No Place I’d Rather Be

I set my alarm for 6:30 and every time I hit the snooze button, my five-year-old (who had snuck into our bed) complained that I was waking him up.  After complain #3, I decided it was time to make a go at it, and so up I went and got ready for a run.  Thing is, I didn’t want to run.  Motivation, love for running is down right now.   But I forced myself this week, because I know that I’ll want to run again, and when I do, I don’t want to be out of shape.

I wasn’t sure where to run.  It would have been easier to just run out of the door and down to the marina.  But I wanted to go to Top of the World.  I didn’t want to run to the Top of the World, I just wanted to be there.  I wanted to stand up there, take it all in.  I sat on the couch for an hour before I got moving.

I still wasn’t sure how long I would run, what trails I’d take, but I knew I was going to the top.  I packed for a long run just in case and set out under lovely blue skies.  Up Cholla I ran, amazingly passing 6 cyclists (one had stopped to the rest, another was walking his bike : )  I simply stayed in the moment, placing one foot in front of the other, not a single thing on my mind. Then I ran West Ridge to Top of the World.  And I stood there and took it all in.  I felt tranquil, glad to have run to the top, even though I would have much rather slept the morning away.  Now taking in Laguna Beach and the Pacific Ocean and behind me the Santa Ana Mountains, well, there was no other place I’d rather be at that moment.

Top of the World

Concentrating on getting a good picture at the top without falling backward down the slope, I forgot to smile : )

Heading back, I ran West Ridge for a while.  Then I decided on a detour and ran down Rock It.  Lovely Rock It.  I came across a guy running up Rock It barefoot.  All the way down I noticed his barefoot tracks in the dirt as well as plenty of bobcat tracks. 

Bottom of Rock It, I hopped onto Coyote Run Trail and ran it Wood Canyon.  And then I ran back through Canyon Vistas park, content that I had made this morning’s run.

Entering Rock It Trail

Colorful even in the heat of Summer (Rock It)

 

The Fun Stuff (Focus, focus . . . )

Still running DOWN?? Rock It : )

Some Shade on this 1.25 mile trail (still Rock It)

Coyote Run Trail

Miles run:  7.73

Refill Water When You Can, Even If You Don’t Think You Need It ; /

I woke so sleepy that I considered for a moment changing my plans and running tomorrow.  That’s not such an easy thing to do, reschedule things.  It’s like a Dominos effect, changing one thing, changes another, and then another and so on.  So I dragged myself out the door and drove (in my rental that I turn in Monday) to the closest trails – Aliso/Wood Canyons.   

Runners, cyclists, hikers and those heavenly gray clouds were out in abundance by the time I arrived about 7:15 AM.  I parked across the street, at the back of the church parking lot to make sure I got exactly the mileage I planned – 18 miles.  I thought that wasn’t asking too much 18 miles, when I planned it.  (Just don’t think about the whole thing, everything’s going to be just fine : ).

It was one of those mornings that I merely told myself, “GO!” and I planted one foot in front of the other.  “It’s gonna get better,” I told myself.  It always does. 

And it did. 

About a mile and a half in I got some running company, Dylan from my running group.  We had a good chat up Wood Canyon, and then we took Cholla together.  It was a tough run for me.  I lost sight of Dylan about half way up.  (I don’t understand how anyone can take it quickly when it is so, so very difficult for me, even after running it again and again – but someday . . . someday : ) From there Dylan ran back down Cholla and I headed for Top of the World, relieved that I wasn’t running up Cholla again today.

About half way along Westridge, the sun came out, the sunglasses came on.  By the time I reached Top of the World, I knew it was going to be a hot day.  I guzzled from the fountains there, not wanting to take from the reserves on my back.  I still had plenty of water and made the mistake to leave Top of the World without topping off my waterpack.  Note to self:  ALWAYS refill water when I can, even if I don’t think I’ll need it.

Dylan On Westridge About To Make His Descent On Cholla

 

Running Along Westridge, Clouds Thinking About Departing

Top Of The World

 

 Sunglass Come Out Of The Pack

 

I enjoyed myself running Westridge to Cholla.  Having fueled at the top, I felt pretty good.  Going down Cholla, cyclists mainly pushed their bikes up (it was hot, hot, hot by now), some riders even sat to the side with their bikes in the dirt.  One man who was walking his bike laughed at me as I ran down Cholla.  He asked with a wide smile, “Did you lose your bike???”

