YakTrax Trial Trail Run

Today I ran through Ward Reservation to try out my new YakTrax. (Thank you, Santa P!) Stretching them over the soles of my trail shoes, while sitting behind the steering wheel, proved both challenging and humorous; they shot-off my sneaker like a rubber band before I could correctly align them. When I arrived the parking area was nearly empty but by the end of my run— an hour later—the lot was full. As this reservation is quite large (and safe), I only saw one woman being walked by her yellow lab.

Ward Reservation encompasses about 700 acres with a variety of fire roads and single track trails that meander through forests, across fields, over hills and by Solstice Stones. The reservation map reflects merely a portion of the existing trail network. It is beautiful in every season—even warmer deer-tick season. I love becoming purposefully lost in these woods. No matter where I am—by the bog or the beavers or Boston Hill—I am present.

This morning I didn't visit Elephant Rock as I usually do because the consistency of the snowy trails resembled room-temperature cookie dough. Instead I chose the Sanborn Trail, which offered flat to rolling terrain on semi-packed surfaces. Actually, snowshoes would have been a wiser choice for the trail and weather conditions today but I was eager to follow my "Trax." This little tuft of animal hair was waiting for me along the way.

At the beginning of the Bog Trail looms a short steep hill that when covered in deep mushy snow and run at a "cabin-feverish" pace proves to raise my heart rate four thousand times beyond resting. Here's a video of the flat trail leading towards that hill.

Trail Pixie Review of YakTrax: terrifix!
These rubber-baby-buggy-bumpers are wrapped with a mortal coil that grips ice and packed snow with a ferocious bite. Be sure not to cinch the Velcro straps around your instep too tightly or your tootsies might tingle.