Thirty Days!

Yes, I did make thirty days of my Easter Streak – ran every day for the month of April.  I got out late morning on Wednesday, April 30, in the midst of a heat wave.  And I took off up Arroyo Trabuco Trail for the final run of my streak.

My Gateway to Arroyo Trabuco Trail (in the parking lot of a strip mall in Las Flores, behind a Taco Bell & some other establishments):

The best thing about Day 30’s run was that I got shade.  Lots of it.  Oh, the glory!  What would I do without shade?

I ran through cool, dark hallways of shade for about three miles.  My goal was to run around ten miles – that way, I’d hit my “pie in the sky.”  What, you may ask, was my “pie in the sky?”  The answer: breaking 170 miles for the month.  I didn’t want to merely hit 170.  I wanted to bust through the door.  I haven’t done that in a long time. 

The coolness of these trails helped me to get my groove when I thought I wasn’t going to get my groove.  And just when I felt a comfortable confidence on these refreshing trails amidst sweltering heat, I kissed the dirt.

Oh no!  That’s right.  I tripped on a rock while running slightly downhill, and I flew through the air.  Astonished that I was falling, I fought the fall, and it turned out badly.  There was no semblance of a roll.  No, there was only forward momentum.  Then a thud.  Then another thud.  And one more for good measure.

The few seconds of impact jarred me so much, I didn’t immediately hop back up.  That took another couple seconds.  And then I sobbed as I searched about for a place to sit.  I don’t know why, but I didn’t want to sit in the dirt.  I think that it was just too far away.  So, I wandered up the trail a bit.  The fall rattled my body and brain to an extent that I wasn’t sure what to do.  I needed to talk to someone.

About a tenth of a mile later, I found a log to sit upon and phoned my husband.  He’s received these calls from me before – not terribly often, but enough to get directly to the important questions.  Where are you?  Did you hit your head?  Eventually, he said that I should come home.  But . . . 170.  I wanted to break 170!

And so I ran.  When my husband texted me that I was a “badass,” I texted back, “Not Really.”  And I ran some more with an aching knee (but not too bad) and a throbbing arm.  What I wanted more than anything was to wash the wounds.  But my wounds were open, and I didn’t want to give bacteria in the streams direct access into my body.  I did take the time however, to “document” what I could with photos.

I ran Arroyo Trabuco on into O’Neill park.  Relief set in because finally, I was able to wash my wounds.  And they did NOT feel better after that.  In fact, it was just when I was feeling better that I went and washed my arms and legs with soap and water.  The dull aching immediately returned.  Oh well, it was time to suck it up.  I had 6.5 miles left on the back portion of my Arroyo Trabuco out-and-back. 

Arroyo Trabuco with a view of the Saddleback Mountains (not very shady here, of course as it would be, hot and sunny during the most painful portion of my run):

I made it back to my truck dinged.  I think I lost more than the usual amount of brain cells in this adventure.  I did though, get in a little over thirteen miles. The remainder of the day, I ached all over.

The next day, I felt as if I were in an automobile accident – like my whole body had lurched forward and hit the dashboard.  I thought about running, but then decided, that’s it.  I have accomplished what I set out to do – I ran every day for the month of April.  I had to fight an inner battle not to run on Thursday.  I went to the gym instead and worked-out on the elliptical crossramp.  After 5 miles, I said, “That’s enough of that!” and went home feeling achy, like I was coming down with the flu.

My arm wound felt warm all day, and that night I felt like I had a mild grade flu.  It was a wonderful night of celebration for the family however, as we all went to watch our son perform with his high school chamber group (our oldest plays violin).  Back home late, I continued to pick out tiny pebbles from my arm.  My husband poked around, as I winced in pain, for pus.  Then I dosed the hardening scab with hydrogen peroxide.  Finally today, so many, many hours later, I am feeling better. 

Thanks to all for reading the wondrous journey of my running for 30 consecutive days.  I loved it.  At the same time, I am just slightly relieved its over.

ps.  I hit 177.41 miles  (285.51 km) for the month of April. 

Tres Dias Mas

I’ve added three more days to my Easter streak, but time is so short, I’ve had little time to contemplate on them. 

Day 19:  I got out late, though I did manage to get in a beloved mountain run.  I drove to Silverado Canyon, and then Maple Springs Road to where the asphalt ends.  It’s a single lane road, that is, not one lane each way.  No, it’s one lane period.  Carefully I drove that road even as eager as I was to finally hit dirt.  And hit dirt I finally did.  I ran up hill on Maple Springs for 4.5 miles.   A mountain biker passed me as he rode downhill and exclaimed, “You’re Awesome.”  Wow.  I never feel awesome.  I should re-state that.  I feel awesome, meaning, I immensely enjoy where I’m at and what I’m doing.  But as a person, measuring my accomplishments, I don’t think I’m awesome one bit.  In fact, I constantly fall miles short.  I am a classic low self-esteem person.  So, when this cyclist hollered this out to me, I felt blessed.  I thought, “How nice he is, and how neat that I am a recipient of his niceness.”  

From “Four Corners,” I turned the bend in the rocky road and headed up toward Modjeska peak for 1.5 additional uphill miles.  I only made it to the point however, as time ran out for Saturday’s run.  At the point, I took in the hazy view, ate my peanut butter and jelly sandwich, then turned back for a glorious 6 mile downhill run.  With about 4.5 miles remaining, two dirt bikers flagged me down to tell me this:  “We admire you. We really do!!”  Wow.  I hope that I am a stranger that makes someone’s day once in a while. Total miles run 12.02. (19.34 km). 

