Ouch

The aftermath this morning from yesterday’s trail running “mishap” (fall) was greater than I expected.  Perhaps the heat exhaustion added to my overall sense of health.  Overly fatigued this morning when I woke at 6 AM, the entire right side of my body ached, especially my right butt cheek.  I found yet another pebble in my elbow, but overall, the wounds on my elbow and legs cleaned up well.  It doesn’t look nearly as bad as yesterday, but I ache.  My elbow aches, my knee aches.  So does my shin, and my entire right arm, and a tad bit of my left arm.  . 

I took two ibuprofen and went about my morning chores – making breakfasts, packing lunches, getting the boys off to school.  The weather was cool and the air wet, the skies gray.   I rushed back home to do some laundry and clean the kitchen.  Then I was off.  Off to the trails at Aliso/Wood Canyons.   I had ten miles on the agenda, and I wanted to get them done in this cool weather.  Only thing was, a few miles inland and the skies were blue and the sun beamed down pretty harshly. 

That’s okay.  I could deal.  I can deal with just about anything.  Dang it!

Well, I sweated profusely as I ran through Aliso Canyon, then into Wood Canyon.  I took Meadows Trail which is now completely brown with a few yellow flowers dotting the landscape.  On the way, I was oh so fortunate to come across a little red weasel as he poked his head out of his ground hole.  He seemed to look at me with curiosity.  We made eye contact and he darted back down beneath the ground.

I opted to climb the hardest trail in the park (Mentally Sensitive) because I only have two “hard” weeks remaining.  It was pretty hellish.  Perhaps I am too harsh.  I enjoyed the climb, really.  I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t enjoy something truly hellish.  It was rather good “hard fun.”  : )  Best of all, when I reached the top, I was back in the cool, wet clouds. 

Tomorrow, I rest.

Not really.  I’ve got tons of chores to do, especially with all the miles I’ve got stacked up for the weekend.  But I rest from running.

Overall, despite my “mishap,” today was a success on the trails.

Thanks for reading!

 Meadows Trail (I’m aiming for those clouds ahead):

Climbing Mentally Sensitive (with a cheerful heart & so much sweat that I thought my pack was leaking):

Top of Mentally Sensitive, notice Santiago Peak in distant background:

Greetings from Top of the World (once again):

Today’s profile:

Heat!

Went through it all again this morning when my phone alarm rang out at 4:00 AM.  I rose from bed, walked to the living room and lay on the couch.  Before I fell back asleep, the bargaining began.  It’s hard to bargain with just today and tomorrow left of the week and a specific number of miles to run.  A LOT OF MILES. 

I thought, “Well, I can run coastal hills and do two big loops at Aliso for 24 miles today, then run my ten tomorrow.  That saves at least an hour and a half of driving time, not to mention, it’s an easier run than a mountain adventure.  I could sleep for at least two more hours!!”  I chewed on that for a couple minutes.  “Or . . . OR, I could flip Saturday and Sunday’s schedule and run ten miles today, getting even more time to sleep in”  That is what I chose.  Sunday turned into long run (yikes – talk about putting it off to the last minute!)

I arrived to Aliso/Wood Canyons Park alarmed by how many people were already there.  The dirt lot was full (it’s NEVER full).  The church’s huge lots across the street were full with park-goers as well.  I found a small spot along the street curb to back into.  People were packing bikes up, bringing bikes out.  Groups were gathering with their hiking poles.  I thought, “Who are these stupid people?”  It was so DANG HOT.  Mind you, I knew very well that I was among these stupid people.  In fact, many of them were smarter than me, because they were finishing up, not just starting.

An entire high school cross country team cooled down in the church lot.  Another high school boys’ cross country team made their way into the park’s lot.  As I ran through Aliso Canyon I saw dozens of poor, poor teen-aged girls, grinding in the wicked heat, carrying NO WATER.  They ran from a school that I teach vocational education to adults at night during the school year.  I’ll tell you something, there’s be NO WAY a coach could tell me not to carry a bottle of water.  By 9:15 AM, temperatures were approaching 90 F and rising. 

I knew once I turned off onto Meadows Trail I’d lose the runners.  Hardly anyone ever runs up Meadows.  And I did lose the runners.  But what I gained was about fifty mountain bikers (at different times) flying down that trail.  None of them yielded to the runner (that’s me).  In the mountains, cyclists always yield to the runners.  Anyway, I knew that the bikers weren’t going to yield to me, so I jumped out of the way and ran in the brush, again and again up that mile long switch-back.

Welcome to Meadows Trail:

I made it to the top of Meadows in pretty good time, drenched in sweat and salt.  Several bikers and hikers rested in the shade at the kiosk.  A ranger truck pulled up and parked, then one of the ranger guys got out and handed everyone sitting in the shade some bottled water. 

