New Route. Escaping

We need a new route!" I texted Lacey this afternoon. 

It was a bit obvious that Lacey wasn't feeling up to par when she showed up to my house curled up inside herself. 

Our schedules were pretty open. Andy got called into work and Alec was at work. 

I jumped in Laceys car blind to where she would be driving us. 

After about 20 miles and still no idea where we were running, I thought I should ask. I was kinda getting my hopes up that maybe she was kidnapping me and we were on our way somewhere warm. 

But I liked where she decided. The Clinton River trail in Rochester. 

A new trail. A new adventure. 

Sometimes you just need to get away for a little bit. 
Our run today really wasn't about running far, or running long. To be honest, I am not even sure it was about running at all. 
It was about 2 friends that just needed to hang out together. 

Life sometimes gets you. Appointments, bills, responsibilities, family, work and the list goes on. 
We get pulled physically and emotionally in soo many directions that we often loose ourselves. 
We go on auto-pilot overbooking ourselves with agendas that saturate us. 
Not that most of that is bad. A lot of the time we find JOY in all those things. 

However, life can kick you in the teeth. We have seasons on our life that we are hurting, our friendships, our family the drama that can happen with relationships is all part of living.  But it can weigh on us. 

I had so much fun just running with no purpose. 
We literally drove over 20 miles one way and only ran about 9 miles! 

THE CLINTON RIVER TRAIL. 
We picked the trail up near the Royal Park Hotel in downtown Rochester. We found a parking lot along the River. 
This is a great place to drop your kayak in if you wanted to play that way. 

The Clinton River Trail began in 1998 when the railroad tracks were removed. 
The trail is 16 miles that connect to Paint Creek trail and is part of project that will travel across the state, The Great Lake to Lake Trail. 

We only ran 4 miles, an out and back.

 

 In just that time, we ran along the flowing Clinton River, we were awed by multiple deer, we enjoyed the scenery as well as the connecting neighborhoods. 
It was so nice. The path is flat. We ran on areas that were paved but mostly ran on crushed limestone. 

I look forward to going back. I would like to go back in the spring after a run and drop my kayak in the river. 

Lacey let me have my shenanigans. She looked so cute in her new matching Saucony hat and gloves I just had to snap a couple photos. Besides, she had a side stitch! 

After snapping this shot we headed back up the embankment to the trail. A runner was heading in our direction. I couldn't stop laughing thinking he must think we are so cringe. We just laughed more. 

Anyone ever run the Clinton River Trail? Where is another place to drop in that you like?

ANITA~