Bonus Miles

Trail running isn’t just about the miles you plan, but also the unexpected paths you discover along the way. I’m training for another ultra, and every long run lately seems to include a wrong turn - a moment when together, my running friends and I realize, “Hey, I think we’re off course.” 

It might follow a grueling climb, an unexpectedly long stretch of trail, or a sudden doubt about a turn we made a while back. These moments, often at the beginning or near end of our longest runs, can bring on a whole slew of emotions - laughter, regret, dread, pain, even denial. 

The physical toll of these detours can be brutal. A planned 22-mile run suddenly becomes 24 or 26 more. Our legs, already screaming for rest, must push on. Hearts pound relentlessly, lungs burn with each labored breath. The last of our food and water long gone, we face the daunting task of retracing our steps on depleted resources.

We check our route together on gps, apologize profusely for the mishap, and backtrack the necessary miles, mostly in silence, until we hit the intersection we were meant to go down instead. 

The first time this occurred, my friend shouted back from ahead of me on the trail, “Hey, we got some bonus miles!” a huge smile spread across her dusty face. Somehow finding the energy to skip back up a mountain we were just descending, while I struggle to put one foot in front of the other.

Through these mishaps, I am learning to embrace spontaneity and even find delight in the unplanned despite the physical hardship. In trail running, as in life, the unexpected can lead to the most memorable journeys.