By Susan Farago
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Trail running with my friend Laura is always an experience. She’s always up for exploring new trails, conquering huge hills, or dangling over the edge of a ravine and hanging onto tree roots while I exclaim, “I know the trail’s around here somewhere... .” I’ve seen her poke at snakes, launch 3 feet straight up while scorpions are underfoot, and scream at various wildlife creatures (fuzzy bunnies be warned). But I can ALWAYS count on two things when we go for a run – the first is that we will have a great time, and the second is that at some point during the run we will have to stop because she is laughing so hard that she needs a minute to catch her breath.So when we met to explore new trails at Wild Basin on Sunday, she did not disappoint. We climbed hills, got lost, got found, ended up in someone’s backyard, and yes…at one point we had to stop because she was laughing too hard to continue.
It started out innocently enough - as always. We were standing in a ravine trying to find the trail. Our friends Jim and John were also with us (they are used to our antics). So as Jim and I looked for some sign of a trail or clearing, John proceeded to bend over and pick up a rock. Laura asked, “What are you doing there John – trying to read the land?” John replied, “That rock just looked out of place and sure enough, looks like there’s a tarantula hole underneath it.” At this point my mouth decided to operate without my brain and from out of nowhere I yelled, “RELEASE THE KRAKEN!!!” If you’ve seen the movie “Clash of the Titans”* (either the 1981 or 2010 version) you’ll appreciate the reference. I thought it was sort of funny. Laura took one look at me and absolutely fell apart. She was laughing so hard there were tears! I was soon to follow and as Jim and John stared at us like we had finally gone around the proverbial bend, we were falling over ourselves with laughter.
When I got home I e-mailed her and asked her to list the times she’s laughed the hardest on the trail. Her response? “Gosh, there have been so many times!” Below is what she had to say:
- When we were running behind Toys R Us investigating new trails and the "troll" we ran in to [short, squat man with long hair and very heavily bejeweled sitting near a stream and VERY out of place] said, "YOU ARE ALL GOING TO DIE!" when you asked him where we were.
- The time you got too hot to wear your running shirt and I told you to tuck into the back of your shorts and after awhile gravity took its toll and made you look like you had an "accident" in your running shorts.
- Blood curdling screams trail running at night when we ran into a "homeless" man; then Leary greets him with, “Hi! How are you doing?"
- Choking on a gnat.
- Me screaming at rabbits, squirrels, snakes, scorpions, spiders, rabbits, birds, dogs, bugs, spider webs, butterflies, etc.
- Us running towards screaming, howling coyotes near the base of the Hill of Life during a night run and you picking up a boulder and running with it in your hand and hauling UP the hill...and I said, “See you at the top, I am going to fight to the death!”
- The time you said, “feggie” (for frontal wedgie) and I thought you said, “veggie” (for vaginal wedgie). I think John is still recovering from THAT conversation!
- When you admitted listening to Air Supply in your college dorm room while working on sewing projects at 2:30 in the morning.
- And of course, “RELEASE THE KRAKEN!!”
To Laura - I dedicate this SweatyShe Monday to you. While the trails might be safer and quieter with you off of them, they certainly wouldn’t be nearly as fun. Thanks for your friendship, all the great times we’ve had, and the ones certainly to come!
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*References to “Clash of the Titans” and “Release the Kraken” can be found at:
Trailer from original 1981 movie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVcT5YWBzq8&feature=related
Trailer for new movie:
http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2626946073/
FYI – the 1981 Kraken was MUCH BETTER (and fakier) than the new and improved Kraken.
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