In Way Over My Head

I set my phone alarm last night for 4:30 AM.  As I tossed and turned trying to sleep while the whole house was awake, I made a decision.  My decision was, no Bulldog 50k this year.  This is not the year of redemption for my (so far) only DNF.  This is the year of Twin Peaks, and I’m doing all I can just to finish that 50 miler. I don’t think a preoccupation on Bulldog is the best for me.  

Today’s training plan dictated 22 miles.  Being the middle of summer here in the U.S.,  I’m finding difficulty training for a big fall race, being that it’s so dang hot.  It’s especially difficult when that race is set in the mountains. 

22 miles the plan said, 22 miles I ran.  And after all the heat and torture that I went through, I’d have to say that the best thing that came out of today’s training is that I didn’t die.  Seriously!  And oh ya, I didn’t fall.  Oh, and I didn’t get heat stroke.  Most of all, this run showed me that I’ve got A LONG WAY TO GO and that I have once again bitten off more than I can chew.

So, how do I run a 22 mile suffer-fest in the local mountains on a scorcher of a day without turning around and walking/crawling back to the car?

First off, I left early (but still not early enough).  Secondly, I broke the run into parts.  Without parts I could have never done this run. 

Before “The Parts” / Holy Jim Parking Lot:

About 5:45 AM, coating myself with sunscreen, then putting on a warmer shirt (ha, ha).

Ready to go (the lot is empty except for my truck).

Part 1: Holy Jim Trail (from lot to top, Bear Springs, 5 miles):

The run through the forest was muggy, lots of gnats.  In order to keep the gnats out of my eyes, I wore sunglasses, which meant I pretty much ran in the dark during the first 1.5 miles or so.

Going up on this giant switch-back, back and forth, back and forth.

Part 2: The Main Divide to Santiago Peak (approx. 2.5 miles):

Though only a short distance, this portion was excruciating, especially after the Holy Jim trip.  Besides the steep terrain, I got gnats, biting (horse?) flies and mostly exposed trail (meaning SUN and more SUN).

Running with my training friends THE GNATS.  They’re with me, so that in October when they’re gone, it will seem easier.

A view from Santiago Peak, above the clouds:

Trying for a different kind of pose (okay, you can laugh – I had to think quick!)

Part 3:  Santiago Peak, Main Divide, Upper Holy Jim to Main Divide over to Indian Truck Trail (approx. 5 miles):

Running back to the towers at Santiago (“Talking”) Peak.

Running Upper Holy Jim had lots of tricky and rocky terrain, but at last some shade!  I concentrated so hard on the rocks and not tripping, that once I turned a corner and nearly screamed when I suddenly came upon father and son hikers resting upon some boulders.

Back on the Main Divide, the heat was beginning to wear me down.

Part 4: Indian Truck Trail (In it’s entirety this trail is 6.5 miles one-way, I ran 1.25 down, 1.25 back up today):

Though this part was also short, I found it very difficult.  Even my downhill pace was SLOW.  Really.  I ran through an oven on this trail.  And I also saw the only two runners I would see on this long run.

Heading back up Indian Truck Trail posing before Lilium pardalinum (Panther Lily):

Part 5: Indian Truck Trail to West Horsethief (approx. 3 miles):

These approximate 3 miles were very slow.  However, I was only fooled once by a “false summit.”  Good news, I’m getting to know this mainly uphill portion of The Main Divide.

Part 6: Down West Horsethief, Trabuco Trail back to Holy Jim parking lot (approx. 5 miles):

West Horsethief at last!!  From here it was downhill, a very steep and rocky downhill for the first mile or so.  Then an in and out of shade (forest/desert/forest/desert, etc) for the remainder of the run back to the Holy Jim lot.

West Horsethief comes to an end.

Trabuco, wonderful Trabuco!

I did not gain much confidence on this run.  Rarely did I feel strong.  Mostly I felt doomed when it comes to Twin Peaks.  I tried not to think of that too much though.  I mainly thought, “one foot in front of the other.”   Forget what I said above about the best thing that came out of this run.  The best thing that came out of this run was that I did it. 

When the Cussin’ Ceases on Holy Jim

This morning I finally got back to the mountains (Thanks to Jeremy H. and Hank G.), specifically my favorite trail Holy Jim.  I never run the mountains alone, so I am most appreciative that I had these two friends to run with.

