After staying up way too late and drinking a few too many beers last night, I decided that it would be a good idea to get up early this morning and go stretch my legs for a bit.  So about 7:00, I headed out for the state park, so I could hike around for a few hours along some of the trails at the Wildlife Management Area. (link) I parked at the locked gate that blocks the road leading in the WMA and grabbed my canteen and hit the trail.   There is a pretty extensive trail system in the approximately 2,200 acre park, and I wanted to try to cover most of the trails this morning.  The terrain is fairly rough, with steep limestone hills that are densely covered in Juniper and escarpment live oaks.  After walking along for a couple of hundred yards, I started thinking about people who trail run for fun.  I have never really understood the allure of the sport, for me part of the fun in being outside is observing my surroundings, which is hard to do if you are concentrating on the trail ahead of you.  I am the type of person that generally doesn’t discredit an activity with out first giving it a try.  So I found a place to cache my canteen and I started to jog up the trail.  As my leg muscles began to loosen, I picked up speed.  Scrambling over the loose rocks and gravel that made up the path, it seemed like the world around me disappeared.  I focused on the pathway, making my way over the hills at a pace that was far faster that I thought that I could manage.  Much sooner than expected, I had completed the outer loop trail (about 8 or 9 miles) and was coming up on the spot where I stashed my canteen.  I stopped to fetch my water and drank heartily form the spout.  I was pretty well worn out and my legs felt like jelly, but it is a peaceful feeling.  As I walk back to my vehicle, too tired to even think, I look up at the clouds that are forming overhead, lost in their formless beauty.  On the way out of the park, as I reach the river crossing, I can’t resist pulling over and going for a quick dunk in the water.  I’m already drenched in sweat, so I jump in clothes and all and let the cool refreshing water wash over my tired body.  Not a bad way to spend a morning.