Running through those mountains felt like stepping into a place where history, nature and mythology all come together. As I ran over the stones and trails, I couldn’t help but think about how many people over hundreds of years must have walked those same hills. It’s a reminder of what a gift it is to experience the beauty and deep history of this place.
One thing I enjoy about traveling around my region is the unexpected moments that happen along the way. Whether it’s sharing a ride with neighbors, meeting new people at a race or running into friends in a city you didn’t expect to see them in, travel here often feels less planned and more like a series of small surprises. Getting invited to a friend's work dinner or my trainer's self-defense class were not things I had planned on, but they were opportunities to build more relationships and to meet more people from the community in ways that I could not have expected.
