The morning went haywire. Started off hectic, but not haywire. Got the 36 cupcakes to my son's class for his 11th birthday (which later I learned turned out to be a mess and no one's allowed to bring cupcakes for birthdays anymore). Then I had to race home to get my birthday boy's violin and music books, because today's Thursday, and Thursday is orchestra.
Thursday is also my run day. With a half hour now chopped off the morning (driving back home and then back to school), I rushed around this morning, getting my gear together and the youngest's lunch packed. As he lazed about, and I realized we were going to be late, I mentally cut my run from 11.5 miles to 9.5 miles. I had too much still to do after the run -- gifts to wrap, a kitchen to clean, shower and get ready for work. Heck, at least I was going to get in some hills.
And then after dropping baby off, I got lost. Yes! I got lost looking for my gas station in Aliso Viejo with the carwash and least expensive gas in town. Admist all this, I took a call from my husband about server problems. And so there I was driving around looking for my gas station, trying to troubleshoot over the phone, in near tears (I'm lying, it wasn't near tears, once off the phone, real tears). Finally, as I stood there pumping gas, chucking the car wash because time was dwindling away, I nearly chucked the run. But I couldn't. I just couldn't.
I did chuck the 9.5 miles though and opted for a another tough loop that I ran last Christmas Eve with a couple of running friends for 7.5 miles: Up Cholla and then Westridge to Top of the World, back down Westridge to Rockit and Coyote Run Trail to Wood Canyon back to the car.
And then suddenly, everything was beautiful.
Thursday is also my run day. With a half hour now chopped off the morning (driving back home and then back to school), I rushed around this morning, getting my gear together and the youngest's lunch packed. As he lazed about, and I realized we were going to be late, I mentally cut my run from 11.5 miles to 9.5 miles. I had too much still to do after the run -- gifts to wrap, a kitchen to clean, shower and get ready for work. Heck, at least I was going to get in some hills.
And then after dropping baby off, I got lost. Yes! I got lost looking for my gas station in Aliso Viejo with the carwash and least expensive gas in town. Admist all this, I took a call from my husband about server problems. And so there I was driving around looking for my gas station, trying to troubleshoot over the phone, in near tears (I'm lying, it wasn't near tears, once off the phone, real tears). Finally, as I stood there pumping gas, chucking the car wash because time was dwindling away, I nearly chucked the run. But I couldn't. I just couldn't.
I did chuck the 9.5 miles though and opted for a another tough loop that I ran last Christmas Eve with a couple of running friends for 7.5 miles: Up Cholla and then Westridge to Top of the World, back down Westridge to Rockit and Coyote Run Trail to Wood Canyon back to the car.
And then suddenly, everything was beautiful.
I powered up Cholla. I really did. Venting, I suppose. And I powered up Westridge on the uphills every chance I could all the way to Top of the World.
Some flowers on Cholla Trail
Trying out the new bench on Westridge at the top of Cholla Trail
Flowers along Westridge
Flowers along Rockit
I ran Rockit with delight in my heart. I didn't think about the future, there was no past, there was just now. I noticed more lizards than usual crossing the trail, some of them in pairs. Cicadas buzzed off in the brush. At the bottom of Rockit, I turned onto Coyote Run, running the portion that I have only had the pleasure to run once before. Overwhelmed with shade and amazed that I still had strength, I crossed on over the bridge with a dwindling creek below, to hit Wood Canyon. I ran Wood Canyon and Canyon Vistas Park all the way in for a total of 7.5 miles.
So glad I didn't chuck the run.
Prickly Pear on Rockit
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