She Runs by the Seashore

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If you’ve been reading this blog or know me personally, you know that getting up early is not my forte. But I’m glad I got up before 5:30 a.m. on Sunday to run 12 miles at Trap Pond State Park in Laurel, Delaware.

I have run at Trap Pond before, but it’s been a while. It was a cool run to do, but once I got there, I was a little scared about being alone running there because of how remote it was. It was also the winter, meaning less people were probably out and about. It turned out being fine, but I definitely felt better about having other people with me this time.

I did the first part of Sunday’s run with members of Delmarva Moms Run This Town (no, you didn’t miss anything — I am not a mom, but it’s a very welcoming group). My friend Nicole and I continued running to get to 12 miles total.

Trap Pond has plenty of trails, though I couldn’t tell you exactly where we ran aside from the main loop that goes around the park, the Bob Trail. (Here’s a map.) We also ran by campsites and in other spots.

The trails we ran on were not technical; it seemed like they were crushed stone. It was a hot day, but it really didn’t feel that bad, probably because of the early time that we got started — at about 6 a.m. — along with the shade. I also carried a water bottle and some Clif Shot Bloks.

We took a leisurely pace, including some walking, which was appreciated by me, as I was realizing it was the first time I’d run 12 miles since I did the Island to Island Half Marathon at the end of April.

My phone was just about dead (otherwise there would likely be more photos) and my watch was also just about dead, so I ran without it. That was great, because it helped the run go by more quickly as I wasn’t always looking at my watch. I got updates on how many miles in we were from Nicole.

After the run, Nicole and I went to the Laurel Dutch Inn, where I had two great pancakes, a cup of coffee and home fries for only $6-something. We then returned to Trap Pond for some stand-up paddle boarding. This has been something I have wanted to try since it started becoming popular, but I had never gotten the chance to.

At Trap Pond, it was just $8 per hour, and it was fun to try. I did not fall into the pond, but I did have a couple close-ish calls. I had to remind myself to focus on balancing!

It was a fun morning, and by the end of the day, which also included a softball game, I had logged my most steps in a day on my Fitbit since I got it — 35,221!

Learn more about Trap Pond State Park at the Delaware State Parks website. If you don’t have an annual pass, it’s $8 to get in if you’re out of state (I’m from Maryland and thought it was well worth it) and $4 if you live in Delaware. According to the state parks website, fees are in effect from March 1-Nov. 30.

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