“Where you are, be there.” Master Lee, one of my son’s taekwondo instructors said to him. And he said this to him again and again, until I never forgot the words. But thing is, I did forget those words. I always forget those words. But they are back now, brought back by a multitude of circumstances. And I am ever so grateful. Being there. This is how I want to live life. This is how I want to run trails. For the longest time, I had not been showing up to my runs. Sure, I was there, but I was not really there. I was in the past, thinking of how things used to be, of the things I neglected to do, etc. Or I was in the future thinking about where I wanted to run next time, what I needed to do to get my act together, etc. This is not how I want to live, how I want to run. I want my feet firmly planted in the now.
Last January, I posted that “I am back,” after running the Calico Ghost Town 30k. Well, just in time for this year’s Calico run, I am once again back. Back on my feet, back in the now. And I ever so love the freedom.
Friday’s Run: I ran an out-and-back up to Top of the World. But heck, who says that I have to run it the same ole way EVERY SINGLE TIME. This time, I took an obscure single-track that I have neglected for years as I approached Top of the World. And then on the way back, I ran down Lynx instead of Cholla. And I searched out a meadow that I noticed from afar. Found it. 
View of Saddleback Mountains from West Ridge Trail:
Saturday’s run: I ran up a trail I haven’t run before named either Cadillac Trail or Trabuco Creek Road. And I really didn’t run it. At times, it seemed like I crawled up it. Yet, I was present the whole time and enjoyed the struggle immensely. The trail met up with Santiago Truck Trail where I ran up the road that leads to Old Camp. But I never made it to Old Camp because I wanted to get back home in time to see my middle son off to his music lesson.
Scrambling up Cadillac Trail (& that’s probably a Cadillac on it’s back – it was actually kind of freaky come up under it, what if it slips and falls???):
I like that quote. I actually read this post a while back on my reader and saved it so I could come and respond to it. So often I get lost in my own thoughts that I am just not there. This keeps popping in my head now :)
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