(Author’s Note: This
blog was written before the pandemic and when fitness centers were open and
before they closed and still are closed in my home state of New Jersey.)
It was an unusually warm February day in Northern New Jersey
as I got out of my car to start my weekend trail run. As I closed the car door and looked around, I
saw a man getting a wagon ready to pull for his dog, who I am guessing was
arthritic. He looked at me in my running
gear a bit perplexed and said, “What no bike or dog?” It then occurred to me
that while I have used this parking area as my starting point for trail runs,
most of the people who park there use it for the two other purposes. They use it for walking their dogs down to
the river on a flat trail or using it as a place to park for a nice road biking
excursion. I said, “No I am going on the trail for a run.” He looked perplexed and I
pointed across the street to faintly marked trail and said, “there!”
He looked at the trail and the forest behind him and said wistfully, “One
day I will do that,” as if he was planning a trip to Europe. I was a bit shocked since 95% of the park was
beyond that trail head, but I understood he was taking care of his dog.
I park at that spot because it is on the fringe of the park
and so adds distance and elevation to my workout. After that brief conversation,
I took off on my regular trail run. I
steadily climbed for about a mile on a single track then descended for a bit
before it leveled off. I circled a lake and went back into the forest along a
swamp, then began another climb up a wooded trail. After the climb on a single track trail, I
descended down and came to a road in the
park which is a short portion of my run, but as I ran I came to a beautiful
stream which I pass every time. This time however, I stopped and took in its
beauty. It was then I realized that this
park was my gym!
Fitness centers and gyms are a big business these days, with
numerous workout regiments and plans to fit almost any budget and lifestyle –
but NOT Mine!
I am a trail runner dammit!
Our conditioning and workouts cannot be found nor replicated in a
climate-controlled gym.
Not only that, but our trail runner gyms have amenities
those gyms can only simulate through computer graphics. To prove my point, I continued on my trail to
the highest peak in the park. When I got
to the top of the Tourne I looked out and saw the skyline of New York City some
35 miles or so away. On previous runs I have come across Red-Tailed Hawks, fox,
bear, snakes, Great Blue Heron and numerous other wildlife. This can’t be replicated on a computer screen
or in a climate-controlled facility.
Speaking of climate-controlled facilities, my gym and all
other parks that trail runners train in, are literally climate-controlled. Whatever the climate is, they are. Since I live in a four-season area, the
temperature and the environment for the gym changes drastically, and it is up
to the runner to adapt with their gear.
I have run at temperatures as low as zero and as high as 90. The colors of my gym also change with the
season. With light greens and colorful flowers in the spring, to deep richer
greens in the summer, to the changing colors of the leaves of fall. On this day in the late winter, it is not the
most spectacular with different shades of gray and brown permeating the
landscape. There was no white of snow to add a brightness to the forest. Yet even at my gym’s less then spectacular
day, it is much better than all fitness centers.
I know that a lot of people go to chain fitness centers
because they cannot only get a very steady and precise workout, but they like
the interaction with the regulars in the gym.
It is the social aspect of building relationships and meeting
people. Yet my gym also offers
that. Humans are creatures of habit and
they love routines. On my weekend trail
runs I often see the same people either biking, running, or walking their dog (My
gym is pet friendly. A major
bonus!). We exchange greetings and
smiles like old friends. One time after
I had injured myself and could not run for a month, I was back on the trail and
saw an elderly couple, Carl and Val. They walk their dog regularly on the
trails and they stopped me and asked me “Where
have I been?” What struck me was their obvious concern in the question.
Don’t get me wrong, I know that we all need exercise
equipment to stay in shape. I myself use
my treadmill often. Especially before work when I have limited time to work out
before my long commute to work. When
pressed for time I skip the trail run and opt for a road run. Even though I do this on country roads, I
find the noise of the cars unsettling and the exhaust from the cars
distasteful. I think changing my running
routines is important so I can accept these other workouts.
I also accept them because they are time based. I am pressed for time and need to work out
but do not have time for a trail run.
Trail runs are best savored, not rushed.
I often think when I start that I will do a short run today, but after a
mile or two I find myself adding loops and mileage to my runs. When I get home my wife often says, “Boy you
were out a long time.” I usually reply “I went a little longer than I planned”
but in reality, time is not a concern of mine in the forest.
The best part about my gym is that it is part of a
nationwide chain of gyms for trail runners.
All across this nation there are parks, whether they be federal, state,
county or even a local park. Trail
runners have a unique talent in finding beautiful and secluded areas even in
well populated areas. My small gym with
miles of trails can be found in the most densely populated state less than
forty miles from New York City. While
this is my favorite, I know several others, but this one is the closest so it
works best. If you ever wonder where the
best parks are ask a trail runner (if you unfortunately don’t know any trail
runners than a day hiker is a good alternative.) They will point you in the
right direction. It is probably closer
than you think. Possibly just across the
street.