Day 21 (Easter Day):  I planned on getting a run in during the morning hours of Easter.  The morning flew by however, so I was left throwing my shoes and garmin into the car as we rushed off to my parents home in Fallbrook.  After an Easter lunch and way, way too many sweets (as my no- sweets-during-lent had ended), I headed out the door for a minimum run just to keep up my Easter streak.  I ran Dinwiddie Preserve for a grand total of 1.28 miles (2.06 km).  And I was happy to do it.  Note to to self:  Don’t forget to pack a sports bra!!!

Day 21: This was not a good day.  To begin, I dreamt in great detail that I was Jewish and in a Jewish concentration camp.  The dream was heavy, too heavy and too detailed.  A couple things that I explicitly recall are: 1)  I said to myself again and again as I registered as  Jew and checked myself into the camp, “This has already been endured.  You just must endure it again,”  and 2) the utter filth in the bedding that we were forced to lay in (though I brought my own clean bedding along with me, which was promptly thrown out when I arrived). 

Among other things on this day, which I will not categorize here, I jumped off my front porch, catching my hand on a rose bush.  A thorn tore, and I mean TORE through my ring and middle fingers, leaving a bloody mess that would not relent.  Besides that and other things (like I broke my husband’s windshield!) and one of my baby brothers went into emergency surgery last night, I was worn out mentally.  (My baby brother’s fine now, but I witnessed him in a great deal of pain yesterday, Easter Sunday.  I am so thankful that he has such a terrific wife.  She got him to the hospital despite preliminary doctor’s findings that they would “monitor,” his pain.  Turns out he was diagnosed wrong and had a ruptured appendix all along, that he suffered with for EIGHT days.)   Anyway, I’m off subject.  The point of this blog is that I did manage to streak day twenty-one.  I took a short drive and ran up Aliso Creek Trail into Wood Canyon.  From there I turned off on a single track for one of my happy places, “Dripping Cave.”  I spent a little time relaxing in the cool and shady Dripping Cave, then headed back out to Wood Canyon where I finished up my run with 6.11 miles (9.83 km).  I’m not sure if this made the day better, but I know I’m better for it.  And I did get a bit of tranquil thoughtlessness.  That’s always a good thing. 

Add Three More Days To My Streak

Day 16: Wednesday; I didn’t get out for a run until after the sun had already set.  For the first time that I can remember, I wished for reflective wear as I ran down Highway One.  For a moment I considered wearing my headlamp.  But vanity got the best of me, and I decided on a light colored shirt instead (light blue).  Okay, so I quickly ran off the streets, into the wharf and marina where cars cannot venture.  Miles run:  3

Day 17:  Thursday, I ran in Whiting Ranch which is in the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains (Saddleback Mountains).  I avoid Whiting Ranch because that’s the location that most of the cougar activity I hear about comes from.  A cyclist was killed there some years back by a cougar.  He was reportedly stooped down fixing his bike.  A couple days later, that same cougar dragged off a woman.  She survived.  Fast forward some years -- just last week, a cougar was shot for acting aggressively and “stalking” a family.  Needless to say, being a lone runner, this is a place I avoid (call me stupid, because there’s cougars other places that I run, this particular area though seems to have the most reported activity.)

Thursday however, I ran with a girlfriend whom I have haven’t run with in a few years.  Victoria contacted me early in the week, and after a short deliberation, we decided upon Whiting Ranch.  I printed up a map the night prior.  She read it while we ran (because I run without my reading glasses), and we ran through lovely, green wooded areas for eight miles.  She kicked my butt, needless to say.  I’m so used to lollygagging about the wilderness without needing to keep up with another runner.  It was a wonderful run, and Victoria kept me on my toes no doubt!

Whiting Ranch:

Day 18: 1.35 miles: Friday; I am so wiped out from many days and evenings of work (both teaching adults and substitute teaching children), that it took all that I had to run out the door and put in the minimum.  I ran 1.35 miles into town.  My feet dragged.  Back at home, I did ten burpees in the kitchen.  Then feeling badly for struggling so much for such a little load, I took in fifty squats.  Call me crazy.  Cuz I am.

On the Seventh Day

Day 5 (Saturday):   Taught a six hour computer class and found it difficult to get out the door when I arrived home.  I did manage to continue this streak with a 1.23 mile run around town. 

Day 6 (Sunday):  I went on a hike with my boys and a good friend for 3.5 miles along Tijeras Creek and Arroyo Trabuco trails.  My family and my friend thought this should have counted for my running streak.  But I didn’t run on the hike, so it didn’t count.    Back at home, I ran out the door into downtown and back, for a 1.34 mile run.

Day 7 (Today!) : This evening, I finally found a little time to run out the door for a nice distance.  I thought I’d probably put in three miles (certainly wanted to do more than my minimum requirement).  I had an urge to run along the headlands, so I headed out that way, not really sure where I would run.

A Quick Stop at the Gazebo overlooking the Marina:

View from The Headlands:

Just getting to The Headlands pushed me on further in the 7th day of my Easter running streak.  I mean, I was so, so close to the ocean, I simply had to pay her a visit.  And so, I ran down from The Headlands to The Strands (AKA, Dana Strands) to check on my sea creatures in the tide pools before I headed onward for a sand run along The Strands and Salt Creek.  I spent some time at the base of The Headlands, taking in the waves as they crashed upon the rocks.  I relished the glossy black mussels and green sea urchins as I dodged waves slowly moving upward on the rocks.  Tide was rising, I could tell.  Foot prints had disappeared on the sand.  Sand castles were being flooded by waves. 

Sunflower (named so by me) Sea Urchins:

My Lovely Green Friends:

In all, I ran 6.29 miles on the 7th day of my Easter streak.  And all of it was lovely.  Yes, a little difficult at times, especially the up hills, but lovely still.