Flora en route to Top of the World

DESPITE the joyful brutality of yesterday’s run, plus some red wine with dinner and after dinner, and waking at 6AM and getting breakfasts, lunches made, and  3 sons off to to school, I went for a trail run this morning.  I took my usual “shortish” run route, an out-and-back to Top of the World.  Perhaps I shall get “back  on track” (not the actual track, thank goodness), but my life, which means my mental and physical fitness.  I’m not saying that it’s trashed.  But it’s starting to slide.  It started to slide quite a few years ago when the U.S. economy took a tank.  But I kept going strong in the beginning, stronger than I would have imagined – that is until I went and registered for the 50k I just recently ran.  It was then during my pre-race freak-out that my diet (meaning the types of calories that I consumed as opposed to a calorie deficit plan) went out the window and my workout regimen started to fall down the mountain.  (No, that’s not fair.  It was the non-gym renewal that threw my workout regimen for a loop.  I feel like a spoiled child.  I mean, we can’t have everything we want.  I will have to do without a gym membership.  What’s important in life – NOT GYM MEMBERSHIPS! : )

And again, I digress.

The skies were blue and lovely and the weather nicely warm this morning around 10AM.  Perfect for a trip to Top of the World. I had a delightful time drenching my cotton t-shirt in salty sweat while snapping pictures of the flora along the way to Top of the World.  (Thanks Johann for your post on cotton-t’s – I was miserably chaffed after this past weekend.  Cotton was a welcomed relief today.)  Many of the flora photos didn’t all come out, mainly because I didn’t stand still to take snap the pictures.  Funny, though the hills are covered with a multitude of colors, mostly the yellowish flowered pictures turned out. 

Entering Wood Canyon before a climb up Cholla Trail to West Ridge:

My plan today was to take it nice and easy, put in some elevation gain and focus on breathing.  I also planned on, and did relish the heat.  I studied every runner that I came upon, and noticed they were all mouth breathing. How do you tell?  Open mouths.  And I daydreamed also.  I daydreamed about running the Transrockies Race one of these days – hopefully by age 50. (which is just a few short years away).  In other words, I lost the focus of the moment, the present.  But that’s okay.  I was still able to take in the beauty and notice the glorious spring flowers. 

I did spy a beautiful patch of purple flowers on Park Avenue Nature Trail.  I took a step in close to capture a photo and heard the rattles.  Did you know that rattlesnakes can’t hear well?  They feel your step vibrations in the earth.  I like that.  Makes me feel safer – like I don’t have to wear a cow bell to warn them.

When I heard the rattles, I stepped back, focused on my surroundings and stepped back in for a photo.  Rattle, rattle, rattle.  I backed away from the sound again quickly.  I couldn’t see the snake anywhere.  As such I decided I’d get a photo of those purple flowers another time.  (If I can’t see the snake, I’m not going to take my chances).

One more note before venturing on to the flora pictures.  I met my ex-marine, currently mixed-martial arts acquaintance on an obscure single track, exactly about the time I was thinking about his nasal breathing recommendation.  I smothered him with questions, which he had lots of answers.  Funny, I have military men in my family, and some of them runners.  They never mentioned nasal breathing to me.  Ultimate Fighter A-Rod answered lots of my questions, as he was visibly pleased that I felt improvement on the first try.  He said it would take at least a month to get nasal breathing down on the run.  And can you believe this?  The marines used to duct-tape his mouth shut because he had such a difficult time with nasal breathing.  Yikes!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am going way off track – but I suppose that’s the nature of a trail runner.

Flora en route to Top of the World:

Glorious.  Simply glorious.

Race Against The Rain

With reports of rain and more rain to come, I rushed off to some trails this morning after getting our boys off to school.  Let me tell you!  I needed this after taking a ton of verbal abuse from our oldest boy.  I wasn’t going to engage though – I laughed and laughed which only made his anger and disrespectful manner worse. I think that I need a better approach.

The skies were gray and cold at Aliso/Wood Canyons as I headed up Aliso Canyon for the toughest trail in the park:  Mentally Sensitive (AKA Psycho Path). I knew I was going to run some kind of “big loop” around the park, probably 12 to 13 miles.  I should point out, because I think it’s so important with running, that I never, EVER think about the end of the run.  Never does such a thought as “Only 8 more miles to go,” run through my head.  Instead, I just try and “BE.”  Simply “BE” where I am, experience the mile I’m in.  This way, I don’t have to stress over the difficulty that faces me.  Instead I get to enjoy where I’m running.   

