Bald Mt. Recreation Area 5K Trail Training Run

Hey, fellow trail enthusiasts and running enthusiasts! My latest adventure is a 5K training run at Bald Mt. State Recreation Area on November 5, 2023, when the sun shone and temperatures hit an inviting 64. It was an experience you won’t soon forget!

Now that I live so close to Bald Mt., it’s almost like having my gym right in my backyard without that horrible scent of old sweat and despair! On my trail runs, my goal is twofold: take in all that beautiful scenery while not tripping over roots or squirrels on my way.

Armed with my Insta360 GO 3 camera, I was ready to document the 3.1-mile run in just over 2 minutes.  So check out the YouTube video and subscribe to my new channel.  No squirrels were hurt during its making!

The Setting: Bald Mt. State Recreation Area

If you’ve never visited Bald Mt. State Recreation Area, let me paint you a picture. This little slice of running paradise nestled into Lake Orion, Michigan, offers runners year-round beauty from nature’s magnificent display. When fall rolls around, it becomes like running through an art piece with all its vivid leaves!

Bald Mt. State Recreation Area is just minutes from my doorstep—almost like we are BFFs! The park features a maze of trails with distinct personalities for every type of trail user; hills can be found there, and flat courses provide great meditation spaces. Even better is their disc golf course, which doubles up as an effective hill workout!

On this particular day, the park was peaceful and tranquil—almost as though I were waiting just for myself! There were just a couple of walkers, mountain bikers zipping by, and an occasional runner out and about—my perfect spot for peace, quiet, and heart-pumping hills that make you question life choices in an all-good way!

The Perfect Day for a Trail Run

Aren’t there just certain days that are made for running? November 5th was such a day! Mother Nature must have sensed my need to escape from work by providing ideal running conditions: clear skies, a gentle breeze, and temperatures reaching 64—all elements to consider perfect conditions.

Bald Mt. Park did not disappoint as I set out on its trails. The air was crisp, filling my lungs with a refreshing sense of renewal, and the trails were covered in fallen leaves that crunched satisfyingly beneath my Brooks Ghost 15s.

Bald Mt. Recreation Area – Lake Orion, MI
(11X Speed) 5K Trail Training Run

(Click Here to Subscribe to the YouTube Channel!)

Shot with an Insta360 GO 3 Action Camera

Running Gear: Tools of the Trade

Let’s talk shop—running shop, that is. Regarding trail running, your footwear is your ally. on this run, I had my Brooks Ghost 15s on for support across different terrains; they proved exceptionally reliable during paved road sections of my route.

Being the gear geek that I am, I must mention my watches. Recently, I’ve been wearing the Garmin Fenix 6X and Apple Ultra 2 watches; each acts like an assistant when running or hiking—one is familiar to runners, while the other offers cutting-edge tech, including cellular connectivity to stay in contact while out and about in nature.

My Garmin has always been my faithful companion, but the Ultra 2 has recently proven its worth as the upstart on the block. Like choosing between pizza or tacos for dinner, both are excellent options that may depend on what satisfies you best!

My Insta360 GO 3 camera has quickly become my running buddy; snapping onto my hat, and off we go, recording all the thrills without lifting a finger! While it might not boast the highest resolution compared to the latest Go Pro Action Cameras, its simplicity makes up for any shortcomings; hands-free filming comes in handy on trails with rocks and roots hidden by the fall leaves!

The Red Loop: A Trail Runner’s Challenge

As an alternative to the trail run I did today (video coming soon), let me introduce you to the Red Loop trail It will put your calves through an intense workout while keeping your heart racing! Situated just north of Greenshield Road, this 3.8-mile loop provides all the challenges of a fierce treadmill setting at your local gym but with better views and 100% more squirrels!

My go-to route for hill training—one with unexpected inclines that challenge both mind and leg – is this moderately challenging course near my house, where hills come at me like pop quizzes—perfect preparation for races like the North Country Trail Run I have on my calendar.

Running the Red Loop is like dancing: you must move light on your feet as you dodge roots, leap over branches, and charge up those hills. Each time I run, it is unique; changing seasons bring about unexpected twists, such as patches of ice here, puddles there, or blankets of leaves everywhere.

Physical challenges aside, hiking also presents mental challenges. Something about the winding trails and peaceful atmosphere helps clear your head—no distractions from work or phones; just you, nature, and maybe an occasional deer curious to know why you’re out here on earth.