At the bottom, I chatting with a couple cyclists while I stretched out my hip.  We debated whether it was more difficult to run or bike up Cholla.  They said, “run.”  I said, “I don’t think so, you’ve got the weight of that bike to take up with you – I think biking up Cholla has to be harder.”

Shade along Wood Canyon provided a great relief.  Shade along Coyote Trail did as well.  But then I hit Rockit Trail.  The run was excruciating.  Cyclists raced down the trail in large numbers.  Others sat in the little pieces of shade along the trail.  With the sun beaming down, I needed to rest!  I made picture taking my excuse.  At one point, I even thought about turning around, running back down Rockit and heading home.  That trail beat me up.

Entrance to Coyote Run Trail

The Hat Comes Out on Rockit

This About Did Me In!

After refueling and a constant source of water I somehow managed to hit Westridge again, which I gleefully took, mainly downhill, back to Cholla.  Running back down Cholla toward the lovely shade in Wood Canyon, I noticed my water running very low. 

With about 4 miles remaining, I ran out of water.  Hot and fatigued, I tried not to think about this situation. I put one foot in front of the other, running with my head looking to the ground.    A little bit of shade remained when I spotted a snake-lizard trying to gobble up an apparently dead garter snake at least ten times its size!  It looked ridiculously hilarious. (I looked very closely at the garter snake and noticed small punctures about the middle of his body – possibly a bird had killed it, then accidentally dropped it?)

What The Heck Is This Lizard Thinking?  

By time all shade disappeared, I felt awful – dragging, weak.  I needed water.  I needed shade.  At the last stream crossing, I bent down to the flowing water.  My calves cramped up, but that water felt so cool and refreshing as I ran my hands through it.  Then I submerged my hat into the creek, wrung it out, put it back on my head and plowed onward.  (At one point, a glorious cool breeze blew through Wood Canyon head-on).

At Aliso Creek Trail, I took the pouch out of my pack, hoping maybe just a drop of water remained.  It was sucked dry.  Upon reaching the ranger station, I literally stumbled up the steps.  The woman ranger gave me the best cup of cold water I ever tasted.  Thank you so much!

Well, I did it.  And I didn’t die.  And it was nice meeting a running friend on the trail – that’s always a pleasant surprise. 

Next time I will refill at Top of the World.

Miles logged today:  18

Venting

The morning went haywire.  Started off hectic, but not haywire.  Got the 36 cupcakes to my son's class for his 11th birthday (which later I learned turned out to be a mess and no one's allowed to bring cupcakes for birthdays anymore).  Then I had to race home to get my birthday boy's violin and music books, because today's Thursday, and Thursday is orchestra.

Thursday is also my run day.  With a half hour now chopped off the morning (driving back home and then back to school), I rushed around this morning, getting my gear together and the youngest's lunch packed.  As he lazed about, and I realized we were going to be late, I mentally cut my run from 11.5 miles to 9.5 miles. I had too much still to do after the run -- gifts to wrap, a kitchen to clean, shower and get ready for work.  Heck, at least I was going to get in some hills.

And then after dropping baby off, I got lost.  Yes!  I got lost looking for my gas station in Aliso Viejo with the carwash and least expensive gas in town.  Admist all this, I took a call from my husband about server problems.  And so there I was driving around looking for my gas station, trying to troubleshoot over the phone, in near tears (I'm lying, it wasn't near tears, once off the phone, real tears).  Finally, as I stood there pumping gas, chucking the car wash because time was dwindling away, I nearly chucked the run.  But I couldn't.  I just couldn't.

I did chuck the 9.5 miles though and opted for a another tough loop that I ran last Christmas Eve with a couple of running friends for 7.5 miles:  Up Cholla and then Westridge to Top of the World, back down Westridge to Rockit and Coyote Run Trail to Wood Canyon back to the car.

And then suddenly, everything was beautiful.

I powered up Cholla.  I really did.  Venting, I suppose.  And I powered up Westridge on the uphills every chance I could all the way to Top of the World. 