Plenty of hikers made their way along the top of Meadows.  Even more bikers flew down the hillside.  But I didn’t see any runners.

Top of Meadows:

There’s not much more to tell of this trail tale, except that the weather was flippin’ hot and grew hotter.  Every kiosk was crowded with people resting in the shade.  I saw the ranger truck a few more times, again handing water to people.  I took in minimal calories and lots of fluids.  Good news, though chaffed miserably, and crusted in salt, my energy stayed with me all the way back to the truck.

When I arrived home, we all washed the trucks in this heat.  While resting in the house after the first truck, my husband asked, “How do you do it?  How do you run for hours in this heat.?”

“I just do it,” I said.  “I don’t really think about it.”

Top of the World:

Shade at last in Wood Canyon:

Miles run today:  12.01

So tempted

I woke at 5:00 this morning, so, so tempted to go back to sleep.  I was strong enough this morning not to let that happen.  However, I did sit around until 6:30 AM, enjoying my coffee and alone time.  When my oldest son woke, I bid him good-bye and by 6:50 AM my feet were pounding dirt.

As weak as I’ve been feeling I took the toughest trail in Aliso/Wood Canyons, that is Mentally Sensitive.  This cracks me up that I would pick this trail .  I didn’t find much humor in my run though.  Overall, I ran way too seriously, missing out on all the fun.  I did get to pose at the Top of the World.  And I did get to beat my time for this 13.34 loop by about a half an hour.  Most of that gain was due to the fact that I didn’t stop to swing in the city playground.  Nor did I stop to take many pictures.  Yes, I have broken YET ANOTHER camera.  But, I do have a phone.  And that of course means at least a few pictures. 

Thanks for reading! 

Glory going up Mentally Sensitive:

Top of the World:

Wood Canyon for the final push back to the truck:

13.34 miles (The loop:  Aliso Creek Trail, Wood Canyon, Meadows, Mentally Sensitive, Aswut, Top of the World, Park Avenue Nature Trail, West Ridge, Cholla, Wood Canyon, Aliso Creek):

Low Point in Training

I can’t get my groove lately, and I’m experiencing a momentary lapse of progress in my training.  For a while there, I felt stronger, I ran faster, I finished faster.  I’m guessing about a week and a half ago fatigue hit me like a brick wall.  Suddenly, I feel weak, I’m running slower and finishing even slower.  I won’t even get started on the negative self-talk that’s been whirling around my head.

I kept Friday as scheduled, a rest day.  Today, Saturday, was my scheduled long run.  I woke at 4:30 AM, walked out to the living room and said to myself, “I. JUST. CANNOT. DO. IT.”  Knowing that I will get my groove back, hopefully very soon, I nicely kicked my son off the couch (why was he sleeping on the couch?) and fell back asleep on the couch.  I woke every hour, on the hour after that, when I finally awoke for good at 9:00 AM. 

I decided to swap today’s training with tomorrow’s, and go for a ten mile run this afternoon.  My feet hit dirt around 12:30 PM.  Extremely hot out there, I felt sluggish at the start.  A half mile in, I thought I just can’t do this.  But I trudged on in the blistering heat anyway.  After a mile and a half I decided, heck, just visit some of your favorite nearby places in Wood Canyon, chuck the training, simply run and enjoy the scenery.

And then the pressure was off.  The next mile was still tough.  But after a rest in a naturally air conditioned cave called Dripping Cave, the remaining miles were bearable, and there were even fleeting moments of enjoyment.

Who knows if I’ll get my long run in tomorrow.  I am definitely burned-out.  We shall see. : )  On the good side, I got some more pictures.  LOL.  Thanks for reading!

A Squished Scorpion:

Short-cut up Cave Rock:

Glorious shade on the way to Dripping Cave:

Dripping Cave:

Waiting for my groove (ha, ha) next to Wood Creek:

Running back (yay!) on Aliso Creek Trail:

Miles run this afternoon:  5.38

Hot Like a Mutha

I would not say that my training is going great.  However, becoming a runner at a relatively late age, I should know that progress comes slowly.  And I should use that patience I learned as a runner to not get so down on myself for not improving quicker, and not adhering precisely to “The Plan.”  I will admit this:  I finish up my runs stronger than I ever have.  I also warm up on the run a tad bit quicker too.  That’s good news to me. 

I set my alarm to ring out at 5:30 AM this morning.  I woke, made a two-cup-pot of coffee.  My gear was already in a pile by the big chair.  Then I looked for a blanket, curled up on the couch and fell back asleep.  Thank goodness I had the family on my side re: running this morning.  I was able to get out the door by 9:30 AM.  (I had planned to be back before everyone woke)  Who am I kidding?  They practically pushed me out the door.

