Solo Group Run

Due to a series of circumstances, I was to host the new member’s run for OCTR (Orange County Trail Runners) that I had to change the date on, less than a week ago.  Pretty certain that no one would show, I arrived to Aliso/Wood Canyons at 7:00 AM just to make sure.  I would have probably slept in today had it not been for this group run. 

I stood around in the parking lot for about ten minutes.  When I determined there was no “New Member” run for me to lead, I thought to myself, “I can just go home.”

But I had dressed for a run.  The satellites had already loaded on my garmin.  I had my running belt on, had already dissolved a Nuun tablet.  “I’ll just run to the edge of the paved trail and turn around for a mile and a half round trip.”

And so I ran.

When I arrived to the dirt single-track, I thought to myself, “Okay.  I’ll just finish up Aliso Creek Trail for a 3 mile round trip.”

And I ran onward through the misty canyon called Aliso Canyon.

At the end of Aliso Creek Trail, I felt okay.  Not magnificent.  Not super strong.  But just fine.  So, I thought to myself, “I’ll run some of Meadows and turn around before the climb for a 4 mile out-and-back.”

I am happy that I turned off onto Meadows.  As I ran the overgrown single-track, a honey-colored weasel ran across my path.  It was the cutest little critter, its belly so low to the ground as it scampered across the trail.  I would have loved to have scooped him up and taken the little guy home for a pet.  But alas, there’s no way I would have been quick enough to snatch it up.  And if I had done so, the weasel would have most likely left behind quite a few scratch scars before I finally dropped it to the ground, both of us screaming.  

Now that’s a single-track (Meadows):

Well!  At the base of the Meadows climb, I thought to myself, “Heck, I’m already here.  I might as well run to the top for a 6 mile out-and-back.”  And so I ran up that great switch-back hill, running first through bountiful mustard plants like these:

The run up Meadows was misty and foggy.  I couldn’t see the top.  A few mountain bikers and hikers made their way down.  One hiker caught up with me from behind.  With him right on my heels I picked up my pace because I wasn’t going to let a hiker pass me going up Meadows.  I gained my distance on him and beat him to the top.  But I have to point out he was ONE DANG STRONG HIKER.  Because I focused so much on not letting him pass, the top of Meadows came as a surprise.  A welcomed surprise. 

Running up Meadows:

Top of Meadows, the Hiker Who Nearly Passed Me in Background:

By the time I reached the top of Meadows, I felt strong enough to keep on running.  I thought that I could go for a 9 or 11 mile standard loop that I frequently run.  Then on second thought, I figured, wouldn’t it be nice to surprise my family and arrive home in time to attend church with them?

And so I ran back down Meadows and through Aliso Canyon to my truck and drove home.

My Focuses

Feeling stiff from Saturday’s race, I put in some gym hours Sunday.  Still a bit stiff this morning, the sun was hot, but the breeze was cool.  I decided it was time to hit the dirt.  Though I went to my same wilderness park, I changed it up a bit by entering through Aliso Canyon, at the ranger station (as opposed to my usual Wood Canyon entrance).

White board at ranger station, always an interesting read

I ran with three goals in mind, which I found a little difficult to juggle.  I wanted to focus on form (mid-foot strike, kicking out back, etc).  I wanted to focus on a quick cadence.  And I wanted to focus on staying in the present moment. 

Surprisingly, I found myself running quicker than usual.  I suppose Saturday’s race was a bit of speed training.  Staying in the present helped me to keep good form and a quicker cadence, but the present also posed a problem.  I would often get distracted.  When you’re in the present you hear a multitude of sounds.  The sounds of nature, not to mention the sounds of silence between those noises.  I found myself investigating these distractions.  One particularly high-pitched chirp sent me on a mission to find what I thought would be a bird.  After drawing my attention to every single bit of my surroundings, I finally found the culprit.  Deep within a tree cluster, a perched squirrel set off this alarm-like squeal.  (They seemed shouted in exact increments).

Crossing creek on Wood Canyon Trail

Not only did I notice all the different sounds while staying in the present, I noticed things, like ladybugs, a colorful caterpillar.  I spotted a spider crawling out its hole in the dirt, then quickly slam its leaf trap door as I ran by.  I also noticed this unmarked trail, that I turned onto without a thought:

It lead to this delightful shade:

And the trail dead-ended here:

From Wood Canyon trail I hopped onto Wood Creek trail.  It was dark from shade as I ran through the spider webs, crumbling leaves beneath my feet.  Camera in hand, headphones off I ran this trail on another mission – to finally snap a picture of the deer that has scared me on TWO occasions.  It’s got to be the largest deer that I’ve seen in this canyon.  And both times it about gave me a heart-attack while I ran Wood Creek.  I wasn’t quick enough to get the camera out. 

