Coffee does matter

On Sunday, while the winds were still gusting in the metro area, two large groups of PRC runners met at Coffee Matters in Paradise for our Sunday long runs. As there are no races in the immediate future, these long runs are only around an hour. Quite a treat when compared to our two to three hour Sunday runs just a short while ago. It was great to have some old friends back with us on this day as well.

One group headed east towards Bowring Park. My group ventured west into the prevailing wind. The loops around Neil’s Pond and the Octagon were over wet terrain. The trees along these trails helped shelter us from the wind for a while. Earlier last week we were out in shorts and tee shirts. Today it was gloves and hats. Next thing we’ll be dodging snow flurries. No one wants to talk about that just yet but it is our reality in this part of the world.

Once my group exited the Octagon Pond trail, it was downhill almost all the way. On Sunday mornings, light traffic makes the Topsail Highway a joy to run. The view over Conception Bay is always spectacular! The rough pavement and shoulders of this road can still bring about an ankle twist as one of our members discovered yesterday. No major damage - thank goodness.

As we wound our way past the CBS soccer pitch kids were on the field practicing. The sound of their voices made it feel like we were still in summer (almost). The 11 plus kilometer trek was going quickly. A little further and we reached our destination at the Manuels Bridge. The new Coffee Matters overlooks the Manuels River and is an ideal place to relax with friends over a tea or coffee after a run.

When I returned to Paradise to pick up my car, the Bowring Park runners were back at Coffee Matters. Sitting among friends, they too were relaxing with a coffee after their Sunday run. Somewhere in between Craig Pike was doing his return leg from Manuels to Paradise, along the Trailway. Hope he had coffee in his thermos! See you on the road - or trails...