Hills

Lake Oswego... it has them.

Originally, the place looked like a dream come true. Open Google Maps on your browser, zoom in... and Wow! Trails, trails, and more trails. Not those half-hearted trails you see meekly following the shoulder of a main thoroughfare. These are real trails.

Unfortunately, they're a bit more real than I would like. Lake Oswego sits on the slopes of Mt. Sylvania, a dormant shield volcano with a peak elevation of 978 feet. And--wouldn't you know it--our new apartment is near the peak.

Fun times.

I won't complain, because--after all--dedicated running trails are rare and a treat, no matter how steep they are. And these trails are prime strength training material. In 20 minutes, I get the same workout as running 60 minutes on the flat. No kidding.

Unfortunately, my fiance--who has begun building a running habit--will have to deal with them too, and soon. While these hills are intimidating to me, they're bound to have debilitating consequences for her. We may have to compromise.

Fortunately, hills (especially Lake Oswego Hills) are the master of compromise.

A downhill says, "run me for fitness"

A flat says, "jog me for fitness".

An uphill says, "walk me for fitness".

Lake Oswego says, "crawl me for fitness".

So, you see, by merely walking in our neighborhood, we'll achieve a level of fitness we never could have achieved in our respective former neighborhoods. By running, we're bound to get our names printed in Demigod Running Magazine. Fame and fortune will follow.

Okay, not really, but you get the idea.

Now, I won't deny that running must have a measure of fun, otherwise you won't do it. Also, I won't deny that running hills isn't technically 'fun', at least--not in the truest sense of the word. Fortunately, even though the Boring Lava Fields (no, really, that's what they're called) are steep and intimidating, they aren't all encompassing. There are flat alternatives. They just require a bit of driving.

Exhibit A: The Springwater Corridor

It's a dedicated multi-use path, with reasonable contours (both in the horizontal and the vertical). And... it's only 6.3 miles away from our apartment.

So, you see? All that worry, it was for naught. Running we can do. Walking we can do. Even crawling we can cope with. And Lake Oswego? It'll suffice for all three.

Until next time,
- Daniel