This time I listened closely to the wooded trail and I heard birds I’ve never noticed before.  Finally, I thought I heard hoof steps.  I stopped in my tracks and listened very closely and could tell the direction of the noise.  It travelled closer to me, but to my right.  I stepped lightly waiting . . . waiting . . .  waiting.  Any second, whatever it was would appear from around a cluster of trees.  And then, I saw it – a large black bird hopping about rustling his beak through the leaves!

Gladly I made the climb to West Ridge via Cholla where I came across fellow trail runner Jeffrey traveling in the opposite direction.  We chatted for a few seconds, and I was off again to The Top of the World.  I got to enjoy a cool breeze this entire run.  And I got to run DOWN Meadows Trail.  Surprisingly, I kept up my faster than usual speed all the way in to the ranger station.

Lovely run!

Top of the World, Santiago Peak in distance (the right of the 2 tallest peaks)

Miles run today:  12.29

Back in the Saddle (a day early :)

When our puppy Millie whined at 6AM for her ritual outside time, I hoped hubby would hear and let her out.  He slept through it.  So I gave him a gentle push (well, perhaps a gentle shove), “Please, let Millie out.”

Letting Millie out in the morning is always my job because I’m the one who is usually up.

“Don’t you want to get up and go for an early morning run,” he said.

“I need my beauty sleep.”  I smiled and got another twenty minutes of sleep.  Then I woke, dressed, poured a cup of coffee, got into the truck and hit the trails at Aliso / Wood Canyons around 7:30 AM.  The skies were wonderfully cloudy and misty.  It looked like I was in for a cool weather run.

I felt strong right away as I ran up Cholla.  My plan was to weave up and down (from the ridge to canyon, canyon to the ridge, ridge to canyon, etc), leaving Meadows, the longest climb for last.  A beautiful plan.  Basically every time I came to a trailhead I took it, whether it travelled up or down.

Up Cholla

Down Lynx

I flew through the shady, fern covered and poison oak ridden trails adjacent to the creek.  I traipsed over deer and bobcat tracks.  I ducked beneath spider webs.  Stopping for a second, I witnessed a bee struggling in one of these webs.  I ascended rocky inclines.  And I was glad when the sun came out.  That meant I finally got to turn the cap around and flip down the sunglasses. 

On Cave Rock Trail what I thought was a bird flew so close to my face, it startled me.  Then I noticed its wing flap was silent.  It flew out and back, out and back from my face when I finally realized this creature that seemed to be trying to get my attention was a giant yellow butterfly.  By the time I realized, I got just a few more seconds of enjoyment before it fluttered off.

Descent down Car Wreck Trail

The Car Wreck

I saved the most difficult climb to the ridge (Meadows!) for last, which would have been okay.  But I ran out of water about half way up.  Actually, I still had some coconut water in my pack.  But I did something stupid, really stupid – something that is against my rules.  I conserved fluids.  I wouldn’t allow myself that extra reserve until I reached the ridge.  This when I believe what Lisa Tamati quoted in her book Running Hot, “It’s better in your tummy than on your back.”  

Very quickly I began to overheat beneath that hot sun.  And though I didn’t bring my thermometer, I know I allowed my temperature to increase too much.  My temperature had to be more than 2 degrees higher than normal.  I hiked much of the remainder of Meadows Trail, stopping in the shade frequently to cool down.  As soon as I stepped out of the shade however, I felt nauseated, dizzy, out of breath. 

I never recovered from this heat exhaustion.  I even sat in the shade when I reached the ridge for about five minutes as I drank that coconut water.  When I phoned my husband to say that I’d be late, he said that he didn’t like the sound of my voice.  But I was smiling.  Really, I was.  Thing was, I still had a mile and a half before I could refill fluids.  What’s especially stupid about my mistake is that about a mile of that remaining run was through a neighborhood which was bound to have GARDEN HOSES!  I should have drank that coconut water on the Meadows ascent.  I probably wouldn’t have overheated.  And if needed I could have always “borrowed” someone’s hose in this 85F (29.4C) degree weather as I ran Top of the World. 

