Psst, I want to share a secret. Pass it on. Please!

My favourite trail running destination in the Edmonton area is the Waskahegan trail section that passes through the Ministik game bird sanctuary. I love everything about running there, which I have done in all seasons and in all types of weather. The trail rolls through mature aspen forest often along the shores of active beaver ponds. Wildlife is abundant, particularly songbirds and waterfowl during spring and fall migration. Other notable sightings include moose, coyotes, and a Barred Owl.

Ministik is not a great destination for high-intensity training because of the challenging conditions (more on this below). Miquelon, Blackfoot, or Elk Island are better local destinations for hammering trail runs. Besides, Ministik's scenery is too gorgeous to speed through. The best part of Ministik is the solitude. Less than an hour drive from a million people and I can run for three hours without seeing another person. I've seen more deer than people on this trail.

So why share my secret? Well, this beloved solitude has created a problem. The forest is reclaiming the trail due to lack of use. This is particularly true in the centre of the park furthest from the parking areas where the dog walkers and Sunday strollers rarely venture.

I love Ministik too much to give up on it but it's getting difficult to run on a trail that I can no longer see. The self-inflicted injury from plowing through endless brush is also reaching borderline stupidity. A huge thanks to whomever recently chainsawed many of the large trees that had fallen across the trail. Now to tackle the wildrose and alder. So come out and help beat back the vegetation. I guarantee you'll enjoy it. Just wear pants.