I have fallen in love with trail running this last year.
There is just something about running on a winding trail through the woods - with all of the ups and downs - that fills me up. When I breathe in the crisp air and soak up the brilliance of the sun’s rays filtering through the trees on a quiet early morning trail, I am completely tune with myself and my surroundings. I feel wonderfully small yet also connected to everything around me.
Last August, I registered for the Silver Falls Half Marathon. 2018 so far had been a challenging year - Luca started daycare in January and, consequently, was constantly sick (so were we). He had challenges around bottle feeding, weight gain, and transitioning to solids. Each meal was stressful. I hated the feeling of tension building in my chest and shoulders. Physically, I didn’t feel good. I had frequent headaches. Stress and weakness brought on lower back and neck and shoulder pain. My patience waned.
In the past, running has helped me feel good both physically and mentally. While training for the Philadelphia marathon (a strategy to attempt to manage the stress of teaching), I loved getting to the point where I could run for miles without noticing that any time had passed. It was meditative. It was renewing.
And so, while on vacation with my family last summer, I decided I needed something to motivate me to get back in shape so I would feel better and therefore be a better parent and partner. I knew when the days got shorter I would not want to run in the dark… unless I had a race I was training for. After I registered for the run, I started a strengthening routine before I started adding miles. I knew in order to stay injury free I would need to be strong first. I jogged a little, walked a little, and slowly built my running endurance.
During the fall and winter, after Luca went to bed, two to three nights per week I put on my headlamp and reflective gear and - ran. I haven’t stopped.
Multnomah Falls to Larch Mountain + extra miles on the Angel’s Rest Trail - 19ish miles, 5,800 ft gain
Since I started trail running I’ve dreamed of running from Multnomah or Wahkeena Falls in the Columbia River Gorge to Larch Mountain. It’s a seven mile sustained climb from almost sea level to Sherrard Point, at 4,055 ft. On a clear day, the views of the Cascade range volcanoes are stunning.
Lindsay and I arrive at the Multnomah Falls parking lot a few Saturdays ago around 7:45 am. Low-hanging clouds are settled into the Gorge and it’s a comfortable running temperature. We hop on the Return Trail and jog west towards Wahkeena Falls. About a half of a mile in, the real climbing begins.
We jog past Fairy Falls and I enjoy a few seconds to catch my breath as I snap a picture of Lindsay. In the first two miles, we gain about 1,500 feet of elevation. We jog a little, hike a little. Repeat.
Shortly after we turn onto the Vista Point Trail the forest is completely socked in. The silence is surprising to me. At this point, we’ve reached the Eagle Creek Fire burn area. It is eerily beautiful. While we have visited the Gorge a few times since the Eagle Creek Fire, this is the first visit where I feel at peace with the changes to the landscape. New growth abounds. The purple flowers dotting the trail stand out against the blackness of the charred trees. While I am exerting myself physically, I am calmed by the beauty surrounding me.
We run the Wahkeena Trail and connect with the Larch Mountain Trail after close to three miles. After about an hour, we stop to filter water at Multnomah Creek before we lose water access for the next eight or so miles. I welcome the break!
The next few miles are a bit of a slog. The trail is pretty overgrown and rocky and rooty. The burn damage is especially notable here. We slow down significantly when we reach a scree slope. Up and up and up and up.
Shortly after the rock field, we are out of the burn zone. The forest is lovely.
After eight miles and a little over two hours of running and hiking, we reach Larch Mountain’s Sherrard Point. It’s completely socked in. We have a Snickers bar (the calories power me for the next two hours), snap a few pictures (of the fog mostly), and, before we cool down, we’re off!
It’s amazing to run downhill for the next handful of miles. I lose track of time and let my mind go as I put one foot in front of the other. It feels effortless.
Back around the Wahkeena Trail and Larch Mountain Trail junction, Lindsay and I split up so I can add 4-5 more miles to the day (I’m doing a 20 mile trail run in September, the Backcountry Rise).
When I reach the car, I feel an overwhelming sense of accomplishment, but more so - gratitude. To be healthy both physically and mentally. To have the privilege to access these trails after hundreds of people put in countless hours of work to restore them after the Eagle Creek Fire. For the curious joy that trail running has brought me this last year.
Trail running is my moving meditation. It is challenging. It is empowering. It is humbling. It is freeing.
Every moment I spend on trails - whether running solo or hiking with Lindsay and Luca - is a true gift.