As it was, I practically stumbled into Alta Laguna Park.  Rushing up to the drinking fountain, I guzzled up and filled my pack with water.  A woman smoking a cigarette a few feet away sat with her husband as I began to pour water over my head and neck.  I splashed my face, drank up some more, then continued drenching myself.  If I could have, I would have sat in the fountain and completely submerged myself.  Somewhere in this water extravaganza, I heard the woman say, “Let’s go sit over there,” and they promptly moved away from me.  I think that I may have scared them.

Then a beautiful cool breeze began to blow.  And though the sun still aimed its rays DIRECTLY AT ME, I found great comfort in that breeze.  The breeze was so cool, I’m surprised that  I still couldn’t recover from the heat exhaustion.  Who am I kidding?  When I get heat exhaustion, recovery takes a minimum of several hours, at its worse a few days.  But I ran in 3 digit temperature in Texas!  Then I closely monitored my body temperature.  Today I was just so giddy to get out there and had such a wonderful time until the water ran out, I just kind of forgot simple lessons.  (Oops) Believe me!  Do not conserve your water too much, especially in situations like mine when there will eventually be water. 

Completely drenched with full hydration pack, ready to run the hot, dry rolling ridge 3.5 miles back to the truck

Those last few miles were extremely difficult on an exposed trail with absolutely no shade.  But I had plenty of water!  About two miles remaining, I spied a hiker on my side of the road holding his hand out as to say “halt.”  I knew he had seen a rattler.  I asked, “Which side?”  and he pointed across the road into the brush.  Well, I know a rattler can’t strike eight feet across the road, so I kept on running on the trail’s edge and that guy looked at me like I was crazy.  He laughed and said, “I gotta turn around somewhere, it might as well be now.”  Then he asked what time it was, and I clicked through my garmin looking for the time when he asked, “California time?”  to which I laughed and responded, “No.  Zombie time.” 

I promised myself an ice bath when I returned home.  As it was, I was freezing, wearing a sweat shirt by the time I got home.  LOL.  I suffered from a dull headache for much of the day, but other than that, ALL IS WELL.  It’s better than that – I’m finally back on the trails!

Zombie Runner

13.63 miles (21.94 km)

Elevation Profile: +2,810/-2,790 feet

Nature Loop Trail

I went for another evening run today.  I find it very difficult, strenuous to run in the afternoon or evening.  And this evening it was hot.  I wore minimalist shoes which are still so extremely comfortable.  It’s not actually like I’m running barefoot.  But it’s like I’m not wearing shoes (and my neuroma knows it too!  I came in from today’s run limping.) 

As I ran Coyote Run Trail, I saw something dark to my side run and leap through the brush.  I thought “Oh crap,” because I feared I was running alongside an extra active bobcat.  I’m not usually fearful of bobcats.  But I usually see them in the morning when they are a bit lackadaisical.  So, I abruptly stopped in the single-track trail.  Not ten feet away stood a wide-eyed deer chewing on a wad of grass.  A few feet from her another deer bent down to chomp the vegetation.  My presence didn’t phase these beauties a bit.  As I ran onward, I saw the third deer, the smallest one, the one that had been leaping through the grass when it spooked me. 

Off Coyote Run Trail I ran the last remaining trail at Aliso/Wood Canyons Park that I had not yet run.  I put off Nature Loop Trail because it seemed that every time I ran past it, time was fleeting.  I finally took that right turn and climbed up to the ridgeline trail, and as of this evening, I have conquered every single marked trail in these canyons. 

Who would have thought?  And I had lots and lots of fun doing it (not to mention some disappointments, some falls and injuries), but mostly an awesome time.

View from Nature Loop Trail

A pause before coming off Nature Loop Trail

The Trail

Miles run today:  5.13 (The loop:  Canyon Vistas Park, Wood Canyon to Wood Creek Trail, back to Wood Canyon Trail, Coyote Run Trail, Nature Loop Trail, Mathis Trail, Wood Canyon Trail back to Canyon Vistas Park)

Time To Run Again

I rested Sunday.   Monday I visited the gym and cycled for 17+ miles, did some core work.  Wanting to gradually get back into it, I rested again Tuesday, then back to the gym I went on Wednesday for about 6 miles on the elliptical, weight training and more core work. 

Today, came the day to run again.  Due to time constraints I ran this 9.5 mile loop at Aliso Wood Canyons, the one I’ve been timing lately:

I felt fatigued early on and thought maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.  The weather was quite hot and the wind blew at my face.  Thankfully, the wind was cool.  But it was still the kind that chaps your skin.  I hit Meadows Trail a couple minutes late.  But then as I began running that climb, I felt amazed at my strength.  Still, that sun blared down and the wind continued to blow at my face.  Nearing the top, I glanced at the garmin to see that I still ran a couple minutes behind.

