TALES FROM THE TRAIL (AND SOMETIMES THE ROAD TOO)

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Workin' the Hills

I went for a solo run in Aliso/Wood Canyon Park this morning for some hill work. Very few runners out this morning. I passed one woman running the opposite way on Wood Canyon Trail. There were some cyclists out. Some bunnies and one blue heron. I thought that a nice long warm-up through Wood Canyon would help some with the hills. I'm sure it did. But Cholla was dang hard. I began to feel anxious even approaching it. My run was slow and difficult up and down Westridge, especially toward the end when the climb simply mocked me.

Huge relief to reach Top of the World. I ran through the neighborhoods and about half way through them, passed that same woman I saw on Wood Canyon Trail -- we were doing opposite loops!

Meadows Trail had quite a bit of erosion, which made it difficult to fly down. Music turned to high, I ran down carefully and rather slowly, and even slower back through Aliso Creek Canyon into the ranger station.

Dead-dog tired, I hardly had a moment to rest the remainder of the day. But I was dang happy to have put in those excruciatingly difficult miles. That's what's it all about -- tasting that salt running down my face : )

Miles logged this morning: 11.64

2 comments:

  1. Seriously, how do you inspire yourself to run?
    The most I can go is half a lap before I decide the pain isn't worth it. And then I eat a carton of ice cream to reward myself.

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  2. Love that comment -- especially about the ice cream reward!

    Picking up the habit of running is like picking up the habit of smoking. When you first try it, there's a lot of coughing, gagging, thinking you're gonna die, wondering how anybody does this, why anyone would put themselves through this. Then before you know it . . . you're addicted! I gotta run, I gotta run . . .

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