On the way to Mentally Sensitive, I spotted a bobcat meandering along the paved trail that runs up the canyon.  Too far for a picture, I ventured into tickville (the area of tall grass where ticks are sure to latch onto flesh passing by).  I didn’t want to full-out run through the pasture for a better picture of the wildcat, as I was certain that would scare him away.  Therefore, I slowly stepped through the grass (allowing more time for ticks to cling on).  I didn’t get 15 steps in when the cat darted off into the brush.  Though I didn’t get a good picture, my eyes did behold  the beauty of the beast.  Imagine a cat the size of a medium size dog.  This one was striped with dark and light brown fur.  

Running up Mentally Sensitive was a glorious chore.  Rain began to fall about a quarter of the way up when I was already sweating buckets.  I didn’t worry about the rain too much – the only thing I would really worry about is the rangers closing the park.  I figured since I was already running trails, I would get some kind of loop in. 

Loving Mental Sensitive:

I worked hard running up Mentally Sensitive.  And where it got ridiculously steep, I forced myself to stop running and power hike instead.  I need to learn to power hike better.  This habit that I have of forcing myself to “run” up even the steepest terrain isn’t doing much good at this point.  I believe it’s making me physically stronger, but it’s also training me to run slowly and not to hike quickly. 

When I reached the top of Mentally Sensitive, I phoned my husband to tell him my son’s punishment.  It came to me running up Psycho-Path that I needed five written paragraphs on “respect” from our boy.  Hubby liked the idea but suggested a re-write of the three pages of the black belt rules he had broken instead.  I agreed.  (Our son is second degree black belt, only a few months away from third degree – disrespecting anyone, especially your elders, is an egregious action for the black belt).

Scenes from Mentally Sensitive when the punishment popped into my head:

The sun came out in abundance as I ran along the ridge.  I thought to myself, “Some early heat training eh?  Bring it on!”  I stopped shortly at Top of the World, took a few photos, and ran off on a detour onto Park Avenue Nature Trail.  Utterly lost in my own world, I didn’t realize that I had ran into a swarm of bees making their way across the trail.  I looked up for no particular reason, and aghast at the literally thousands of bees, I wasn’t sure what to do.  First I ducked.  Then I stepped back.  Then I fumbled for my camera.  By the time I retrieved my camera, the bees were busily on their way across Laguna Canyon. 

Top of the World:

I felt good, happy as I made my way toward Cholla Trail.  When I arrived, I did not think “Five miles left!”  No way.  Instead, I thought, “I get to run DOWN Cholla – Yay!”  I won’t lie.  I did look at my garmin to make sure I had enough time to finish off the run, get some groceries and home in time to get ready for work.  I didn’t stress over my pace though.  Today’s run wasn’t  a training run.  It was a fun run.

Running down Cholla Trail:

View of Wood Canyon from Cholla:

As I ran into Wood Canyon the heat was sweltering.  A cool breeze came in once in a while.  But overall, the canyon seemed to trap in the heat.  It was oh so beautiful too.  And fun.  I finished off this run a bit tired, but I ran it ALL THE WAY IN, totaling 13.53 miles today (21.77 km)

Shade at last in Wood Canyon:

Tonight the rain pours down upon our rooftop.

ps.  no ticks.

Recovery

Recovery seems a blur now.  I couldn’t sleep much at all the first night after the SJT “50K.”  Every inch of my body ached.  My arms especially ached, so too did my calves.  A simple touch hurt.  I walked down stair steps sideways to avoid aches. 

I slept better the next day.  Monday after dropping the boys off at school, I slept until 1PM.  Every chance I got, I slept.  Every time I laid my head down my mind went through the race.  I found that pleasurable.  And then when I slept I dreamt strange or disturbing dreams, dreams of my life passing before my eyes, dreams of family members who have died, or dreams of running, running, never-ending-running. 

I didn’t even think of actually running those first two days after the race. Though I did some upper body weights, some hip and glute strengthening, a little foam rolling, even a bit of ab work. I kept wondering why my elbow hurt, then I’d remember the fall on that boulder. 

