Someone Finally Said It

I am reluctant to tell people that I run, because I imagine they look me over and think "you're no runner!"  As if I should care -- I run for many reasons, none of which, so that I can "look" like a runner.

Runners know that runners come in all shapes and sizes.  A lot of non-runners don't seem to think that.  Case in point:  Crazy week, in so many ways, different work schedule, among other personal stresses.  There I was, working a site I've never been to.  I was eating my packed  lunch consisting of an apple, an orange, and a turkey sandwich on whole wheat.  I got to talking to another teacher, and commented how my current schedule was messing up things -- I can't run when I want to.

"Running?"  She looked puzzled.

"Ya, that's my hobby; I like to run long distances -- especially on trails," I said.

"Hmmmm?"  She gave me the once over.  "But you don't . . . [Yes, she actually said this] YOU DON'T LOOK SKINNY."

She wasn't exactly "skinny" either, nor was she slender.  Actually, chunky or plump comes to mind.  Not that I care one bit about her body shape -- I just couldn't believe that someone finally said it. 

"Well, I EAT," I said. 

Heck, she just said something a little stupid.   I thought it was funny nonetheless that someone finally said it.  (And it made me a little self-conscious too, promising to cut the "junk" from my diet.)

Back to running. I'm headed up Bulldog soon for the 3rd time, and as usual this year -- I'm not quite ready. Hills, hills, hills -- that's what I'm concentrating on. So, I hit Cholla Trail running, feeling no anxiety whatsoever as I approached it. And this woman (that is, me -- 45 five years old, with 3 children) who is NOWHERE NEAR skinny, ran up and down Westridge Trail to Top of the World.

Running Wood Cyn Trail toward Cholla -- there was only one single cloud in the sky.

Originally, I planned to make this an out-and-back, about six miles.  But I was having too much, sweaty fun.  And so I ran across the Top of the World, entering Aliso/Woods Canyon Park again about a mile later.  The wind blew rather strong, not terribly, but enough to notice the resistance.  I kept a lookout for Rattlers, saw none.  I felt a little devilish when I warned some out-of-towners I met at Top of the World, "Watch out for Rattle Snakes, they start coming out about spring."   The woman jumped away from the brush and hurried down into the landscaped park at Top of the World. 

The view from the top was unbeatable today.  The ocean was dark blue, speckled with whitecaps -- a sign of the winds' strength.  Pictures can't do the view justice.

I ran down Meadows for a nice size loop for today's run.  I took some video running down Meadows (clips below), but found 1) I haven't figured out how to keep the camera from rocking and 2) Decided I'd rather not fall and didn't film the best parts of the steep, switch-back portion.

In all this run totalled about 9.6 miles.  Time to increase the uphills.

Top of  the World @ Westridge

Running back into Aliso/Woods Cyn Park, approaching Meadows Trail

Heading back down to the Canyon, via Meadows Trail -- Where did those clouds come from?

Meadows Trail caught on video (beware of bumpy ride : )