Jim Martinson Exercise Trail

Awesome trail. Was hard to find though. Do not fallow map to get there. It's inside Wildwood Spring Park. Once you turn in the part go right. Stay to the right until you get to the last parking area.

Super fun! there were even activities to do along the way

do not follow the directions here it will take you down someone's driveway and you will be lost.

Great hike, cold but partly sunny day. There is a small mental health facility near the park and some of the residents walk here occasionally. Having worked in mental health and corrections for 13 years I can say with great confidence the facility wouldn't allow residents to leave without staff if a resident was a danger to themself or others. For unsupervised time to happen it has to be approved by a doctor, therapist or other highly trained professional who is very familiar with the resident and their behavior.

There are also a number of homeless people that wander around Puyallup and frequent parks and other places like shopping centers. One big draw for the homeless is the Freezing Nights program that rotates between area churches so the homeless have a safe place to sleep. I had a couple friends that used the program often and there are many good people that use the program.

If someone is "afraid" of people that look or act different than how you think people should look or act then you need self defense classes. Can also buy self defense spray (pepper spray, mace, bear spray). There's also a lot of cheap easy to use self defense items for sale online, even on sites like ebay. Monkey fist, self defense pen, self defense rings, kubaton and many other things. On ebay search self defense and you'll have many options.

Be alert and aware of your surroundings. Predators, both animals and humans, like to attack easy targets. Walk with confidence with good posture. Do a search on youtube for self defense and watch some videos. Walking sticks, canes and fullsize umbrella's also make great self defense tools and there are videos that show that on youtube.

There's also the option of getting a concealed weapon permit. In Washington State you can even carry a firearm concealed without a permit if you're in the wilderness. Google RCW 9.41.060 or go to http://apps.leg.wa.gov and search the number and scroll to section 8. I highly doubt a heavily wooded park in the city counts but I still wanted to mention the law. Also check out the ADTA at www.armeddefense.org. Great organization that teaches self defense and responsible firearm training.

The All Trails app is all about discovering and exploring wild places and people that use the app need to be more prepared for self defense, first aid and survival while using All Trails to explore. Few of my favorite channels to watch on youtube are Preparedmind101, Nutnfancy, Gideons Tactical, Living Survival, Skinny Medic.

While hiking and walking trails I greet people with a smile and say hi, how's it going, great day huh, or some other friendly greeting. For one you never know when you may be injured or need some other kind of help and if you hike or walk the same trails frequently you're likely to see the same people. You don't want them to think of you as some weird awkward person or someone who's conceited and aloof. Also making eye contact and acknowledging people is good for self confidence and makes your day and someone else's brighter.

Happy trails y'all

First time on this trail..

It was nice,
but it's inhabited by some creepy looking folks..

Cool day and a lot of shade make a great hike. Didn't really want to do 2 laps but I kept pushing for the workout and to build perseverance.

Think this is my fastest 2 laps so far. When I hike or walk for exercise I push myself to maintain a brisk pace on the flat and esp going up hills. Whether running or walking trying to maintain a fast pace up hills increases the workout. I also maintain a brisk pace over long periods so it increases endurance and stamina. Of course the 2nd lap I was more tired than the first and could tell I was going a little slower. But I still maintained a brisk pace that I could sustain for a long period. As I do a 2nd lap my strength and stamina does go up and down but I maintain a brisk pace even though it's a bit slower.

Pushing to go just a little faster and maintain speed increases the physical endurance and stamina and even more importantly the mental endurance and stamina. During a 2nd or 3rd lap it can be hard to not think about how tired I am. But allowing those thoughts to happen can slow me down and make me want to stop even if it's just for a few seconds. I do my best to just concentrate on the trail and watch for tripping hazards.

Hiking or walking fast for endurance and stamina on a trail you know well means that when you're out for a more leisurely walk or hike site sight seeing, shopping at a mall or taking your time on a new trail you'll have more strength and stamina over a longer period because you're not pushing your body for exercise and tiring more quickly.

Great cool day for a hike. I didn't want to do all the hills on the trail again so I walked the loop after the trail. After getting a good leg and cardio workout it was nice to keep it going a little longer walking the loop around.

Don't even get me started on all the excessive chalk lines someone made all over the trail and through the park. Making looong lines for direction when there are already arrows marking the trail, or making lines when the only option is straight on the trail. Next time tie marking ribbon on branches or use little field cones. Oh thats right, thats too much work and you don't want to clean up after yourself or a race so you did it the lazy way with chalk. Now we have to look at the chalk graffiti until the rain washes it away.

How to mark a trail with cones, ribbon or other markers: Put one marker before a junction and one after the junction to indicate straight ahead. Put one marker before a junction and one at the turn, right turn right side of the trail at the corner of the right turn, left turn left side of the trail at the corner of the turn. Or even more simple than that put your marker at the corner of the turn and no marker after that junction. But if you're not limited on markers doing it before the turn and one at the turn is helpful if you need to walk the same route back. Than when you come back to the same junction you know which way to turn and the direction is confirmed by the trail marker that is straight a little ways ahead on the trail. The person could of did the same thing making chalk dots on the trail instead of loooong unsightly lines that are going to take quite awhile to be worn away by foot traffic and rain.

2 Laps with my 20lb hiking pack and I am exhausted! All Trails and S Health said the distance was much longer than the trail really is. Other times I've done 2 laps the distance is about 1.3 miles. I guess the gps or signal on my phone wasn't working right.

Great hike with a cool breeze

Beautiful

2 laps cool and breezy made for a great hike

Quick fast hike for speed

3 laps, wow I'm soooo exhausted! While doing the 2nd lap I thought maybe I was a bit too sore and thirsty to do a 3rd lap. But I quit thinking about water and being sore and thought about other things to distract myself. I drank about 16oz of water on the way to the park but I should've drank a bit more. I don't like carrying a big water bottle on short 2 or 3 mile hikes. But because this trail is a circle I may leave it half way along the trail and move it when I come back around and leave it at the end. Than I can have water without carrying it the whole time.