Long Point Trail

Distance: 1.6 miles from trailhead to Long Point; 3.2 miles out-and-back
Difficulty Rating from NPS: Moderate

A classic out-and-back jog just over 5k in distance, Long Point Trail provides a well-rounded degree of technicality and difficulty suitable for a beginner's introduction to what trail running has to offer. It is also a great tack-on addition to other trails for longer runs. As it intersects with Fayetteville Trail and Butcher Branch Trail, you can access nearly any other trail in the Canyon Rim area from here, and the point rewards any trek with a picturesque view of the famous New River Gorge bridge.

On Learning to Love Trail Running

Being away from the NRG and having a pretty lazy Christmas vacation is making me wish a little bit that I was out there checking out the trails and staying in shape--especially when I look at NOAA and find out that it was sunny and in the 40s today in Fayetteville. Although it hasn't been enough to get me to try to run at all here... (If I were in WV I'd run--honest!!) I'm wondering what the trail conditions are like and how out of shape I really am--I usually overestimate my endurance and strength on the first run after a long break, and it kills my enthusiasm. Maybe I should make a New Year's resolution to expect to be a wimp when I get back to WV. I've never been big on resolutions. I guess some people make resolutions to become runners or something. I think I became a runner more out of impulse than resolve. Maybe I just thought I was hardcore because I was the only person I knew back in 8th grade that decided he would run 3 miles for no good reason. Then again, I was home schooled; I guess I don't really think I knew that many kids my age at all. 

Even so, I started road running probably around 8th grade. My first 5k was a small race in Davis, WV in the fall of my 9th grade year (I started attending the public high school that year, but I didn't join the cross country team until my senior year). I was tough on myself in high school--even in my "fun" runs, I wouldn't let myself walk or stop. I'd push myself as hard as I could push without anyone running next to me (which wasn't terribly speedy, still). I thought I "liked" running, but I really don't know how much I enjoyed it, looking back on myself now. I think I just liked knowing that I was in more shape than the average high school kid. I had such a competitive attitude and mental toughness back then that I ended up injuring myself in a couple seasons of track & field by overtraining. My goal was the time; my satisfaction was the finish line. It did make well for becoming a better and faster athlete so I could beat my peers. I don't regret my aggressiveness on the track team and cross country team, but I've changed considerably since then in my personal running philosophy. Generally these days, my goal is less a time, finish line, or distance exact down to the 100th of a mile. Instead of liking the idea of being a runner, I feel that I've been able more to enjoy running itself, and I believe that trail running has played a part in this development.

Happy New [Forum] Year 2012!

Well, although I haven't had much reason or ability to run any trails out there (on vacation), I got a forum started up on here. Hopefully this will help people connect, build community and discuss whatever they want concerning the New River Gorge, trails, local restaurants, gear, or whatever.

here's the link (if you hadn't noticed the tab up there) -- http://trailhugger.blogspot.com/p/forum1.html. Feel free to spread it around to your trail running friends.

I'm looking forward to getting out there again. How's the weather and trail conditions out there? I'll be back in the area in a week or so.

trailHugger Post #1 -- COMMENCE!

Heading up the rock staircase at Kaymoor Miners Trail

Here goes--the first official trailHugger blog post! My plans for this blog include providing helpful descriptions/reviews of the trails of the New River Gorge from a trail runner's perspective, rather than a day hiker's or backpacker's, along with some pictures and driving directions. I plan on doing this as I run the trails. I've ran many of them before, numerous times (mostly in the Canyon Rim area), but I want to write a lot of them as I run each one for the specific purpose of describing the trail/running experience so that the trail will be fresh on my mind and I can make observations about weather impacts...or whatever I feel like writing. Since the winter is already upon us, I'll be taking a short seasonal break from trail running, besides perhaps a few infrequent jogs here or there, so I guess it's kind of weird to begin the blog now--still, I've got work I need to do on it in the meantime, anyways. I also may update with trail-related news or pretty pictures. Right now I have a list of the trails around the NRG area, and I plan on linking each trail to appropriate future posts. That's the plan as of the moment, anyways. I also plan on adding gear reviews, race information, even restaurant reviews? and other things that relate to whatever else I think will help trail runners in the area.

Hopefully, this blog will be a way to promote interest in the trail system out here at the Gorge and connect different trail runners and ideas. I've found it surprisingly hard to find an established trail running community specific to this location. Last time I checked, there's nothing on Meetup.com, and the closest thing I can find on Facebook is the Facebook group for the West Virginia Mountain Trail Runners, which is not as specific as I'm looking for.

I'll also be pretty busy working on my degree for a while, but after I graduate this May I'll hopefully begin training for my first 50k--the Rock/Creek StumpJump in Chattanooga, TN (where my family lives). So you'll probably find me out in the Gorge training hard or just enjoying the run between now and then, especially once spring arrives and whenever my homework isn't too heavy (and I have gas in the car).

We'll see where this goes! If you're interested in trail running, especially if you live in the Fayetteville area, give me some feedback!