Bored with your regular running routes and routines? Shake things up with a little trail running.

I went on my first official trail run with a group of area runners -- about 12 total, men women, young and old -- at Asbury Woods on Sunday morning.

I knew it was real trail running -- not some wimpy Presque Isle multi-purpose trail running -- when I got out of the car and saw Barb Filutze's shoes. They were caked with mud. "Yeah, that's from last week's run," Barb said.

I looked down at my nice, clean shoes and quickly rummaged through the back of my Jimmy for an old pair of Sauconys (from 2005, I think) that I keep for emergencies. (Who needs flares and jumper cables? My emergency supplies are a spare pair of running shoes, socks and a windbreaker).

We all set off running toward the trails two-by-two. Once we got in the woods, we were forced into single-file formation by Mother Nature as the trails were only wide enough for one. I have to admit, I was pretty nervous at first. I'm used to running on flat asphalt -- with the only hazards being roadkill and the occasional pine cone. Running through the woods -- with all the roots, sticks, rocks and mud required serious attention to the ground below. There is no getting lost in conversation or getting caught up with old friends on a trail run or you're libel to find yourself face down in a pile of decaying leaves and icy winter mud.

Once I got the hang of it though (pay attention to every step, lift your feet higher, watch for branches that might smack you in the face and leap over water whenever possible), it was a blast. It was a challenge. It was different and new and dirty and fun.

Some of the muddy hills we went up and streams we leaped over reminded me of a few hash runs I've done before. The hashers even have a name for those kinds of trails -- shiggy -- which is basically sloppy, messy, mucky running. (Though, the Asbury trails were a little too groomed to be hash-level shiggy).

As a group, we ran about 6 miles from Asbury to Sterretania and back. Then most of the group headed to Panera for coffee and/or soup.

I and two others decided to do a few more miles for a total of 8.5. How do I know? Well...my trusty Garmin, of course. Yes...I'm loving this thing. Every day I discover something new about it. Yesterday, I discovered that you can view your miles on a little map. You should've seen the wiggling course of Sunday's trail run -- back and forth and up and down.

I ended the run with muddy shoes and socks. There were drops of mud running up the back of my running tights. And, I was proud. I went to Giant Eagle to pick up a few items, strolling through the store, sporting my mud-spotted tights like a badge of honor. I'd have worn them all day if I thought I could get away with it -- because it's just cool to have mud on your tights like that.

Want to experience the joy of mud on your tights? New runners (of all abilities...some walk the trails) are welcome to join in the fun. A group of runners meets every Sunday at the Asbury barn parking lot at 8 a.m. Come..introduce yourself.

And, wear your old shoes!