Percy Warner Park

74 mins.
10+ miles

I woke up relatively early to meet Ryan, a guy who works at Fleet Feet Nashville, out at Percy Warner Park for a trail run. A quick check of weather.com before getting dressed told me that it was a warm 27 degrees outside. 27 degrees in November is no joke. Vest, check. Gloves, check.


View of Belle Meade Boulevard from the top of the front steps at Percy Warner

At any rate, the sun was already shining brightly by the time we parked at 7:30 on Belle Meade Boulevard, which worked wonders for keeping the temperature tolerable. Either that, or I was working so hard the entire time that I didn't have a moment to think about being cold. I mean literally from the outset I felt like I was putting forth a pretty serious effort. It wasn't that we were breaking any speed records, but the trails are quite rolling and thickly carpeted with leaves, which meant I was struggling for traction while trying to avoid any hidden rocks or roots the entire time. The rare moments when I did have a chance to look around were definitely rewarded by the occasional deer sighting and the striking foliage.


Autumn colors on a winding road in Percy Warner Park

My hip flexors and calves were extremely fatigued by the end of the run, and we won't even discuss my foot. Let's just say I've switched from vegetables to a ten-pound bag of ice.