Last Sunday I combined two of my favourite activities – bushwalking and running, commonly referred to as trail running. Mr Shallot and our dog joined me as one is training for a half-Ironman in China and the other just does this kind of thing for the fun of it.

I’d started running with some gloves on because I tend to feel the cold. About 15 minutes into the run, I took them off. I also wore my running tights and long-sleeve top and, as a good Australian, my hat.

It was a clear crisp day and the view was stunning. Clambering over some rocks uphill broke the pace from time to time. Leaves covering the spectrum of autumn colours crunched under my feet as Mr Shallot and the dog ran ahead. I tend to run a little slower than both of them and I enjoy running by myself because then I can hear all the little bush sounds (in this case, normally it is the ocean sounds I hear in the mornings). Having them run ahead too also meant any snakes would be scared away by the time I got there.

We turned around at 30 minutes and Mr Shallot and the dog caught up to me. I was totally absorbed in the smells and sounds as Mr Shallot decided he’d run behind me.

I’d started to tire and had stopped thinking about lifting my feet too far off the ground when either a tree root or a small rock decided I should slow down even further. I barely managed to stretch my hands out in time and used my face to slow down my cracking pace.

I lay there for a second or two stunned. I was helped up and walked back to the car. I knew that all my injuries were superficial but that didn’t stop them hurting. A few waves of nausea passed over me when I looked at my hands and when blood ran down bits of my face.

Arriving home, I had a warm bath and quickly wet my hands, knees and face – better to get the pain over and done with. I’d taken off quite a bit of skin on my nose, my upper lip and a bit on my knees and hands. Miraculously I didn’t ruin any of my clothes but it would have been better had I left my gloves on. Putting on a tea-tree oil and aloe vera cream disinfectant seemed to help my healing.

Recounting the story at work (and not looking my best), my HK local colleagues informed me that it was lucky that I did this on Sunday. It means that I’ve started the New Year on a fresh slate rather than starting it with an accident as how the new starts, is how it tends to continue. Phew!

* Thanks to Icehouse for the title to this post.