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| Navigational Art By Colleen Yorke, 2015. |
With the time
change behind us, the world seems lighter and brighter. The first flowers break
ground, and we no longer feel like moles, when the birds greet us with their
songs in the morning. Having crossed off the Los Angeles Marathon from our
bucket list, we are eager to establish new goals, new ventures, new beginnings.
Most of us probably have spent some time in front of the computer brainstorming
races. Visually we find ourselves in a place with one foot planted in a previous
training plan and one stretching for that next race. We still feel the marathon
in our thighs. At the same time, we browse through course maps of upcoming
races, wondering what would be the right race and what would be the wrong race,
or if there even is there such a thing? We think about possibilities for
distances at 50K. (It is only 4 more miles, after all...)
While road running
will always be a passion of mine, lately I have found myself wandering off the
beaten path. Afoot and lighthearted, I found myself escaping into the meadows
and traveling the open soft-surfaced trails of the San Gabriel Mountains.
Running the trails is a whole different experience. We feel connected to
something bigger. Spending time on narrow trails winding all the way to the top
of a mountain, with a lush vista of canyons below, snow and pines overhead, can
be quite grounding.
Seven miles later, having reached
the summit, I am looking at an unmatched 360-degree panorama over the wrinkled
San Gabriel Mountains. Yes, I did stumble a bit. Yes, I watched the path I had
known and had taken for granted break away by chunks, not quite sure what freak
event caused this, not sure how to stop it. Here at the heights of the mountain,
nothing but serene calmness around me, I come to my senses. Life is a
beautiful, mysterious, independent little thing, constantly changing,
constantly evolving, keeping us on our toes, and introducing us to fellow
travelers, also looking for their next turning point. I lift my hands up in the
air, let out a laugh, delighting in its bouncing echo, and feeling my heart
filling up with gratitude. Will you join me on my next trail run?
