Hey Adventurers,

I have a confessional to make, since my half marathon in October, I haven’t been running much anymore.  Between the holidays and the colder weather of winter, I’ve found plenty of excuses not to run. But as my dad said when he saw me over Christmas,

“You’re looking… healthy…,”

I’ve been trying to return to the routine. My pants have been getting a bit more snug. So this afternoon, while I was in Canada, I decided to take advantage of the unseasonably warm weather and go for a run. I’m staying in Shawville, which is a tiny town in Quebec. How tiny? There’s only one street light in town.

And that’s it.

Population: 1,500

In any event, I had a delightful run through this small town and thought I would share some of the scenery I ran past. I departed my bed and breakfast and traveled down the long, driveway. It’s just like you’d picture it to be.

The Inukshuk at the top of the post was on the side of the road at the entrance to a neighboring house. As I continued down the road, I ran past another farm. I politely asked the cow if I could take it’s picture.

Sign spotting is always fun when you travel, and here’s a sign I have never seen before. Snowmobile road sign!

While I was running along the road, I happened to stumble upon a bike path. With plenty of sunlight left, I decided to follow it and see where it would go.

It really was a great night for a run. It was just me, the road and the trees. I threw my hands up in the air like I was flying and let the breeze splash across my face.

I had no idea how many kilometers I ran, but after about 45 minutes, my legs were telling me it was time to go home. I searched through the trees and thought I spotted my bed and breakfast. With a break in the barbed wire fence, I deviated off-course and ran through the fields. All was well until I discovered that the grass was not as dry as it appeared. A recent snowstorm had just melted, causing the field to be soggy and muddy. In search of higher ground, I found some snow to run on.

Still damp, but not muddy. Running in the snow with my Vibrams was a a first, though they didn’t offer as much slip traction as I had hoped. Nonetheless, I found a bridge in the middle of the woods to help me cross the stream. One more hill and I’d be home.

It turns out the hill took me to the neighbor’s house. I continued my run through their backyard, down their driveway on onto the main road. I’m not sure if they saw me or not. I’m sure they would have wondered “who’s this guy running into our yard from the woods, and why does he look so damn good?” (Okay maybe not the second part).

One more bend and I’d be home.

With the sun just about to set. I arrived home. It was one of the best runs I’ve had. What I thought what would have been an average run through a simple town, turned out to be an adventure!

Do you like to run when you travel? What have been some of your favorite discoveries while running? Share by commenting.

I’ll see you out there…!

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