Some flowers on Cholla Trail

Trying out the new bench on Westridge at the top of Cholla Trail

Flowers along Westridge

Flowers along Rockit

I ran Rockit with delight in my heart.  I didn't think about the future, there was no past, there was just now.  I noticed more lizards than usual crossing the trail, some of them in pairs.  Cicadas buzzed off in the brush.  At the bottom of Rockit, I turned onto Coyote Run, running the portion that I have only had the pleasure to run once before.  Overwhelmed with shade and amazed that I still had strength, I crossed on over the bridge with a dwindling creek below, to hit Wood Canyon.  I ran Wood Canyon and Canyon Vistas Park all the way in for a total of 7.5 miles.

So glad I didn't chuck the run.

Prickly Pear on Rockit

Coyote Run Trail

Wood Canyon Trail

Running Hills at Aliso/woods

Today's run (Sunday) was a hilly 11 miles at, you guessed it, Aliso Wood Canyons Park.  And I know that I've said this before, but it was GLORIOUS -- the park's filled with spring flowers, friendly people, blue skies.  Plus, I didn't see one Rattler.  Yes!

(For those of you who know the park, this was my out-and-back: Through Canyon Vistas park, up Cholla Trail, Westridge, then down Rock It, Coyote Run to Mathis, then up I went to Westridge all the way to Top of the World -- Return was the reverse.)

With the hip injury gone, I'm working on eliminating leg cramps.  Today's run was an experiment.  I didn't drink electrolytes on the run, only water.  Instead, I drank Pedialyte on the way to the park. Result:  No cramps.  But I usually don't experience cramps on runs of this mileage.  Then again, hills sometimes bring them on.  And today was filled with hills.  Speaking of which, my featured trail of the day is Rock It -- see video (sorry so long) below.

Pretty, pretty spring flowers at Aliso/Wood Cyns Park

FEATURED TRAIL OF THE DAY

Up Rockit to The Top of the World.

On the road a little after 6 AM for a group run, I was hopeful for a good IT band day. Yesterday, I bought a foam roller. As soon as I got home, I tore open the packaging, layed on my side and rolled back and forth over the band. I would have never believed it, had someone told me that this would work (actually more than one person told me it would work). After only three painful rolls, I stood up with huge improvement. I could barely feel there was a problem. Wouldn't it be nice, I thought to myself as I rolled into Aliso Wood Canyons Park, if I could do these hills without burning pain in my hip?

We were pretty bundled up, all five of us -- myself, Sheila, Kelly, Tom and someone new to our runs, Hank. When I say new, I don't mean new runner, or even new trail runner. He seemed to take these hills with ease!

Anyway, what I thought might be a pretty dang cold descent into the canyon, turned out not to be so. Sure, it was cold, but definately not freezing. We took Aliso Canyon to Wood, saw a Blue Heron slowly walking through the brown grass. Then we ran up Mathis Trail just a bit to hop onto Coyote Run. We made our way along Coyote, weaving in and out of grove shade, up and down mildly hilly terrain, until we reached Rockit. And then the climbing began.

My hip felt great, but if there was anywhere it would start burning, it would be running up Rockit. What a huge relief it was to not feel pain -- and what a beautiful sight it was running up that rock trail in the early morning. Hank took up the lead with Tom, us three ladies coming up behind, we reached Westridge with gloves off, long-sleeves tied around our waists.

After a break over looking Laguna Beach at Top of the World, we made our way down to Mathis and took that lovely decline until the turnoff for Dripping Cave. There's a pretty good climb in the beginning of this trail, but nothing like we had already run. Plus some of it's beneath big old oaks, with their roots twisted above the surface. Running along a single-track ridge type trail for a bit, we climbed that final hill, and made our way back down into the shade. Of course we stopped in Dripping Cave, then left running for that final stretch back to the ranger station, passing that Blue Heron again along the way.

I had a great run today (great group, as always) and put in 11.07 miles running to the Top of the World. My IT band felt great. There was no limp back to the car, no painful stretching, just a very dull sensation that the trouble wasn't completely gone. Marvelous.

Sheila on Rockit Trail headed for Top of the World


Kelly so gracefully making her way on Rockit


Top of the World, Overlooking Laguna Beach (Me, Kelly, Sheila, Tom, Hank)


Kelly, Tom and Hank in Dripping Cave (A.K.A. Robber's Cave)

Heading Back toward Wood Canyon

Solo Run in Aliso and Wood Canyons

After dropping our sons off at school, I took off for my weekly posted run in Aliso / Wood Canyons, this time solo. While I miss the company and the encouragement of the group run, solitude is nice too. I can appreciate both. That's one of the nice things of youth finally being behind you -- it's easier to recognize the benefits in both sides of the coin. And it's easier to "make due" with whatcha got.