Tuesday, was EMO day – emotional wreck day.  My hubby said, “Recovery!”  Perhaps.  I went to work Tuesday so emotionally wrought it took great strength to put on “the act.”  I managed.  Then I got the call to sub a night class.  I took on that job with my eyes aching from sobbing.  Still, I was able to put on “the act.”  And glasses, they do wonders for sobbing eyes.  When I finally arrived home that night I went straight to bed.  (Does anyone else go through this emotional day after a huge race?) 

Today, Wednesday, was the day.  After dropping our boys off at school, I had the morning all to myself.  I set off for “sixish” “easyish” trail miles at about 10AM wearing my latest race t-shirt.  On my drive there, a bird (yes a bird!) flew into my windshield.  And the creature kind of flopped through the air toward the ground.  I thought I had probably killed it – I was travelling about 40 mph and add that to the bird’s momentum – I don’t know how it could survive.  I felt terrible. 

I continued on driving, determined to get in a trail run.  I wasn’t going to let a poor dead bird deter me.  And I don’t believe in omens.  I felt that if I didn’t get a run in today, I just may slide into a slump. 

This is how it went:  The weather was warm, almost hot as I ran down into Wood Canyon.  My shoes felt too tight.  I stopped twice to loosen the laces, questioning why my shoes would feel so odd.  I also felt sluggish, as if my legs weighed 50 pounds a piece.  I thought to myself, “What the heck am I doing?  Maybe I don’t want to be an endurance / trail runner anymore!”  (Sound familiar?  Does to me.  I go through this after almost every tough race.)

Then I hit the trails to the loud sound of a rattlesnake’s rattler.  I only caught a glimpse of its tail end.  I stood there on the trail with a male and female mountain biker, all of us trying to get a better glimpse, the guy attempting to get it to do some more rattling by beating the brush.  Then we started exchanging rattlesnake stories, and afterward, I set off, my legs still heavy, but my heart lightened by the trail.

I headed up Cholla Trail sweating profusely, not only because of the heat, but because of my recovery.   I always sweat much more than usual on my recovery runs.  I ran to the top of Cholla not thinking, but more feeling that I did want to be a trail runner after all.

A Quick Pose on West Ridge Trail (top of Cholla Trail):

Running Park Avenue Nature Trail for some Extra Elevation:

I made the trip up only slightly slower than usual.  I also spotted another snake in the distance crossing the trail.  Picking up my pace so that I could get a closer look, it slithered into the brush.  I got a close enough look at its tail end to know that it was not a rattlesnake.  Stopping for a minute, I searched the brush so that I could i.d. the critter.   It was a lovely, nice size garter snake.  I’d say at least 4 feet long.

I took the side trails for additional elevation.  Why?  Because I’m crazy.  Also, so that I could see the Pacific Ocean sooner than later.  But I couldn’t see the ocean at all.  Instead, I saw this – a lovely, “pillowy” soft-looking layer of clouds covering all that water:

Top of the World:

I ran back at a faster pace.  And I didn’t think about anything.  Nothing.  Nada.  I did hear the sound of shuffling feet behind me and I picked up my speed some on the uphills so that I could leave that runner behind me.  I wasn’t in the mood to let a runner pass me.  Usually I don’t have a choice.  But today, I could tell from the sound of his feet that the runner was tired, so I kicked it in (I know he was a “he,” because I peeked a glimpse behind me when I turned to run down Cholla). 

I didn’t get much mileage in today.  I didn’t get much training in today.  But I got some trails in today.  And that was lovely. 

I don’t even know how to do a recovery run. How long do you wait before running? How many miles do you run?    Ahh.  Who cares.  I got out today, finally, and ran trails again.  That’s really all that matters for this recovery run..

Back to our Regular Programming

Three days.  THREE DAYS I did not run.  Saturday I taught a day long computer “crash course,” I missed my family so much, that I just couldn’t get out there Sunday and run.  I decided a rest would do me good – time with the family would do me even better. 

This week is “early-out” every day for our two youngest boys, so I planned on a run straight out of the school lot.  Thing was, we moved our clocks forward one hour yesterday, which caused quite a bit of havoc this morning.  Monday is the day we really feel the time change in our house.  I was so dang tired, and not even feeling that well after 3 days of unhealthy eating, that I promised myself, “as soon as I get these boys off to school, I’m driving straight home and going back to bed!”

But I couldn’t do it.  I had to run.  I HAD to.  March was supposed to be my tough training month.  Aside from that, I was beginning to slide into a fit of depression.  When Mommy’s not well, the family’s not well.  The same could be said for Daddy, I suppose.  But in this case, it was Mommy, and she needed to get back to her regular programming. 