My history with Holy Jim Trail in the Cleveland National Forest:  I first “ran” Holy Jim during the Saddleback Marathon last November.  That race was the first time I had ever laid eyes on the trail.  I ran the beginning portions, but somewhere along the switch-back climbing, I lost all energy and had to hike.  I began leg and foot cramping toward the end, and even found myself crawling through several inches of acorns to reach the top.  I had no idea when it was going to end, so the experience was pretty much torturous.  I’m not sure, but I wouldn’t be surprised if I said one or two cuss words on Holy Jim that day.

That experience really “got my goat”.  I wasn’t going to let Holy Jim chew me up like that again.  My goal is to make it up that five mile trail as much as possible.

General History of Holy Jim Trail:  The trail is named after James T. Smith who lived in a cabin off the trail during the late 1800’s.  He was a beekeeper who also grew fig trees.  He was originally known by the name “Cussing Jim.”  Apparently, according to one source Jim was “a man given to blasphemous eloquence. When he started cussing. . . he could peel paint off a stove pipe."  Anyway, when surveyors arrived in 1870, they thought it more appropriate to name the canyon “Holy Jim” instead of “Cussing Jim.”

Today’s Adventure:  I actually started off this trail run feeling cold.  That’s a laugh, because not fifteen minutes in I ached to take off my long-sleeved shirt.  But I waited until our detour where we stopped at Holy Jim Falls.  After a quick few pictures, I peeled off that shirt and took off again behind Hank and Jeremy toward the trail.  The climb up Holy Jim was breathtakingly beautiful.  Yet, it was HOT.  Go figure. 

I ran the entire Holy Jim Trail, sure at times at a snail’s pace.  Hank lead the pack and waited patiently at the Bear Springs on the Main Divide as Jeremy and I arrived.  From there, the weather grew even hotter.  But it was bearable.  Only once did my temperature rise to 2 degrees above normal.  Mostly, despite feeling otherwise, it remained normal or at most 1 degree above. 

The big climb on Lake Elsinore’s side of the Main Divide nearly did me in.  But I kept my eyes on the prize – DOWNHILL and a cold creek at the bottom.  Jeremy ran out of water first.  Not that he came ill-prepared.  He brought along more than I.  It was just that hot out this morning along the ridge.  We drained our water quickly.  That worried me a bit, so I began to conserve my fluids as we ran that rocky switch-back down Horsethief.  I tripped SEVERAL times.  I never fell. 

Upon finally reaching the canyon, I drenched myself in the nearly ice-cold creek.  Jeremy came up and did the same.  And then I ran on in those last extremely hot and long remaining three plus miles, running out of water with about 2.5 miles remaining.  I hadn’t seen Jeremy since the creek or Hank since somewhere on Horsethief.  I knew how to get back.  But I worried that Hank, being such an excellent runner, was going to get out so far ahead he could take a wrong turn (he’s used to trails elsewhere).  And I worried about Jeremy’s lack of water for so long.  He had decided to conserve energy and was back behind me.  Apparently though, Jeremy seemed to handle lack of fluids WAY better than I do. (I think it’s the mother in me, because there was no need to worry).

I met up with Hank on Trabuco and we ran on into the lot and straight into the stream.  I wanted to lay down in it.  Instead we just drenched ourselves with that cold, cold water until Jeremy came in.  And this is how well Jeremy takes lack of water.  He didn’t even dive into the creek, he went straight to the car, got some water and chatted with mountain bikers until Hank and I finally pulled ourselves from the stream to head on home.

Great run!  Wonderful company!

Miles logged:  14.3 (23.01km) / ps.  I should note that I wore my regular New Balance Trail shoes, not the Minimus due to the length and harshness of this run.

Scenes from today’s Holy Jim (Cussin’ Jim) Run:

Prepped to go (left to right, Jeremy, Hank & Me):

Stream Crossing on Holy Jim Trail:

Holy Jim Falls (photo compliments of Jeremy):

View climbing Holy Jim:

Glorious shade on Holy Jim Trail:

Nearing top of Holy Jim:

Jeremy running Main Divide:

View toward The O.C. at Indian Truck Trail and Main Divide Junction:

(Photo compliments of Jeremy)

Ready to descend on Horsethief:

Flowers along Horsethief:

View from Horsethief:

Trabuco Canyon:

Elevation Profile: