Peter's Canyon

When the alarm rang out this morning, I looked at the clock, 5 o’clock, and thought to myself, awww, that’s a joke, right? Some kind of mistake! Why am I waking at 5AM on a Sunday morning?

Didn’t take long before I remembered that I had rsvp’d for a group run today. And not knowing just how long it would take me to drive to Peter’s Canyon, I set the alarm extra early. I left the house extra early too – under darkness, like some kind of crazy : )

I arrived to an elementary school parking lot a good fifteen minutes before start time. No other cars in the lot, I made sure the doors were locked and fought against falling back asleep. I thought to myself, “my husband surely would not appreciate this – his wife sitting in a lonely parking lot, in the dark!” Shhhhh. Nobody tell him, okay?

I really wanted to make this run though, because it seems I run pretty much the same trails again and again – I looked at the chance to run Peter’s Canyon again, as an opportunity (see she is a little whacked!) Peter’s Canyon is the first place that I ran trails back in June 2008.

6:30 AM sharp, the other runners drove up – first Jennifer, then Tom, and right about that time, Sheila and Kelly. The sun had not yet begun to rise when we took off running on the streets towards Peter’s Canyon Park. Sheila, Kelly and I ran the ridge route, proving to be tiresome for me, with some pretty steep climbs, but at the same time, some nice steep down hills. Tom and Jennifer took the canyon route. We all met up on the other side of the lake and ran together back in via the canyon. Right about the end of this wonderful journey, we took a thick creek side trail that reminded Kelly of the Hawaiian rain forests. It was a nice detour and delightful way to end this Sunday run.

Miles logged this Sunday morning: 6.5

Early Morning on the Ridge:

Coming Off Ridge




Meeting up (Sheila, Me, Jennifer, Kelly, Tom)


Heading Back (Tom & Sheila crossing creek bridge)

Vasque Peter Cyn Summer Trail Run Series #3

I am not an afternoon or evening runner. Actually, I am not an afternoon or evening racer. I love relaxed evening runs down at the marina, restaurants lights reflecting off the water. Races in the evening heat, that’s a different story.

I’m not sure what I was thinking when I registered for race number three of the Vasque Summer Series Trail Runs. I knew I wasn’t an evening racer. I guess I did it for the same ole’ reason – I wanted to see if I could beat last year’s time. Plus, there’s an added bonus to this race. It starts and finishes in Cedar Grove Park, so the whole family can come and our my boys can play while I run.

A pose before braving the canyon

Good-bye my oldest son, I shall miss you

And the horn sounds . . .

Last year I ran the trail both clockwise and counter-clockwise, and I’m not really sure which one I preferred. This year, I registered only for the final race, which ran clockwise. After a flat start, plenty of dust kicking up from all the runners, my boys running beside me for a bit, we veered to the left for an ever so slight incline on a wide almost sandy, pretty dusty road. The weather was warm, and I thought to myself, “What have I gotten myself into???”

It’s like the day zaps my energy for any kind of race later on. I tired pretty quickly Thursday evening. Not stopping for water, I sipped from the handheld that I brought along. And though, I didn’t stop running, I didn’t feel like I was progressing along very well. But I wasn’t dead last, and unless I broke a leg or something, I was gonna finish this race.

The trail is not a super tough one, but its tough enough – plenty of climbs. And on the down hills, which were rather steep I was unable to take it in my usual zig-zag manner, because the other runners ran it straight down.

I was tired – way too tired for a five mile race. I relished the cool breeze that occasionally blew in. But I mostly looked forward to finishing this race. More than anything I wanted to beat last year’s time, which was 0:58:19. My internal clock though (when am I going to get a watch?) said that I wasn’t going to make it. Felt more like an hour had already passed as I made my way toward the finish line.

Youngest and middle sons play waiting for Mom (with no fists flying!)

The Final Stretch

I saw my husband and boys before I could read the clock. He snapped away, while my two oldest boys screamed and ran alongside me. When I saw the clock read fifty-two minutes and some seconds, well, the torture was well worth it.

Final time for this 5 mile trail race: 0:52:44 , pace 10:33 (last year 58:19, pace 11:40)

I placed 173 out of 281, and was 13 out of 31 in my category (females age 40 – 44)

I'm happy that my boys got a couple hours in the park. But I’m thinking that’s the last afternoon/evening run that I’m registering for. I’m a morning gal now.