Today, I decided to break with the familiar trails and to go on a new running adventure. I was sure glad I did! It turned out to be my longest run yet (28K) on some of the most beautiful trails I have had the pleasure to experience. I usually find my best runs proceed from a good 10-15 minute warm up so I used that time to get close to the area I wanted to explore.
Once I started on the trails, I was happy to have the noise of passing cars long behind me. Best of all it was replaced with the sounds of the forest: they were all encompassing. I had been here twice before but only for a small part of the trail. The trails are accessed from the East side of Bronte Creek Provincial Part off of Upper Middle Road and stretch all the way up to Dundas Street. The exhaust from the cars on Bronte Road was pleasantly replaced with the smell of the forest air.
As I am running in a 5K race for clean air in two days (Tuesday, June 1st, 2010 ), I thought it quite fitting to be in some of the “cleanest” air found in Oakville. The race is to help support the fight against an asinine location for a 975 megawatt proposed power plant located in the midst of many schools, residential houses and business. Thnakfully this plan was subsequently cancelled.
Clearly, a reasonable person must at least consider that something is seriously broken in our government based on the choice of location and the rush to get it done. Did you know our Ontario government provides no setbacks for building large scale natural power plants but there are restrictions for a small wind turbine? Think of the insanity of that and then consider that our government was allowing a plant to be built a mere 320 meters away from a school before it was cancelled.
Thank you Kevin Flynn – MPP for Oakville, Doug MacKenzie, everyone at C4CA and all Oakville / Mississauga residents who are speaking up and who ultimately got the plant stopped. By putting people before power, money and greed, your legacy should be one that is admired.
This was one of the many thoughts that led me to decide on this route today to reconnect with a saner world where power plants are not being built “steps away” from young children.
Part of what makes trail running so enjoyable is how it gives the individual the opportunity to experience the natural world in a very intimate manner. As I was making my way along the winding trail, the sun was being filtered through the bright glowing leaves of birch, pine and maple trees. Everything was glowing.
A woodpecker was knocking on a tree rhythmically somewhere far off in the distance as I followed the path. I was fairly sure the destination of the trail along the creek would end up at Dundas St. but that was of no concern as my goal for training was to have a fun run and at least go 20K. Today, I was very much enjoying the nice weather under the forest canopy. As I ran on the trail, I became aware of all of the sounds that were being echoed within the ravine.
I have often found in the past the music in a forest is a great opportunity to practice mindfulness so I quite naturally returned to this practice: certain environmental conditions provide fewer interruptions which allow more space in which to practice this form of personal development. As each step is taken, all sounds are noted and simply pass by. My focus stayed for the most part on my breath and the placement of my feet as the world passed by.
On this particular trail winding its way north, there were many beautiful vistas of the Bronte creek several hundred meters below. While running, I was continuously reminded of how I have always found the forest is a place of reverence. As I stopped for a call of “nature”, I took the opportunity to look up. Above me was a magnificent mature tree with an intricate design clearly shaped over many, many years. Any minor concerns or distracting thoughts disappeared and I was left with a beautiful stillness. I continued one step at a time, all the while welcoming the adventure I was on.
The sounds in a forest have an ability to pull one’s mind beyond the confines of abstract thought. I was happy to say the air seemed so fresh in this part of Oakville today. I very much appreciated this space to reconnect with the world. Most of us, myself included, live lives which are very disconnected from the interconnected pulse of the life all around us. The forest today for me provided a much needed welcome back.
This particular trail route was mostly empty with only a few children and families out for a nice walk. As I continued north, fewer and fewer people were on the trail until it was only me and the trail. I knew the first part of my run was near an end when I could hear the far off sound of cars on the Dundas St. bridge. I am so happy to have discovered an amazing new route for my longer runs coming up as I begin training for a fall marathon in Toronto. I am quite happy that people in the past had the foresight to not develop on this beautiful land by putting people before money. I can only hope the same will be able to be said about the power plant issue in East Oakville when the dust settles.
If you are a runner then I know you appreciate clean air.
For anyone looking for a new Oakville trail adventure, please see the explore Oakville trails website.
06/09/2011 at 8:41 am Permalink
Can I put your article and running map on the Bronte Creek Provincal Park web site. After seeing your stuff I thought I would create a page for running and then link back to your site for more information.
Gary
06/09/2011 at 9:18 am Permalink
Hi Gary,
Sure that would be great! I plan on doing a post on the West Bronte Park trails in the next month as I have run there many times and really enjoy that part of the park quite a lot too…
The fall colours hopefully will be spectacular this year…