Written for Ridge Trail Council newsletter Summer/Fall 2021

Finding Inspiration out on the Ridge Trail

When Besaint Sahni began trail running five years ago, she never imagined she’d run the entire Ridge Trail, completing over 400 miles during a global pandemic. Besaint learned about trail running in her local gym in 2017 and decided to try it, curious to understand how the human body is capable of such a feat. She loved running the open trails and did so faithfully. Unfortunately, in the fall of 2019, an injury and emergency hip replacement sidelined her, and her doctor said she would never be able to run trails again. A few months into her recovery though, Besaint began hiking—and then later running - the trails she had grown to love. Soon she was running more than ever before. 

When the pandemic hit in early 2020, one of the the only places to exercise safely was out on the trails. Besaint heard about the TogetheRelay, a 400 mile trail race along the Ridge Trail produced by longtime event partner, Pacific Coast Trail Runs, and felt it would be worth trying—even if she could only complete 20 percent of it. Soon she discovered that the more trails she completed, the more she wanted to do.

Besaint looked forward to these runs, which felt like mini vacations. Each weekend brought a new adventure, and each trail uncovered something new and different. A favorite memory of Besaint’s was running the Palisades Trail in the Robert Louis Stevenson State Park in Calistoga. Local fires delayed trail access, the elevation was challenging, and sometimes the path was barely visible. But carving her own path was worth the stunning reward she received. Huge rocks contrasted by colorful wildflowers brought delight, and looking down onto the Napa Valley took her breath away.

Running in the beauty of nature has been a meditative and inspirational experience and Besaint looks forward to exploring more of the Ridge Trail. The reward of pushing herself to accomplish all she can has given her confidence and a belief in herself. People plan trips to climb mountains, see majestic views, and have grand adventures, but Besaint finds all of that right here. “You never need to leave the Bay Area to find these adventures,” she says, “You can find all of it right here on the Ridge Trail.”