Running the Meewasin Trail

Running along the Meewasin Trail as it winds through Saskatoon in the summer and autumn months is quite different than running it in winter or spring.  The mood of the trail is warmer and more inviting, it seems to beckon to you at the site of each new lilac bush or footbridge.  

Winter along the trail is less inviting and less accommodating to runners.   And yet, even in twenty degrees below zero the trail offers you something.

Because Saskatchewan is a mostly flat province, you can watch a sunset from a great many places, including the trail.

The repose of the city, with its collection of bridges, reveals the character of its one hundred year history in the architecture.  Nestled among its constellation of new apartment buildings and office towers are structures like the Bessborough [which is, of course, not pictured here].  

Sometimes it's little things like a river bank in autumn that remind you of our collective relationship with nature.

The South Saskatchewan River divides Saskatoon between two halves, the east side of town and the west side of town.  Each side offers different experiences.

The trail system does not exist independently of us, it needs our support and care.  The Meewasin Valley Authority is a conservation organization dedicated to preserving the use of the trail as well as other areas in the vicinity.

The weir, pictured above and below, was constructed to regulate water flow.  Today it remains one of those things you need to see if you want a real taste of Saskatoon. 

The sun burns brightly over the cold midwinter landscape.

The Meewasin Trail is home to the subtle beauty of nature even during Saskatchewan's cold cold winter. 

In its own way, the winter helps to protect this very beautiful city from overpopulation and over development.  Those of us willing to brave the winters are treated to a running experience that you simply cannot replicate anywhere else.