My Great Escape

My favorite runs are those in which I am immersed in nature. There is something so serene about running outdoors, through wooded trails and beaten paths. It is as if Mother Nature has designed these beautiful sceneries just for me. With each step, I leave behind my worries and frustrations, and go to a place where I feel free, free as air. 

I am blessed to live in an area where there are so many beautiful places to run. I am constantly searching for new trails and routes to explore. This helps add variety to my training and keeps my runs fresh and enjoyable. Although I try to vary my runs, I do have some favorite routes that I regularly run.  So here they are- my favorite places to run. Well, some of them anyway.   

                     

Brooksby Farm, Peabody, Mass.

Beautiful apple orchards and scenic trails- so scenic that you'll forget about all those hills... almost.

Lynn Woods, Lynn, Mass.

Miles and miles of trails. Tough footing and lots of steep hills, but a great place to train!

Lynn Beach, Lynn, Mass.

Who doesn't love running by the beach? Ocean breeze, gorgeous views and miles of sidewalk. Keep running and you'll reach beautiful Nahant.

Marblehead trails, Marblehead, Mass.

My cross country team's favorite route for long runs. Many stories and laughs were shared on these trails.

                              

Maudslay State Park, Newburyport, Mass.

Cannot say enough about Maudslay! One of my favorite places to run when I'm home.

                                

Woodsom Farm, Amesbury, Mass.

Hills, hills and more hills! My high school track coach would always have us do workouts here.

These are my great escapes, my own private sanctuaries.  Each one of these places has given me something special—freedom, tranquility, happiness.  In a world full of uncertainties, they are definite, unwavering.  Like a loyal friend, they are always there with open doors whenever I need them.  These tiny gems have given me so much.  I hope they will do the same for you.           

It Runs In the Family

This past weekend I went with my Dad to explore the islands off the coast of Maine.  One of my Dad’s co-workers volunteers for the Maine Island Trail Association.  Each week he goes the islands to check the log books and make sure the campers and visitors are taking good care of the islands.  My Dad and I were invited to join him this week. We had an amazing time exploring the islands. We swam, hiked and saw some incredible views.  It was well worth the 2 hour drive.  

This trip reminded me of other adventures my Dad and I have shared over the years and inspired me to write about them.        

. . . 

My Dad has always been a tremendous influence in my life, especially in athletics.  When I was younger, we would always play catch or pass the ball around the backyard.  Sometimes on his training runs I would tag along and ride my bike next to him.  As I grew older, he coached me in soccer and basketball. Some nights after practice we would stay late to practice my shooting or passing skills. On rainy days, we would go to the field and practice slide-tackling. The first time I did more than 10 juggles in a row, he took me out for ice cream.  Even when he was no longer coaching me, he came to almost every game of mine.  When we weren’t playing soccer, we were doing some other activity. We would wake up early and go for runs together. On weekends, we would drive up to Maine and bike the trails all day.  

My Dad not only taught me how to play sports; he taught me how to love playing them.  And this love has been instilled in me ever since I was young.  I am now a three-sport college athlete but I know that I will be an athlete my entire life.  

I am so thankful for the strong relationship I have with my Dad.  We have had so many wonderful memories and I have enjoyed them all. I’ll never forget the days we used to go to the soccer field and kick the ball around, or my very first road race.  I’ll never forget our Christmas run together in the snow, or our bike rides through the foliage in Maine.  We have had so many wonderful memories together, and I look forward to the many adventures to come!