My feet finally hit dirt around 9:50 AM.  The skies were dark and cloudy.  But it was HOT AND MUGGY.  Sweat poured off my forehead early on in my run.  The air was so thick, I found nasal breathing difficult at times, especially climbing Mentally Sensitive Trail.  It was hot like a mutha, as we used to say where I grew up.  I grew up inland (but still in California), where temperatures routinely rose to 3 digit Fahrenheit.  “Hot like a mutha,” stood for something more profane that I won’t spell out here.  Let me just say, I found great difficulty keeping up my pace with clothing drenched in sweat and the air so dang thick.

At one point in today’s ten mile run, rain came down, and that did little to ease the heat.  Though, I did get some breezes here and there.  

Back at home, closer to the shore, the weather was downright cold for summertime.  Later it rained even harder.  LOL.

Aliso Canyon’s blooms:

Top of the World to you!

Mathis bloom:

Never ceases to amaze me how downright filthy I get running a few trails:

This morning’s profile:

From above:

Incidental Heat Training

Tuesday I made the mistake of driving home after work to change clothes for my run.  I never made it back out the door.  I was simply too tired, and felt badly the whole day over not following my training plan.  Another voice said into my ear, “You’re tired, that means rest!”  And so I napped. 

Today (Wednesday) I dressed for my run before leaving work.  My feet hit the dirt at 12:30 pm, possibly the hottest part of the day.  Unsure what route to run at Aliso/Wood Canyons I aimed for around ten miles.  That’s what my training plan said for today – ten miles. 

As I ran through Aliso Canyon I asked myself whether I wanted misery at the beginning or at the end of my run.  I decided for misery before pleasure.  LOL.  Therefore, I ran into Wood Canyon, where the heat gets trapped and it feels like running through an oven.  I saw a trail friend going in the opposite direction.  He told me it was so dang hot, he turned around at Top of the World and ran straight back, throwing out a longer plan.

I am here to testify that the run was pretty miserable running through Wood Canyon, and it didn’t get any better when I hopped onto Coyote Run Trail (though I got some shade running Coyote).  I also saw a deer racing down a slope halt in his tracks when he noticed me.  I stopped for a better look.  He stood in the forest like a statue, not moving an inch.  And so I ran on, suffering.  Actually, it was miserable running up Rockit Trail too.  Why?  IT WAS DANG HOT!

Coyote Run Trail:

Rockit Trail:

Running the ridgeline (West Ridge) I received the benefit of empty trails and an occasional, lovely breeze during this incidental heat training run.  Top of the World was empty also.  But in Alta Laguna  park I saw some hikers packing up their car after a heat-stroke kind of hike. 

I felt good running along Top of the World.  Though I worried a bit because I didn’t take the time to refill fluids at the park.  Today’s run was one of those that I grew stronger as the miles passed.  And I made the right choice not refilling.  I had plenty of fluids.  And I actually found another crazy person, a hiker going up Meadows as I ran down. 

I finished up Meadows at a much fast pace than I started.  And I finished off Aliso Creek Trail much, much stronger for the heat.  I heard a few rattlers in the brush as I ran by.  And I saw one garter snake.  It practically floated over the grass.  Amazing. 

About to descend upon Meadows: 

The Incidental Heat Training Profile:

Now, That’s MUCH Better!

Confession:  Sometimes I wear a knee brace for no reason at all.  Like right now, I’m sitting in front of the t.v. in my pajamas, my knees feel great.  Then I looked to my gym bag, saw the brace and pulled it up beneath my pant leg up to my left knee.  What’s up with that? 

Today, I was scheduled for another ten mile run.  After yesterday’s hellish heat run, I’m surprised I made it out to the trails.  I felt a bit fatigued at first, but that was probably because I hit the dirt at 7:00 AM.  Ahhhhh, what a difference – overcast skies, lots of trees and plenty of fluids.  Now, that’s much, much better!

You can see from my pictures how very fortunate I was (& am).

Running Cave Rock Trail in the morning, not a soul in sight:

Lovely Cave Rock Trail:

Frolicking through the woods on my way to Dripping Cave:

Can never resist a picture in Dripping Cave (AKA Robber’s Cave):

A Dudleya’s bloom along Dripping Cave:

A favorite spot along Dripping Cave Trail that I usually run up instead of down – I don’t think I ran it much faster going down:

Ending up Dripping Cave Trail to meet up with Mathis Trail (one trail here that I usually avoid running up):

Running up Mathis, which isn’t so bad, ESPECIALLY after yesterday’s run:

Top of the World in sight from Mathis Trail:

About to descend again beneath the clouds as I run down Meadows Trail:

Elevation Profile – and what a delightful profile she was: