headed towards the St. Lawrence River, NOT Black Lake. Whoops!

Anyway, it was a great way to get a good long run, and have some fun. I tend to be a bit of a wuss and scared of my own shadow. It was good for me to break out of the box and test my limits. Even if I had a cell phone and knew I could get bailed out ;)