5:30 AM my cellphone sang its annoying tune for an early long run that I had planned in pretty good detail. I woke promptly, made a pot of coffee. As it brewed, I booted up my laptop, surfed the net. Then I drank one cup of coffee, turned off the computer, pulled a blanket off the living room floor and fell back asleep on the couch.
Perhaps I should have gotten everything ready last night – clothes, pack, etc. But I didn’t. I really wasn’t THAT tired. I could have run the huge elevation I had planned. But it was cold out. And you know what? I just couldn’t get myself out there. You’d think I was past of the age of feeling guilty over running. But I really felt badly for not dragging my butt off the couch.
9:00, the first one to wake during this spring break Wednesday, was my middle boy. I finally woke, amazed that I had slept in so late after going to bed at 9:30 PM. Yikes. (I guess I was tired).
Though it’s spring break for me and our three boys, it is not for hubby, who works out of the home office. This means of course, that it’s mainly me and the boys, that there’s little time, except when everyone’s sleeping for me to squeeze in a run. Anyway, I really felt like I needed a run. Except for floor exercises, I haven’t got in any exercise since Sunday!
Today is Wednesday. I thought spring break was going to make things easier. Actually, for the opposite is the case.
But I gotta run. SO. Today I went for a lackadaisical run. I needed to mail a bill, so I ran to the post office. After that, I simply ran some more.
Now’s a good time to clarify something. I really have nothing against road runners. I hope I have not insulted road runners. Sure, I joke and make comments about running roads. But heck, I started off running roads. Overall, I personally do not prefer running the road for many reasons, 1) is drivers (that is automobiles) 2) is there’s much more impact on the body, plus many more reasons I have pointed out in various blogs. In the end, we are all runners, road or trail. I respect and admire all runners, road or trail.
Today, on a total whim I decided to run to the headlands and ran the entire trail system there, then down to the beach (Dana Strands) and continued on through the next two beaches (Salt Creek & Monarch Beach).
Today’s afternoon run began at 2PM (I very rarely run afternoons) and it was relatively short. I vividly remember when my long runs were 3 miles. I had to push through those, even when I didn’t feel like it, for a few years before I could call today’s run a short run.
Anyway, since this was a “short” run, I hope not to spend too much time writing about it (that’s a laugh, most times I write and write and write). I will say this: I witnessed mystifying sea creatures (anemones, coral, muscles). A perfectly cool wind blew against my face, so delightful that I didn’t want it to end. The tide was low therefore allowing lots of wet sand to run upon. Plenty of pelicans swept down low, an amazing mere inches above the sea. And the hill I ran up to get off the beaches, I used to have to walk backward in my twenties in order to move onward.
A few pictures from today’s 7.26 mile lackadaisical afternoon run:
Overlooking marina from the headlands trail system:
Lovely purple flowers on the headlands
Headland trails (they REALLY want to make sure we stay on trail)
Tide pools (Dana Strands)
Beach Running
Monarch Beach
Running back up to town (through Salt Creek Beach)
Running beneath road (homeward bound)
Total Miles logged this afternoon: 7.26
Ha, but you did get out there and then it was good. Amazing to see trail and beach and tidal pools on one run. You are very fortunate to have all that around. I have to drive if I want to run on trails. That’s why my week morning runs are always on the road and the weekends I go to the trails, except for now as Comrades is my focus and that’s a road ultra. I have already decided if I do it again next year I'll do a lot more trail running as part of the training.
ReplyDeleteThanks Johann. If I want the trails with the big elevation gains, I have to drive to them also. But yes, I am very, very lucky to be able to put all this in a close-by run. We don't have many road ultra's that I know of (except, I think Badwater is all road -- other than that, I can't think of any). Best of luck to you at Comrades : )
ReplyDeleteVery nice! I'm going to be hitting trails this weekend. Hopefully see you out there soon.
ReplyDeleteOMG. Looks like a great place to run.
ReplyDeleteThat salt creek hill is crazy. I always have a wagon full of beach stuff, kids toys and sometimes kids.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous pics! I'm lucky to live near pretty trails but nothing as beautiful as that! (btw- thanks for the pics...I'm trying to figure out where to take some engagement pics and that looks like an ideal spot)
ReplyDeleteThanks Rachel. Also look into Heritage Park -- It's a little park above the marina that some people even hold their weddings at. It's got a great little photo-op place. Salt Creek is very cool too.
ReplyDeleteWe used to live across the street from Salt Creek Jeremy. It was hard to get family to come over and go to the beach -- no one wanted to go up that hill! btw congrats on Havasu!
ReplyDeleteThanks AJH! I am very lucky. : )
ReplyDeleteGlen! So happy to hear you'll be hitting the trails. Thanks for reading! Looking forward to reading about your progress : ) Look for my cap if you run Aliso/Woods -- it's white and black, and I'm always wearing longish shorts.
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