I was a bit of a late bloomer when it came to sports. Sure, I played t-ball as a kid and joined a church softball league, but only because it was Catholics versus Protestants, and the Catholic boys were really cute. I spent a few years practicing gymnastics and later coaching and instructing, with a season of cheerleading thrown in, but no one ever mistook me for a “real” athlete.
All that changed in my early 40s when I discovered running. Over the next fifteen years, I completed two full marathons, too many half marathons, 10Ks, and 5Ks to count—but trail running was still on my “someday” list. Honestly, the idea of running on a trail scared me. I struggled to imagine running fast without tripping over fallen branches, stumbling on boulders, or facing some other obstacle that could lead to injury.
When I first started running, our three children were all teenagers, and none of them, despite being active in sports like football, baseball, track, soccer, basketball, and volleyball, were particularly interested in running with Mom. I understood, of course, but it still saddened me that they weren’t willing to join me.
Our daughter was the first to relent and join me for both morning training runs and some competitive 5Ks. Now, she’s married with a son of her own, but we still run the annual Thanksgiving Turkey Trot together.
It took longer, but I finally convinced our youngest son, Chris, to run a race with me. On the way to the start line, he asked if he needed to stay with me for the whole 5K. Naturally, I told him he could run his own race. And it didn’t take long for him to leave me in the dust. That boy actually won the whole thing! First place, overall! When I asked him why he didn’t stay with me, he simply replied, “It hurt me to run that slow.” He would go on to be much faster than I, and it would be years before he’d run with me again. His logic? He’d won. There was nothing left to prove.
As for the oldest son—well, cough, cough, he’s yet to run a race with dear old Mom. But I’ll keep hoping.
Fast forward another thirteen years, and Chris decided to become an ultra-runner. I mean, if you’re going to commit, might as well go big, right? He ran a couple of half marathons first, but those weren’t challenging enough. So far, he’s completed two 100Ks (62 miles) and a 100-mile race.
When I was younger, I thought about attempting an ultra, but as time passed, I realized I didn’t have the time to train. Plus, after serving as pit crew for Chris during his 100-mile race, there’s no way I’m running through the woods at night with coyotes chasing me, tripping over tree limbs, and pooping in the forest. Nope. Not for me.
However, Chris did invite me to join him for a local daytime trail run. The course offered runners the option to complete either a 10K or a 25K. Of course, I chose the shorter distance, and he chose the longer. Despite never having run a trail race before, I felt pretty relaxed. Chris is definitely the faster runner, but knowing he had more than double the miles to cover left me confident I could run my race at my pace and finish well ahead of him. I didn’t want him to have to wait for me.
The morning of the race was cold and wet. As we stood shivering at the start line, Chris asked if I was nervous about running in the woods alone. Well, I wasn’t… until he asked. The race announcement about saving our emergency contact information in case we get lost didn’t help my nerves either. However, I’m happy to report that I didn’t get lost, nor did I take a wrong turn.
Running alone in the woods brought an incredible sense of both peace and freedom. I knew trail running would be slower than road running, so I set my expectations accordingly. I wasn’t focused on my finish time at all. Instead, I focused on the trail itself—the ruts and grooves beneath my feet, the yellow markers ensuring I stayed on track, and the rhythm of my breath. It was just me and the trail.
Crossing the finish line was exhilarating. I’d done it! I tried something new, the unknown, and succeeded. There was also the added benefit of sharing the experience with Chris. Sharing moments with grown children is priceless.
I was trail running. What about you? Is there something new you’ve been thinking about trying? What’s holding you back? Fear of failure? You’ll never know unless you try, and who knows—you might just surprise yourself! If you’re looking for a partner to run with—whether it’s on the road or the trail—I might know someone.
Until next time,
Becky J. Miller
Warrior Princess