The trail has been an important part of my life at every stage. In college, running off too much Taco Bell or Ken’s Donuts. After the birth of my son, running with my deluxe BOB jog stroller, stopping here and there to feed the ducks and admire the cityscape against the river. In middle age, walking and catching up with friends and fighting the good fight to keep running the bulge away making new memories and honoring good memories past. The trail is one of my favorite things about Austin. It uniquely defines us as a place that values health, community, and connection at every stage of life. No matter where you live in this town, your work, or age, the trail is a place where all these lives and stories come to create an energy of strength, love, and hope.