Running in the Bush

First, I really ought to apologize for hardly ever posting…internet here has been 👎-totally awful. Like a couple weeks ago, we had a couple days off so Ben and I decided to rent a movie online. It took two and a half days…DAYS!!!…to download. Our days off were definitely over by that point so we just saved the movie for the weekend, but yeesh! Hence the hardly posting- I just don’t always have the patience.

Anyhoo…

I love running! That’s not really news. I’m pretty sure everyone who reads this knows. But running in the bush is a little different than what I’ve gotten used to over the years:).

When Ben signed the contract to stay on for the year, one of my first questions was, “Will I feel safe running in Pilot Point?”

To which Ben promptly replied, “Oh, yeah!”

As you consider his answer you’ll want to remember two very important things about my husband:

#1: My husband is not a runner. And

#2: My husband is not a girl.

My first ever run here in PIP was on a Monday morning around 6:30am. We’d been in town less than 24 hours and we had walked the 2 mile loop that goes around, but I was seeing everything for the very first time and not really committing stuff to memory.

And 6:30am is rather dark. Like pitch black. And all I knew about Alaska was that there are lots of wild animals-big ones! Did I mention it was pitch black???

I did have my headlamp with me, but as I swept it from side to side, I imagined bears and wolves hiding in the bushes ready to pounce. Yes, I’m ridiculous. But I was freaked out! I also got kind of turned around (I’ll say it again-so dark!) and ended up going a ways on one of PIP’s very few side roads, which I didn’t remember at all (cause I’d never been on it). Luckily, it had snowed so I just turned around and followed my prints back home.

Never to run again.

Just kidding! For a couple of days I begged Ben to come with me. And he totally did! Like twice. But by the third morning he only got out of bed because I suggested he drive the truck alongside me instead of actually running (the school has a truck for the teachers to use for getting mail and groceries and stuff).

After those few days the guilt of changing Ben’s sleeping schedule got to me…and probably the hassle of trying to pry Ben out of bed…and I just decided to change the time I went running.

So now I go in the afternoons around 4. It’s different and I think I still love running in the morning better but I am just glad that I’m able to go at all! Lots of other bush locations would be too cold and snowy so I’m glad to be here in Pilot Point!

It’s totally 100% light outside when I go, so I don’t feel like I’m going to be eaten, which is nice.

Most of the time I run on the beach. It’s so gorgeous. Some days I think about switching it up and maybe running the loop instead or one of the other trails, but I know that when we go back to the lower 48 I’ll miss the beach, so I’ve been trying to fill up :).

Jaeger has been my running buddy and lots of the times Ben will walk down and meet us. Jaeger loves the freedom of Alaska. He’s at one with nature here 😉

When we packed up our bags to move out here, I clearly remember Ben telling me not to bring a specific running jacket (he denies this). It’s worked out for me, though, because I just ended up buying a lightweight windbreaker (it doesn’t usually get super cold here, but the wind can be totally terrible!) and it’s been the best thing ever!

There’s my one and only running selfie with my kick-A jacket (seriously, I love it!).

Running in the bush is totally crazy. Nine days out of 10 I don’t see another soul while I’m out running (Ben not included). It’s totally peaceful and quiet. It’s going to be weird going back to the states and actually having to watch out for cars!  I wish every runner could experience a day of running here in PIP! It really is super wonderful (as long as you’re not running when it’s totally pitch black scariness outside:)!