Hill Country Run

One of my Thanksgiving traditions includes visiting family in Boerne, TX. Located in the Hill Country, this quaint little town oozes small town charm and beautiful landscapes. The word “hurry” has been intentionally excluded from the local vernacular. This Hill Country town always provides a refreshing escape from my hectic city life.

But as every marathon runner knows, even on vacation, you still need to get in your miles in order to maintain your training schedule and avoid a tongue-lashing from your coaches. As such, runners sometimes use a helpful website that will map a route. This morning as I was preparing for my run, a visit to Runner’s Website was necessary. With my run routed and iPod charged, I embarked on my Hill Country run.

The first couple of miles meandered through a neighborhood – a typical layout of a subdivision including wide sidewalks, happy kids on bikes, and retired, old men getting a jumpstart on their outdoor Christmas decorations. I came to the end of the neighborhood and turned onto Scenic Loop Drive as indicated on my route. The name of this thoroughfare should have been my first clue of what was to come…

In case you find yourself in a similar situation, please allow me to outline the benefits and disadvantages of relying on a website to map your run:

Benefits:

• God truly did some amazing work when He created the Hill Country. Not only is the beauty of the scenery breathtaking, the sense of peace and smell of manure can be overwhelming.
• Perhaps you are in the market for a new horse. Chancing your running route to a website may land you at Hill Country Peruvians – Breeders and Trainers of Peruvian Paso Horses. Giddy-up!
• If the limit of your risk-taking includes waiting to fill up your gas tank when you have a hair shy of a quarter of a tank left, then using a website to plan your run will skyrocket your risk tolerance exponentially.

Disadvantages:

• Runner’s Website does not take into consideration current road conditions. A few yards into my run on Scenic Loop Drive, I knew I was in trouble. The almost nonexistent shoulder – a small width of fresh mud, sticky brush, fallen branches, and occasional remnants of recent road kill – became my only option in order to avoid being hit by all of the farm trucks that seemingly travel this road quite frequently.
• Additionally, Runner’s Website cannot possibly know that the local gas company will be digging ditches for its natural gas lines therefore eliminating the almost nonexistent shoulders and forcing Runner Girl onto Scenic Loop Drive.
• Lastly, as one would expect, most people who own large parcels of property in the Hill Country allow their pets to roam freely. The notification of a potential of a Hill Country dog attack is not a feature of Runner’s Website. Perhaps a reminder to bring your pepper spray could be suggested upon completing the plan of your running route.

Needless to say, I survived my Hill Country run in one piece – a little shaken, but able to run again…just not on any road called Scenic Loop Drive ever again!

Won’t you help me help others as I train for a marathon at the happiest place on Earth – The Walt Disney World Marathon? I’m pretty sure I won’t be contending with farm trucks, potholes or gas companies at my race in January. I’m running to find a cure for leukemia, lymphoma and other blood diseases. Give today. Save a life tomorrow.