There are moments on the trail when Karen Sparks stops running. She puts her hands to her knees, opens her mouth, and lets the sound thatâs been building find release. The noise starts low and feral, then rises from the depths, growing sharp and loud enough to echo under the canopy of oaks where she runs each day. Karen doesnât care who hears it. The sound fuels her. Karen took up running in the years after she lost her world. She liked the feel of her feet pounding the earth; the shock and adrenaline needed somewhere to go. But it wasnât until she discovered this wooded trail in Erwin Park in McKinney, Texas, that she felt something close to peace. Nature is her church. She was raised Baptist but can no longer bring herself to enter a church. Sheâs been angry with God. Erwin Park rises rather unexpectedly out of ranchland and rolling prairie where longhorn cattle dot the landscape. Tucked away inside the trees, Karen feels protected. She talks to her kids. She talks to herself. She runs along the dry-cracked mud, next to riverbeds and over trees fallen in the path.
[View in Browser]( [Runner's World Logo]( [SHOP]( [RW+ EXCLUSIVES]( [SUBSCRIBE]( [Running Can Heal a Lot. It Canât Heal This.]( [Running Can Heal a Lot. It Canât Heal This.]( There are moments on the trail when Karen Sparks stops running. She puts her hands to her knees, opens her mouth, and lets the sound thatâs been building find release. The noise starts low and feral, then rises from the depths, growing sharp and loud enough to echo under the canopy of oaks where she runs each day. Karen doesnât care who hears it. The sound fuels her. Karen took up running in the years after she lost her world. She liked the feel of her feet pounding the earth; the shock and adrenaline needed somewhere to go. But it wasnât until she discovered this wooded trail in Erwin Park in McKinney, Texas, that she felt something close to peace. Nature is her church. She was raised Baptist but can no longer bring herself to enter a church. Sheâs been angry with God. Erwin Park rises rather unexpectedly out of ranchland and rolling prairie where longhorn cattle dot the landscape. Tucked away inside the trees, Karen feels protected. She talks to her kids. She talks to herself. She runs along the dry-cracked mud, next to riverbeds and over trees fallen in the path. [Read More]( [Alternate text] [Amazon Has Secret Running Tech Deals for 4th of July Weekend]( [Amazon Has Secret Running Tech Deals for 4th of July Weekend]( Celebrate the holiday with high-tech gear â we're talking smartwatches, headphones, and more â at discounts up to 50 percent off. [Read More]( [The Best Workout Shirts for Running]( [The Best Workout Shirts for Running]( Our team of wear-testers dubbed these the ultimate running tops for putting in the miles. [Read More]( [Alternate text] Â
 [Alternate text] [Your Upper Body Needs Love, TooâThese 5 Exercises Are Key for Shoulder Strength and Stability]( [Your Upper Body Needs Love, TooâThese 5 Exercises Are Key for Shoulder Strength and Stability]( Improve your running posture and optimize your arm swing with one simple workout. [Read More]( [How Gabbi Jennings Ran in Two National Championships and Turned Pro, All in Three Short Weeks]( [How Gabbi Jennings Ran in Two National Championships and Turned Pro, All in Three Short Weeks]( The steeplechaser had two of the most important meets of her life on consecutive weekends in Juneâoh, and she signed her first sponsorship deal. She gave Runnerâs World a play-by-play. [Read more]( [What We KnowâAnd What We Donât KnowâAbout ShaâCarri Richardsonâs Suspension]( [What We KnowâAnd What We Donât KnowâAbout ShaâCarri Richardsonâs Suspension]( Her status for the Olympic Games remains in doubt. [Read More]( [4 Ways to Reach Your Potential by Being a More Confident Runner]( [4 Ways to Reach Your Potential by Being a More Confident Runner]( Believing in yourself can lead to breakthrough performances. Hereâs how to make that happen. [Read More]( [Alternate text] Â
 [Alternate text] RW SHOP The Latest from the Runner's World Collection [Run Strong in Your 40s, 50s, and 60s]( [Run Strong in Your 40s, 50s, and 60s]( [Shop Now]( [In-Training T-Shirt]( [In-Training T-Shirt]( [Shop Now]( [10-Minute Cross-Training for Runners: Run Faster and Stronger with Fewer Injuries!]( [10-Minute Cross-Training for Runners: Run Faster and Stronger with Fewer Injuries!]( [Shop Now]( [Beginner's 10K Plan (6 weeks)]( [Beginner's 10K Plan (6 weeks)]( [Shop Now]( [Sign up for Runner's World+ today!]( Â
Follow Us
    Â
Â
[Unsubscribe](Â Â [Privacy Notice](
Â
Runnersworld.com
©2021 Hearst Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Hearst Email Privacy, 300 W 57th St., Fl. 19 (sta 1-1), New York, NY 10019
Â
 Â