Day Nine: Miles and miles

As previously mentioned as part of my sabbatical, I am preparing to run a marathon at the end of July.  I am historically a mediocre runner, but am learning to change that "mediocre" into "slow and steady".  It is unlikely that I will win the race, but I am aiming to finish strong.

I went for a long training run this morning, 15.4 miles along the incredible Virginia Creeper Trail.  The Creeper is one of the country's most famous rail-to-trail conversions, 34 miles of well-groomed, wide, flat trail, perfect for running, hiking, biking, horseback riding... I love running there when I am visiting family in this area.

This morning was cool and quiet, overcast and a little damp.  The trail runs through farms and national forest and the views were amazing.  Even in less-than-perfect weather, this morning was no exception.  It made for an absolutely lovely solo run.