I kicked it up some heading toward the trail marker at the top.  Grass grew waist high in the meadows at my side.  And then, as my feet pounded harder toward that trail marker, I glanced down.  There was something stretched across the trail, something as long as my arm span. 

I didn’t really think the following, I more like felt it in my mind in the SPLIT SECOND that it occurred.  Is that a snake?  Why, yes it is?  A rattler?  Becoming disoriented, I couldn’t quite figure which was his tail end as I searched for rattles, when suddenly my mind felt, remember, not thought, “Why the hell are you looking for rattles?”

At that instant, the same instant that the snake coiled up, I ran backward as fast as I could.  Faster than I would have imagined I had the energy to run (and backward to boot!)  I didn’t not stop until I was probably five times his striking distance.  That snake had whipped itself into a coil so amazingly fast, I’m very fortunate that I backed off not a second later. 

He stayed like that in the middle of the trail, his head high, poised to strike.  His rattle was unbelievably loud.  I took a couple steps closer (still safely far away) to snap a picture.  Then I phoned my husband, because I just had to tell someone about this amazing sight.  He could hear the snake’s rattles over the phone!

Well, that dang snake stayed there for quite some time.  There was no way to run past it, except to run through the grass.  And last thing I wanted was a tick latching on.  And so I waited.  And I waited, until I eventually called off my “timed” run.  Several minutes later, my rattling friend uncoiled and slithered off into the grass.  I ran past when I could still see his tail.  I wanted to be absolutely sure I could still see his tail when I finally made my trip to the ridge.  I wanted to be sure he didn’t turn around coil up, and wait there for me.

The Snake I Almost Stepped On About To Slither Off Into The Meadow

Well, let me tell you!  That little event sure awakened me.  Though this was no longer a timed run (it shouldn’t have been anyway, I should have planned a nice and easy recovery run), I couldn’t have felt more alive and excited after the ordeal.  I ran along the ridge feeling elated.  I ran all the way back in, joyfully, full of the running spirit that I sometimes lose, and reassured that rattler season is here, and that I should never stop looking.

Miles logged today:  9.5

Moments After Running Past The Snake

Yup; I was there.

Despite my complaining, and maybe it was stupid, (I was hoping the antibiotics would protect me) but I grabbed me some of that fortitude this afternoon and headed out for a trail run.  I just had to do it.  It wasn’t that a short hilly run was gonna suddenly train me for the following weekend.  I just needed the release, the escape.

I took 4 ibuprofen, 2 Sudafed, packed my hydro pack with plenty of water (let me tell ya I drank it all), and ran down Canyon Vistas park with my shoulder reeking of Icy Hot, and a pain jabbing my RIGHT glute.  (It switched sides – go figure :)

At the bottom of Cholla Trail I asked a mountain biker if he would grab the Icy Hot out of my pack.  He kindly obliged, then I hid behind a sign, and COATED that glute.  I powered up Cholla best that I could.  Passed a biker resting at the side along the way.

I focused on relaxing and not compensating by changing my gate.  Mid-foot strike (especially on the uphills), straight core, and most importantly I concentrated on relaxing.  Toward the end of West Ridge I found myself running alongside three male runners who were just at my pace – they had actually passed a ways back, but I caught them on the uphills.  Conversation with one of the gentlemen took my mind off the tough end of West Ridge.

 Me at Top of the World, Pacific Ocean/Laguna Beach in background (look!  My ipod matches my shirt)

I can’t express what a relief I felt to stand at the Top of the World.  The breeze was cool, the people smiling.  By then my arm felt no pain, my glute minimal pain.  The ocean was dark, the skies bright.  And I have to say that just standing there gave me a boost – a mental boost (I don’t think it did so much for me physically). 

After running into Alta Laguna Park and stocking up on toilet paper to blow my nose, I ran back up to West Ridge with gusto.  I stretched and took a few snap shots, then ran, not that swiftly, back up and down, up and down West Ridge to Cholla, and back to the car.  I arrived home to greet my parents who stopped by for a short visit.  Then I spent a pleasant evening feeling just fine, my with my youngest son’s friend and parents.  And we gathered entirely too much candy trick or treating on this Halloween night. 

Photo of a beetle (stink bug) as it crosses beneath me during glute/hamstring stretch at Top of the World

Elevation Profile

Miles logged on this Halloween:  6.24

What’s baking on West Ridge? Me!

