Calico Trail Run 2013

2013 is my fifth year running The Calico Trail Run.  This is THE RACE.  The Race that lead me to trail running.  In fact, it’s now grown into a family tradition to stay in Calico Ghost Town for 2 days come late January.   

I wrote in my last blog entry that I didn’t expect great results on this year’s 30k, but that I didn’t want my worst time.  Well, folks, I got my worst time, by 15 minutes (& I was 50 minutes slower than last year when I placed in my category).  I did however have the BEST time running this race.  I didn’t feel all together strong, but I felt comfortable.  I felt comfortable in my “skin,” and I felt comfortable on my feet.  Even though a cold, cold wind blew into my face practically the entire run, I knew the trails, I knew the rocks, the boulders, the sand. My head was cold.  But, I felt in my element. 

Waiting to Start:

Starting off on pavement into the lonely, colorful desert:

We ran sand, yes sand, for several miles.  I figured out a couple years ago, to get out of the sand and run in the brush where the ground is solid.  I noticed shadows behind me as others from the back of the pack followed suit. 

I tried not to do much socializing, as I usually spend too much time goofing around and making friends.  Regardless, I did meet some lovely people, saw familiar faces.  My goal was to get as many people behind me as possible.  In other words, get as many runners beneath my name on the board. 

I passed very few runners.  About half-way, I realized I needed to run a negative split to make last year’s time.  Ha, ha.  The hardest part of the run is the last 6 or so miles. 

Good news, I kept the demons at bay.  I didn’t bash myself when I realized I needed to run a negative split and couldn’t.  I just kept on running and took in the desert’s beauty. 

Once I kicked a rock so hard, I was very happy that I wore my most rugged shoes, else I may have broken my toe.  I only tripped once.  Miracle.  And I passed a male runner with a dog.  I took a couple handfuls of potato chips at the stations.  Once I took some jelly beans.  I gulped down one small cup of Coca-Cola at each station.  Besides this nutrition my pack contained Nuun water.  I also downed a few Endurolytes and two peanut-butter gels.   

Here  (below), I finally caught a delightful couple (from Bakersfield, Ca.) that I had been working hours to pass.  For a while there, it was back and forth between us.  When I finally caught them at this tunnel filled with water, there was no way I wasn’t going to get them beneath my name on the board.  They were tough, tough, tough to lose, that’s for sure.  Finally, I just pushed it with all I had, to give myself a good lead.  And I looked back.  I NEVER look back.  But I needed to see if I had a good enough lead to slow it down it bit for the last big hill.  I could tell . . . perhaps you know that look, “okay, go ahead and take it,” look.  They had that.  So I hiked up that last hill as fast as I could, where my oldest son met me.  And we ran it on to the finish together.

That delightful couple maneuvering through the tunnel:

Ends up I had ten people beneath me on the board (plus 1 DNF) out of thirty-something 30k runners.  I had my family with me.  I didn’t fall.  I finished.  What more can a girl ask for?

Oh!  I almost forgot the movie . . . LOL

First race of 2013

Calico Trail Run 2012

We arrived to Calico Ghost Town with cold, 50 mph winds.  They shut down the town because building pieces were blowing away.  When we opened the car doors, things began flying out into the desert.  That’s how we learned to only open one door at a time.  Though the town was closed, I was able check in.  After that we were quick to find the Bunk House keys and get the heck out of there to shelter.

Bib pick-up, downtown Calico:

Our lodgings:

A piece of the tin roof flapped in the wind all night.  And I think I woke every hour to check my phone for the time.  How much longer?  How much longer?  HOW MUCH LONGER?  I didn’t feel nervous, because I know this run.  And I felt ready.  I did however worry about being late.  I don’t like to be late to a race.  In fact, my “rule of thumb” is arrive one hour early.

By morning, the winds had died down.  With a 7AM start time, my husband, my middle son and my girlfriend’s son walked me the cold, cold, cold half mile to the start line.  Besides layering clothing,  I wore a leopard patterned scarf that I planned for my husband to take back to the cabin.  When I ran past my husband down the streets of Calico however, I grabbed the scarf out of his hands because I was so dang cold.  I really didn’t care if I was the only person running wearing a leopard patterned scarf. 

Less than two minutes to start:

We’re off!

And so we headed down a lonely asphalt road, away from the rising sun.  My friend Tom Bychowski popped up behind me.  We chatted for a bit, and he was off ahead of me on his way to to complete the 50k.