So, this morning, I got me a solo, beneath gorgeous blue skies, enormous puffy white clouds, long hilly run. Earphones plugged in, I thought to myself, now's a good time to work through that missing chapter from my novel that I need to write ASAP, else it never get written. But it's a disturbing chapter, and after working through it only a few minutes, my heart pained with sadness, and I decided that my brain couldn't dwell in the darkness on this beautiful trail run. (Though I did work it out enough to know where it was headed and finally wrote the chapter when I got home from work tonight).

The sun shined brightly and hot, as I expected at 8:30 in the morning. Those puffy clouds though, provided enough shade to comfort me, and an onshore breeze added even more delight to this morning's run. While still on Aliso Creek Trail, a large deer, with two stubby velvet antlers on each side, trotted down the path ahead of me. I was amazed -- first by it's size, and secondly by its lack of concern by my presence. Then this gorgeous creature turned into the brush and disappeared towards the creek.

There were bunnies out and about, hawks flying overhead, and black beetles robotically making their way across the trail. And there were lots of tracks -- deer tracks, coyote and bobcat, plus another, large birdlike track, that I haven't identified -- perhaps quail (because I see them often here), but these tracks seem a little big from what I figure Quails would make.

ANYWAY, I ran up Mathis this morning. It's been a long time, and I don't believe that the run up that steep, exposed climb has gotten any easier. But what a delight to do it! My mind didn't wander towards finances, or district budget cuts, or chapters that need to be written, running up that thing. No, I just thought about one foot in front of the other, and not stopping. Do not stop running. Do not stop!

From Mathis, I hit Westridge, which gives some relief at first with a minor down hill, possibly an 1/8th mile, probably less. Then it's uphill on rocky, mixed in with sandy dirt to the Top of the World.

Westridge on the way down was a delight with that ocean breeze and rolling hills. I didn't turn off on Mathis, but continued straight on until Rockit (with a slight delay to fix my camelback, which somehow managed to get air in it). I focused hard on Rockit, so as not to fall in a desolate area where I usually see no one. Then all of a sudden, a female cyclist emerged out of nowhere, spooking us both. We smiled, kinda chuckled.

At the bottom, I turned off onto that enchanted Coyote Run, thankful for the occassional breeze, and plentiful shade above the creek here and there. Upon reaching Mathis, my skin crusted with salt, I joyfully made my way back to Wood Canyon and ran on in all the way to the ranger station, beat, but not beaten.

Lovely run.

Miles logged this morning: 11.27

Gorgeous Gloomy Skies

My heart sang as I drove over the hill to see gray skies above Aliso Wood Canyons Park. We had five runners for a 6:30 AM start. I was happy to be there, my hand completely healed. A new member, Larry, showed, as well as Luis, who I’ve been calling Leo, which turns out to be his initials, as well as, ever-faithful running friends, Victoria and Tom (the first runners to accompany me on these Wednesday runs.)

We began at a pretty quick pace (for me) against a cool breeze. I took up the end and plugged in that bright pink ipod to keep these feet moving at a constant pace. Since this is “My Run,” sayeth Tom, I picked the route.

Well, I could not face the idea of climbing Mathis this morning. So, after pretty mild terrain, and the lovely Coyote Run trail that proceeds above the stream, we headed up, up, up via Rockit. Though difficult (at least for me – the others, especially Larry, seemed to plow up that thing), Rockit isn’t as tough as Mathis. I think it’s not as tough because there are brief moments of leveling out on the hilliest part, and there’s the fun single track further up. (For some reason, the thinner the trail, the easier it seems).

Then onto Westridge we climbed some more under gorgeous gloomy skies. After a break at The Top of the World, we headed back down Westridge, and took a right onto that oldie-but-goodie, Mathis. Mathis is such a delight on the downhill – nice and wide, plenty of visibility. That made it easy to focus (especially important for me after Saturday’s fall). After a detour onto Dripping Cave Trail and a quick stop into that hiding cave, we were off again to finish this Wednesday’s run with 10.8 total miles.

The sun did not show its face all morning, and I felt a lot stronger coming in today than I have the past many runs at Aliso Woods. I’m hoping this is a trend.

Again, a great group today. I feel lucky. It’s good to be the laggard – the others drive you to run harder, and that’s a fine place to be.