I've joined the ranks of crazy people, those who run because they like it.

At first, I was abysmally slow. And running for fifteen minutes seemed to kill me. I lived for the breaks where my running friend would stop and wait for me. We'd stretch and she'd take off again. I just shut my mouth and struggled up the rocky trail after her.

We went once a week. At first it seemed like some form of crazy punishment. My stamina from rock climbing, from hiking, from boating - none of it seemed to transfer to this new medium of running.

And then it clicked. The fourth week in, instead of jogging our usual rolling trail, we ran a six-mile uphill loop across the Dry Lake Hills. Since it was long, and definately steep, I gave myself permission to go slow.

And had a great time.

Relived of the pressure to run fast, I began to enjoy myself. I noticed the sky, the mountains, the trees and my own thoughts. My body adapted to the new activity. That's all it took.

Now I can't get enough of it. I love the bizarre looks people give me when I run up steep, rocky, miles-long terrain. I love topping out and heading downhill. It's like being a child again: I put my hands in the air and sometimes even say "WEEEEEE!" Nobody cares; no one else is there.

Time isn't so much an issue as having a grand time. Don't be afraid to walk on the steep sections if you feel like it; your old gym teacher isn't standing there with a stop watch and a frown.

I felt so encouraged by my new ability to run for miles on end that I entered a couple of races. My first was a 5k on winding dirt paths. I wasn't going for time; I just wanted to finish. I was the 14th woman and finished mid-pack. I felt great, and enjoyed the free food and massage you invariably get after these events.

It was extraordinary. Me, in a race. I tried a 10k next. The pressure to run faster took a toll - it being a race after all - but I just repeated my mantra: "Someone has to be last." I finished mid-pack, again, which was just fine with me. I want to have fun and test my own limits. The day it is no longer fun, I'll find something else to do.

Now I have several loops I run, depending on the time available. The longer ones are better with company, like the eight-mile Brookbank-Sunset loop, or the ten-mile Brookbank-Schultz Creek-Rocky Ridge Trail.

When I have an hour or so, I keep to the five-mile Oldham Trail or the two-mile Fatman's Loop. My requirement is that I run actual trails. Not jogging along a race track or tooling down the road. But my goal isn't about being fast, not yet. I'm still slower than everyone I know, but running up hills gives me a great excuse to run slowly.

The hazards in trail running are few, and overhead is low.

Getting Started:

1. SWEAT magazine: A Phoenix-based fitness monthly, their informative, interesting free ezine is full of articles on getting started as a runner, as wll as links to races and scores. The 2001 August issue has a great top story called Taking that First Step. Click to their link at http://www.sweatmagazine.com/

2. http://www.Altrec.com/ This site is devoted to trail running, with great stories on "Choosing the right trail shoe,' "How to Get Started" and "Your First Race."

3. http://www.trailrunner.com/ This site is a fine pit stop for hooking up with trails, trail running communities across the country, and for race information.

4. An inspiring and overall great site to visit, with timely tips for runners: http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/running/

Trail Running Articles - This fun sport gets you out on the trails in a thrilling way, carrying so little gear you will feel like flying! A great alternative to dayhiking.

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