My goal was to make the first aid station in 1.5 hours.  I didn’t think about the race as a whole.  Instead, as usual, I  broke it down into segments.  Those first seven miles were on an incline, not terribly steep at all.  BUT, we ran in sand.  Dry, loose sand.  That’s tough.  Many runners passed me during those first seven miles.  Most disheartening were the white bibs going by.  30k runners wore white bibs.  50k runners wore yellow.  I usually aimed on passing the runner directly in front of me, no matter their bib color.  And I succeeded at passing at least three women and a couple of men.  Then I saw runners from the 2011 Saddleback Marathon.  It’s always great seeing people you spent some time with during a long, hard race – they seem like old friends. 

I ran on into that first aid station with an hour and a half time elapsed.  I  pocketed a handful of jelly beans, grabbed some potato chips and took off running toward the mountains without even realizing that two of the women I had passed were up a ways ahead of me already!

Taking off on asphalt:

“Old Friends” from Saddleback:

With the first segment complete, I aimed at making Station #2 within an hour.  The terrain gradually grew harder as we made our way up into the mountains.  Again it was a gradual climb, and I passed a few runners.  Overall, I didn’t feel I was gaining much advantage. 

And then the terrain changed even more, growing more technical, slanted and rocky.  At this point I was able to quickly pass three runners within eye-sight.  And then two more a bit after that.  My confidence grew.  I noticed tight shoulders on some of the runners (shoulders up near the ears) as they gingerly made their way across the rocky and at times steep terrain.  These runners I think just weren’t used to the “technical” trail.  But with my recent boulder hopping runs and mountain terrain, the race now was “right up my alley.”

I made Station #2 in a little longer than planned – 1 hour ten minutes total.  So, at a little over 12 miles into this race I was at about 3 hours 10 minutes.  And the best thing was when I came into that second station, about 8 runners were re-fueling.  I grabbed another handful of jellybeans and guzzled a big swig of Dr. Pepper and took off before any of them.  

Soon after Station #2, the terrain became even more difficult and I passed more runners.  I jumped from rock to rock.  I did not have to sit and slide, as had been my method in the past, and as I witnessed others this year.  A natural high overcame me, and it seemed I grew stronger.  But I was careful not to get “cocky”.  That’s exactly when I’d do a face-plant.  Instead, I fine-tuned my focus and hit those rocks like I owned them.

As I approached “Ernies 50/30k split” I had to stop and get a picture of us together.  For three years I ran past him with a smile, but not as much of a word.  This year I introduced myself and said, “Ernie, I presume?” 

Making our way to the most difficult terrain.  It took me a LONG time to pass this runner:

Aid Station #2 entertainment:

The fun stuff!!

Me and Ernie:

Knowing exactly where I was at all times gave me a great advantage in the mental battle.  As I ran one of the steepest climbs in the race, I knew that I would get a nice long easy down hill stretch to Station #3 which was hidden by rocks.  Runners their first time in this race wouldn’t know about this hidden station.  And let me tell you, FOR ME, knowing it was there made me run even faster!

Climbing up a winding incline:

For a colorful view of the desert:

When I made Station #3, I took another swig of Dr. Pepper, thanked the workers and was off for the most technical terrain of the race.  I had to “watch it” here.  I had already tripped twice (but had not fallen), and I didn’t want to mess up my time now.  It looked like I was going to make it to the finish well before 5 hours (my usual finish time), but I didn’t have time to spare for any kind of slowdown.  There was not a runner in sight behind or ahead of me.  I was happy that I had passed quite a few runners.  And I wanted to keep it that way.  So, I used my best focusing skills and really “hauled ***” through the most difficult 4 miles of this race.  I’m surprised these pictures came out focused, as I didn’t even stop running when I snapped them: 

Then out there in these beautiful canyons, I saw another runner.  She was obviously a much faster runner than me.  I hadn’t seen her the entire race.  Thing was, she slowly and carefully made her way across the boulders and rocks.  That’s when I knew it was time for another pass.  I said “Good Morning,” but she looked and sounded like I have so many times through these canyons – like, “When will this end???” 

I loved it though.  With practice, I have learned to love it.  Most runners have a great advantage over me on fire roads or asphalt.  But put me in this stuff, and I pass a few.    I was really having fun jumping from boulder to boulder, planning my steps out ten or so in advance. 

And then I made it to the lovely pink canyons, where the terrain grows friendly, and locals say you can hear God whisper.  At this point, I knew I was almost out of the canyons, which meant I was nearly Finish Line bound!  I felt confident.  I felt happy.  I felt strong.  I have never felt like this during this point in The Calico Trail Run.

