Foliage is for Trail Running!

  Ah, the rainy season of foliage has begun.  The foggy weather is a bummer for the leaf peepers, but for the trail runners and mountain bikers, this season is HEAVEN!  Beautifully colored leaves litter the trails, except for a tire-wide stripe marking the best line through the rocks and roots.  I do love mountain biking, but I find that while the colors are in the trees it is much safer for me to trail run - this is because I spend too much time looking around at the beautiful trees rather than on the rough surface below.  I have fallen off my bike way too many times already during foliage; so I'll just stick to running until all the leaves are down and the trees are naked. 

I'm not upset though - the little bit of moisture has made the ground just a little bit smushy, which is perfect for my Vibram FiveFingers SPRINT!  You know, those wierd running shoes with separate spaces for all your toes.  I wear the Sprints and have had such a wonderful time playing in the woods!  There is nothing better than feeling the mud ooze up between your toes.  It reminds me walking across the beach to get my canoe into the water and happy thoughts just creep up everywhere.  Plus, my feet and calves have gotten so much stronger - I am definately going to have a better edge during the upcoming ski season  :)  But my absolute favorite part of foliage Trail Runs: you can hear the red, yellow & brown leaves crunch under your feet when you're running.  What a beautiful season for trail running!!