Before participating in the North Country Trail Run, I can be found practicing my 10–11 minute pace on the Red Loop’s undulations and practicing for the North Country Trail Run. I am building stamina and creating stories; you can trust that when race day arrives, I will have plenty of them.

Tracking Progress: Metrics and Goals

Running has always been about numbers for me; seeing those cold, hard stats staring back at me from my wrist acts like digital cheerleaders for me! And with an epic run like the North Country Trail Run Marathon in August 2023, tracking each step, breath, and heartbeat becomes essential.

Here’s my plan: My goal for Red Loop runs is a consistent 10-11 minute pace, giving me enough momentum for any ups and downs during marathon training runs. I am becoming intimately familiar with these hills, with 249 feet of elevation gain already covered in my runs.

The last time I ran the North Country Trail, I finished third in my age group with an incredible finish time that left me smiling for days afterward. Now, I’m back chasing that high with Garmin, and Apple watches are acting as silent coaches, tracking every mile I cover while recording pace changes; plus, they provide a comforting buzz whenever I reach milestones along my journey.

Let’s do the math: finishing a trail marathon in 5 hours, 57 minutes, and 11 seconds like I did before requires an average pace of about 13:36 per mile—having a pace between 10 and 11 minutes per mile is my goal for each Red Loop run I complete!—which means keeping track of both Garmin and Ultra 2 helps.

Welcome to metrics—early morning runs, late evening jogs, and weekend warriors alike. Let’s set goals that challenge yet excite us both and journey together because, whether numbers reflect victory or growth on my end, I know I gave my all on this journey!

Reflections: Solitude and Strategy on the Run

Running for me is more than physical exercise; it’s a moving meditation. I find clarity on the Red Loop, with only my footsteps and the wind whispering through the trees as a soundtrack. Each run serves as my summit meeting with myself, where we negotiate terms between my lungs and legs and plan strategies for the marathon.

Solitude is my go-to place for answering life’s biggest questions and exhaling worries; my training run is my therapy session every weekend! Also, the trail marathon strategy requires quite a lot of solo time—you are up against Mother Nature herself; sometimes, the only person there will ever be with you will be yourself!

My runs allow me to plan, plot, and dream of crossing that finish line and of all the unexplored paths yet to run. They remind me why I do it—for joy, challenge, and the pure, unadulterated love of running! At its core, it’s simply you and the trail, with unlimited potential waiting to be explored together.

Capturing the Run: The Insta360 GO 3 Experience

Insta360 GO 3 Action Camera

At this point, I was ready to capture the spirit of my trail run using my new Insta360 GO 3. It felt like having my film crew follow me through the woods—without all the Hollywood drama!

I love my camera as an invaluable hands-free running tool. No more fiddling with my iPhone or worrying about dropping it mid-sprint. Just me and the trail–with a camera small enough for you to forget it’s there–yet its stabilization capabilities are so solid it acts like an internal shock absorber for those bumpy moments along my route.

I won’t try to fool anyone into thinking the video quality matches that of the latest Go Pro 11 or 12; however, that isn’t why I use my Insta360 GO 3 camera; its primary purpose is capturing the experience of running without having to carry a camera on a gimble or wearing a chest mount.  Having a tiny action camera comfortably attached to the brim of my hat allows me to run without the hassle of other video tech.

As I watch back the footage from my run, it’s like reliving it again without all the hard work involved. Watching the footage helps remind me why I love running; sharing my passion with the world may inspire someone to grab their running shoes and hit the trails themselves! A picture may say a thousand words; an excellent running video speaks volumes!

Conclusion

Let us celebrate runs that challenge us, gear that supports us, technology that fascinates us, and trails that lure us! Let’s keep running, exploring, and sharing because, in this runner’s world, each path leads to a discovery that deserves sharing with our fellow runners.

Stay tuned for more stories from the trails, and always remember that your best run may yet lie ahead of you.

Be sure to SUBSCRIBE to my new YouTube channel.

Affiliate Link:  Insta360 GO 3

Additional Resource(s) for Bald Mt. Recreation Area

• Ninja Runner: Bald Mt. 8 Mile Trail Run -9/27/2023
• Michigan Economic Development Corporation: Bald Mountain Recreation Area
• AllTrails: Best Trails in Bald Mountain State Recreation Area