Hopefully through this blog and the photos page, you’ve seen that Lake Atitlan, Guatemala, is a beautiful place to see.  Runners with a lot of trail running experience will already know this advice, but often we have runners who have spent more time on the smooth roads.  The advice: Watch the trail in front of you.

I will admit, I have tripped, luckily not fallen, because I gazed too long at a beautiful view while running the trails.  (And yes, the view I’m talking about is the lake, volcanoes, etc.  However, I’m sure I tripped a few times in college while running around campus.)  So, if you want to enjoy the view while on the trails, just stop for a few seconds, we do it all the time.

Based on the fact that I’m blogging for a hiking and trail running adventure company, the answer to this question for me should be perfectly clear.  But sometimes it is easy to forget how nice the dirt trail feels on the feet, joints, etc.  Like everyone else, I don’t always have time everyday to head off into the mountains and run on beautiful trails for hours on end.  Sometimes I need to just get out and back quickly and get the miles done.  This means that I run from my house around town, on asphalt and cobblestone streets.  (As a side note, cobblestone streets can be quite challenging.)  I may do this for a few days in a row when I’m busy with other things.  And then I set aside the time and hit the trails.  Ahhhhh, much better!  That trail run is easier and more enjoyable than those street runs.  The time goes by faster and the body doesn’t get so much pounding.  What would you rather do?