A TreeHugger’s Trailblazing Tale

After walking in the nature reserve near his home in Bellbrook, Ohio, Calhoun Mane decided to run sporadically. He was not in the best of physical health after the winter months kept him isolated, eating all the wrong things. A warmer day invited thought of an approaching Spring with budding trees and flowers poking through the thawing ground. When he started jogging, reaching fifty yards in rugged terrain made him feel proud. The hills and slopes of the park slowed Calhoun’s aging legs. He ran purposefully.

One blustery morning, Calhoun woke to a return of winter as a quarter of an inch of snow coated the ground. He contemplated whether running in the reserve was safe. Determined to keep up the progress he had made in dieting and exercising, he headed out bundled in clothing. His limbs felt restricted, preventing him from moving properly and running at his desired speed.

Calhoun drove to the parking lot, exited the car, stretched, and started with a leisurely walk. Once he felt limber, he ran down one hill after another, hoping to reach the depths of the reserve in record time. The cold ached down his spine, causing him more stress than usual. He stayed in the mindset that this was a normal day’s exercise, trying hard to convince himself to continue.

The last hill before reaching the bottom of the bowl-shaped depths posed a challenge for Calhoun. He ran uncontrollably down the slope. A patch of ice worsened his situation, as he wrenched his knee, sending him crashing into an oak tree. He hugged the trunk with a mighty force. Stars floated around his bruised forehead. Unable to put weight on his right leg, he sat on the frozen ground with throbbing pain. Did his screams of helplessness echo through empty woods?

After waiting 40 minutes for help, he felt embarrassed. He knew that running aggressively carried risks, but his story of being a trailblazing TreeHugger was the last thing Calhoun had expected. 

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