6 miles flat

I’m in Michigan visiting my parents this weekend, and I had a 6 miler on the schedule. Their area isn’t really runner-friendly (country roads with barely a shoulder, let alone sidewalks) but there is a really nice rail trail close by. So, my dad drove me the 3 miles down dirt roads to drop me off at a crossing, and picked me up again at a different crossing 7 miles away. (Thanks Dad!)

The run went really well, and I can’t decide if it was because the 6 mile distance is a good one for me (after ~4, I could run about forever) or if it felt good because the trail was dead flat. It’s probably more of the latter… I finished the 6 miles in 1:17, with a much better pace than I had expected. I want to do all my running in flat places!

The trail was pretty, alternating between birch and pine woods and fields bright with the fresh green of newly sprouted winter wheat. And where the rail trail crossed a river, they left the old trestle bridge in place, which made for gorgeous views. Naturally I stopped to take pictures. The maples and oaks still have some color on them, but the birches and poplars were bare.