The time I went for a 9-miler and picked up turkey on the way back

I hadn’t run this far — let alone by myself — since last August. Nine miles.

I set my gear out before I went to bed last night, leaving nothing to chance. I set my alarm for 6 and a second for 6:15, just in case.

I got up right away, ready to go. The rain that was promised never materialized as I headed to the trail right off of this weekend’s camping location at Yankee Springs Recreation Area.

I started at a very comfortable 12:30 pace, thinking good, happy thoughts on the very soft, flat leaf-covered trail. I remembered bug spray this time, so I was in my zone almost immediately, thoroughly enjoying the trees, flowers, birds and other critters. So much so that I didn’t even turn my music on for the first three miles or so.

Until the first hill. Then the second. And, whoa, there are a lot of hills.

But I kept at it all the while watching out for the tree roots, mud and fallen tree trunks. This trail running is HARD. But, oh so fun.

Having learned some lessons in the past year, I also brought an iPod for music to save my phone’s battery life and an external charger, in case I just had to have my Pitbull, Eminem and Daddy Yankee. Which I eventually did.

I took a picture of the trail map, so I checked it as I made my way through the Long Lake Trail. And again when I no longer saw signs pointing me to Long Lake. Um.

Let’s just say I took the scenic route and got to see Graves Hill, as well as the Hall Lake Trail.

No complaints here as I actually ran out of trail before I finished my run. At about 6.5 miles, I figured I could run to the corner gas station near the campground to pick up a couple of things for lunch, as we’d invited family friends to picnic with us.

Having purchased turkey and mayo packages chosen for their smaller size, I ran back to our campsite, stuck both in the fridge and ran the last mile around the just-waking-up campground.

What’s the longest you’ve run on a trail? Why do we do this to ourselves? Did you enter my Skirt Sports giveaway yet?