I love running through parks, on trails really anywhere that I’m not traffic fodder. This morning I roll out of bed, put on the shoes and head out the door. Mosey down the street, skirt under the M2, bushwhack my way onto the trail and off I go into Lane Cove National Park.
I’m rolling along, owning all the other runners I see and hit the turn around point. Double back until I get to a fork in the road. It was V shape, why people call it a fork I don’t know. I eat with a fork. My fork has multiple tongs. Maybe way back when, they only had two tongs in their forks. Anyway I digress.
In this V, shaded a bit to the right of the V actually, closer to the path less traveled stood a sign. Not just any sign either. A sign marking the way home along a trail I’ve never run. Perfect, my out and back has just become a loop and it’s only 4k to civilization.
After about 20 minutes, I get that sinking feeling. First I’m running faster then 5 min per km. Second, since I’m running faster then 5 min per km, I really should have run into civilization by now. I know my math skills are not the best, but on this I was fairly certain.
On ahead stands a friendly guy (hopefully) with a chain saw. I run up to him and see he works for the park service. Perfect. He whips out his map and shows me how to get back. The long way. I run up some big ass hill that has me wheezing only to get to the top and see a sign that says your destination is 12km ->. I really needed to go <- according to the stream I've been running against and a few other things I knew about the general area. So 12k in that direction or loop back and take the sure fire way home.
Being the super smart guy at times that I am, and realizing that my 50 minute long run is almost 70 minutes long at this time, I choose Option Retrace Steps. Now I run down the hill, run past the friendly guy who is using his chainsaw, through some hopefully non-poisonous bushes because friendly guy parked his truck on the path taking it all up back onto the main trail, up some gigantic hill make a snap decision to turn left when I should have gone right, up another gigantic hill turn right up another gigantic hill. WTF is up with all the gigantic hills?
Now although I've never run this street thanks to my last fork in the road decision, I know more or less, well less actually, where I'm at.
Once I run through the train station it's only 7 more minutes home. My 50 min run has become 1hour 45min, which is the worst part of this run. My 4 year old niece informs me as I walk through the door that "I told Daddy you were lost and we should go find you". Then runs away from me because she is anti-sweaty people right now.
The worst part is I want to go run some errands in the city and it's a 2km walk to the train station. Quite honestly, I'd rather go take a nap.
Ran past the chainsaw guy twice, eh….lol….If I only had a camera on him as you passed for the second time…”ugh, Americans….”***rolls eys***
I seem to remember you getting lost on a trail a time or two before. Once while “leading” a group! : )~