Finish Line Bound:

Two sons wait for me to cross Finish Line:

My oldest & middle son and nephew were waiting at the top of the town and ran along side me through town.  As I made my way across the finish line, my mother, father, sister, youngest brother, my girlfriend, her children and my husband and youngest son were cheering me on.  I felt glorious!  Dirty, stinky, salty glorious. 

And as in every year that I’ve run this race, when the finish line worker went to tear off my bib tag, I shook her hand.  Then I cracked up.  I always think they’re trying to shake my hand when they go for the tag.  She laughed too and thanked me for shaking her hand.  LOL. 

9 seconds after crossing Finish Line:

Tom Bychowski crossing finish line after running 50k:

Me and running friend Tom:

To my utter amazement, I actually placed 3rd in my division:  Females age 40-49.  And yes there were more than 3 in my division.  I wasn’t even thinking about placing in my division when I started off.  I just wanted to beat my previous times.  And that I did (stats below). 

My Award:

Elevation Profile:

2112, I placed 43 overall, out of 74 finishers (I believe 80 starters?) and as mentioned  above (and probably for the rest of my life) 3rd in my division.

My 30k Calico Trail Run times:

2112: 4:30:08

2111: 5:03:52

2010: 5:01:00

2009: 4:54:41

Thanks for reading!  What a happy way to begin the 2012 racing year.

I Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Camera (Yes I do!)

Sunday night I drove the household crazy with neurotic behavior trying to fix my cameras.  I was wrong in my last blog when I said that I’ve killed two cameras on the trail.  I forgot about the first camera I killed on the trail.  It was during my first long distance trail race, my first Calico Ghost Town race.  (Calico Trail Run 2009 – who knows how long MySpace is going to keep my old blogs up : )  I have killed THREE cameras on the trail.

There I sat Sunday night, trying to align the lenses on two of my broken cameras.  Beep, beep, beep.  Beep, beep, beep.  Next thing I knew, I was unscrewing tiny screws and taking the newest of my broken cameras apart, which completely unnerved my husband.  “You need to do that at a table . . . you need better light.” 

Yikes!  I was about to hit the roof.  THE CAMERA IS BROKEN.  Who cares if I lose a screw or mess up.  But I just may luck out and get that lens to snap back into place.  Thing was, after dismantling the camera, I couldn’t get the lens to extend.  And so, DUH!  I put the battery in the camera, and while messing around I gave myself a good shock!  Or shall I say, bad shock?

That was that with the camera.  I wept over my shock scare and for my silly loss and went to bed.

I woke this morning (Tuesday) and went for a much needed run in Aliso/Wood Canyons.  I didn’t dare bring hubby’s professional camera.  I’d kill that camera for sure, it’s just so huge.  It really didn’t matter that much anyway, it’s not like I haven’t taken thousands of pictures of these trails. 

The weather was cold, the park festive with runners, bikers and hikers.  I wore my pack, not because I needed it (because there’s a place to refill a handheld at Top of the World).  I wore my pack because I prefer to run empty-handed.  And though I didn’t have my camera in my vest pockets, I had my phone – my cracked and beat-up phone which has a camera.  It even has a video camera.  Ha! (Why is my phone cracked and beat-up – ahhhhhh, because I’ve dropped it countless times).

Running Aliso Creek Trail ready to disappear into the fog:

I ran up Meadows this morning, the trail that use to taunt me.  And I ran up it with relative ease.  It’s a beautiful trail.  I’m happy to have conquered it.  This morning it was like a spoonful of medicine.

View going up Meadows:

View from top of Meadows:

I ran across Top of the World with joy in my heart.  I was making good time.  So good, that I thought that I’d extend my loop a little and run West Ridge to Rock It. 

Occasionally all the things that I need to do would pop into my mind.  But the trails pretty much succeeded in wiping my mind clean.  Ah, a blank mind, just simply in the moment.  LOVE IT!

Breakfast at Top of the World:

West Ridge view of Modjeska and Santiago Peaks:

For new visitors, this is the most exciting section of Rock It.  For returning visitors, here’s YET ANOTHER PICTURE of Rock It Trail:

Finishing off Rock It Trail leading to Coyote Run:

Finishing up Coyote Run:

Another glorious trail run this holiday season.  Stay-tuned, as I've joined Jessica Deline’s challenge Streaking in the New Year.

Miles run:  11.18 (approx. 18 km)