So, I hit my local trails at Aliso/Wood Canyons and ran an out-and-back up Cholla, up and down West Ridge with some detours on the little side trails to add some more elevation, to Top of the World.  The trails were full with runners, hikers and mountain bikers today. The skies were blue with giant wispy clouds.  The weather was cool with light breezes.  Baby lizards scampered back and forth across the trail.  And I do believe my heart was singing as I ran the rolling hills of West Ridge.

I’m so happy that I didn’t go with the original plan and return to bed.   I felt strong running this morning.  And even though it didn’t feel like I ran any faster than normal, I finished this out-and-back about 15 minutes faster than usual.

Elated on West Ridge Trail:

View of Laguna Wilderness and Bommer Canyon from West Ridge:

Detour off West Ridge (Park Avenue Nature Trail) overlooking Pacific Ocean:

Quick Pose at Top of the World before heading back:

Satellite of my “shortish run”:

Elevation Profile of out-and-back to Top of the World:

One-Track Mind

Day 46 of my longest running streak (by far):  6.42 easyish out-and-back miles run to Top of the World in Aliso/Wood Canyons.

Running up Cholla Trail:

View of Wood Canyon from Cholla:

Santiago Peak from West Ridge:

Pacific Ocean / Catalina Island view from Park Ave. Nature Trail:

Top of the World:

Santiago Peak from West Ridge:

Running back down Cholla Trail:

It’s All Relative

I felt much stronger on day 43 of Streaking into the New Year than I did for day 42.  Perhaps it’s because today is the official end of Streaking into the New Year.  I doubted that I could run every day until January 31.  Now, I’m so close to a 50 day streak, that I’m going to try to go on a little longer.

Today I sang on the way to the trails.  The weather was cool.  And I was so thrilled to hit the dirt again.  I took off in Aliso Canyon with a dozen or so plump squirrels scampering across the trail.  A gopher poked his head out of a hole as I hopped over it. 

I focused on form while keeping my pace way up from yesterday.  After running into Wood Canyon Trail, I took a quick right onto Meadows Trail, lovely Meadows Trail:

I’ll tell you, the difficulty of hills is surely relative – pretty much like most everything (at least in physics anyway).  A bit off subject here, but there was a time when mankind thought that we would surely die travelling on a train.  It was simply too fast, we couldn’t take it.  Turned out, we when sit in a train or a car or a plane, though we’re travelling the same speed as the “vehicle”, it doesn’t feel like it.  It feels like our bodies aren’t even moving at all.  Similarly, there was a time when I thought I would surely die running up Meadows Trail.  LOL.  Even though I sweated running up it this morning, and the journey was hard, it was definitely easy, relative to some of the trails I’ve been putting myself through.  I force myself to “run” the toughest trails.  Now when I run up Meadows, I wear a wide smile like this:

The smile of course is also because of views like this:

And dried flowers like this:

When I hit the top, I kept on running.  I ran on through the neighborhoods until I reached Top of the World.  I stopped momentarily to fuel and took off so quickly that I forgot to snap a photo of Top of the World.  It’s my custom to take a photo of Top of the World.  The fact that I forgot shows how much I enjoyed the moment on this run, how I enjoyed feeling strength. 

I ran all the off-shoots on West Ridge Trail so that I could get more elevation.  Only one of those off-shots is named:  Park Avenue Nature Trail.  I came upon several cyclists, hikers and runners along the rolling ridge.  They were all mostly smiling.  And though it grew warm enough to take off my sleeves, the weather remained cool for the remainder of this spectacular trail run. 

Sometimes when I reach Cholla Trail (the trail at the end of West Ridge), I am exasperated.  Today I felt gleeful with views like this of Wood Canyon running down Cholla:

At the bottom of Cholla I decided to run the canyon all the way and not take the parallel trails like I usually do because I missed wide tranquil trails like this:

With creek views like this:

And I was nostalgic for Sycamore Grove now covered with the parasite Mistletoe.  Yes, those clumps of green in this deciduous tree are Mistletoe.  So be careful who you stand beneath these trees with:

I continued focusing on form, but more so on keeping the pace up.  I still needed to do some grocery shopping before returning home.  Though I kept an eye on these beautiful pastures, I kept the kick out the back quick and made it back to the truck exactly when I planned:

12.14 miles ran today (19.54 km):