Having not run since last Wednesday, I ached to hit the trail.  Literally.  My right glute still bothered me.  But it is much better.  I couldn’t get out until 10 AM this morning which meant warmer, much warmer weather.  We’ve got a bonafide heat-wave here on the coast.

I took a call from a girlfriend running down into the canyon, which always gives me a kick.  I mean, who would have ever thought that I’d be running a trail while talking on the phone?  Not me.  We chatted about the writers’ conference when I reached Cholla Trail, which meant time to say good-bye.  I don’t think there’s a chance I could run up Cholla talking on the phone.  It’s too steep.

I ran Cholla feeling strong, no glute pain whatsoever.  It seemed to only bother me on the downhills and flats.  And then I ran West Ridge up to Top of the World.  Imagine baking a casserole (or cookies) and opening the oven door.  You know that heat that pours out of the oven?  I felt like I was running through that heat all the way up to Top of the World.  It was an oven!  Thankful that I packed fluids on my back, I had a feeling that fluids wasn’t going to make everything better (Calabasas all over again).

Joy filled me when I reached the top, one, because a breeze blew way up there, not a cool breeze, but a breeze nonetheless, and two, I always feel joyous reaching a summit.

I took off back down West Ridge.  White butterflies fluttered about the trail.  Dragonflies with bluish green wings flew about at eye level.  The sun still scorching, I couldn’t wait until I started the big downhill.  Then suddenly, a fast, zig-zag flying bug flew directly into my sunglasses.  I felt its wings flutter between my eyes and the inside of my glasses and then it was off.  What the heck was that?   It was bigger than a bee, a fly also.  It was not a butterfly, because though butterflies do fly in a zig-zag manner, they flutter.  They don’t zoom. 

A couple minutes later, another bug, about the same size flew into my hand.  It hit, and before I could see the thing, it was gone.  That’s when I thought the creatures that crashed into my glasses and hand were probably grasshoppers.  (Second guess:  a dragonfly, but I don’t recall seeing them fly at hand level.)  Mystery. : )

I ran down Rock It trail with much concentration.  All I wanted was shade. I yearned for shade.  Even a nice long downhill like Rock It trail didn’t provide much relief from the heat.  No shade, and not a single leaf moved from a breeze.  Finally at the bottom of Rock It, where I caught Coyote Run Trail, I stopped in the shade of a gigantic, sort of weeping tree.  I had to.  I was burning up, seeing orange blotches before my eyes.  After cooling off a bit, I ran onto Coyote Run for lots of shade, then back up onto Wood Canyon trail, running uphill, in and out of shade, so, so, eager to stop and cool down.  I tripped hard once on a root.  But caught myself before the fall (thanks to a stronger core!)

I need to get out earlier during this heat wave.  It took a couple hours to cool down after today’s run.  Still, I was glad to make it. 

View from Rock It Trail (parallel to Wood Cyn.  Aliso Cyn in the distance)

Lovely, lovely shade on Wood Canyon Trail

Miles logged today:  7.75

Elevation Profile

Six Deer!

5:40 AM as I drove away from my home the skies were black.  What happened to the sun?  Times are a changing again.  Not too long ago, 6:00 AM runs gave us light skies.

The 3rd runner of today’s group run was running late, she text’d me for us to go ahead without her.  I was hoping we’d meet up on the trail.  We never did.  Sheila and I ran those lovely trails that parallel Wood Canyon together, chatting along the way, enjoying the cool, wet air.  We both love that cool morning air to run in. 

This morning’s run was a heck of a lot easier for me than that 3.25 mile run at Disney.  And it was very nice for a change to stay on the lower trails, rather than huff and puff to the top.  We ran Wood Canyon Trail, then hopped onto Dripping Cave Trail.  From there we hit Mathis and ran down to connect to Coyote Run until it lead us back out onto Wood Canyon.  We ran Wood Canyon to the end.  On the way back, we ran Wood Creek Trail, a beauty of a trail, rarely traveled when I ran straight through a fully developed spider web. Wood Creek dumped us out on Wood Canyon.  And that’s were we saw them – six, yes six, lovely deer grazing in the grass.  That is the most deer I’ve ever seen on the trail at once.  Absolutely amazing.  Part of what trail running is all about!

Dripping Cave

Dripping Cave Trail – an eerie fairy tale

Coyote Run Trail

Wood Creek Trail

More Wood Creek – look at all that leaf litter, sheer delight!

More Delight on Wood Canyon Trail

 

Count ‘Em, 6, SIX Deer!

The Crazy Runners who Hit the Trail in the Dark this Sunday Morning

9.91 miles logged today : )