Celebrating Forty-Nine

Big weekend this weekend, which is why I decided to make this an “easy” week mileage-wise.  The boys had a four day “weekend” from school to celebrate “Presidents’ Day” and either Abraham Lincoln or George Washington’s birthday (I’m not sure which – when I was a child, we celebrated both of these presidents’ birthdays, and didn’t have a “Presidents Day.”)

Insomnia continued to plague me, so I didn’t get extra rest during these “vacation” days.  But I did have some great times thus far.  I can’t write about this weekend without mentioning my trip to Skid Row with my middle son and his church confirmation group.  We rode the train into Los Angeles and walked through downtown to Skid Row.  I have been to L.A. countless times.  I grew up in L.A. county.  But I have never been to Skid Row.  This is just not a place you visit.  Even though I knew what to expect, I was shocked by the stench and hundreds of down-and-out people sleeping, sitting, camping, no, not camping, living on the streets of Skid Row.  The depths the human condition can fall amazed me.  I shouldn’t have been so shocked.  I know homelessness and helplessness exists.  But I’ve never seen it in such abundance first hand.  It was hard to take.  And I kind of felt embarrassed for humanity.  I have always been an advocate for freedom.  But, don’t we have some sort of obligation to lift people out of the gutter?  I’ve been thinking a lot about this.  I don’t have an answer yet.  Not sure I ever will.  One person at a time, I suppose.  That’s the only way to help.  That’s why we were there, to help out the faith-based mission that helps transform lives out of Skid Row.  They are in it for the long run, for anyone who is willing to take their aid.  After scrubbing walls with hot water and soap inside the Union Rescue Mission, we had a couple hours left before boarding our train.  As a special treat, I got to take my son through Olvera Street.  The festive atmosphere of this historic market colorfully veiled the experiences of a day in Skid Row. 

Downtown Los Angeles: Olvera Street:

Needless to say, I arrived home last night, grateful for all that I have.  Dead tired, I still was not able to fall asleep for many hours.  When morning arrived I could not drag myself from the bed at the early morning alarm.   I don’t know exactly why, but I feel that I MUST run on my birthday.  So, I swapped out my early morning run plans for a late morning run plan on my 49th birthday.  Then, after laying in bed awake for several hours, I dressed for a run. 

I ran out the front door and through town.  From there I ran down to the harbor for a delightful run around the harbor and island.  Sea lions barked so loudly, I could hear them before I even reached sea level.  From the island, I witnessed a sea bird dive into the green sea and pull out a silver fish who flapped its fins desperately, before being gobbled down.  I ran several miles in all this without even feeling it.  The skies were blue.  People were out and about picnicking, kayaking, dining, skateboarding, biking, walking, fishing, you name it.  I felt like I live in a fairy-tale land. 

I ran 7.12 miles in this lovely town – a grand birthday present to me. 

Looking down at harbor from bluff:

Running through park down to harbor:

Running the harbor island:

Crossing bridge back to “mainland”:

The Headlands:

How to Run Faster

After dropping my boys off at school, I drove to Los Flores for a run along Arroyo Trabuco to O’Neill Park (actually, Arroyo Trabuco is part of O’Neill Park, but it’s outside the park’s gates).  ANYWAY, the weather was summer, not winter.  I think we got into the mid-seventies (F).  No need for extra layers, that’s for sure. 

My run was uneventful, quiet and hot.  Then, all of a sudden, where the trail narrows and the brush grows thick, just about a mile away from O’Neill Park, I ran up on a bulldozer!  Yes, a bulldozer was blocking the road as the driver dug out a creek crossing. 

Time for a detour.  I bush whacked through the newly green grass, reminding myself that a tic check was in order later today.  My detour loop was wide, and took longer than expected.  On the back portion of this run, I made the detour again, this time with two mountain bikers, who chose a slightly different, bushier route.  We all came out back on the trail together, even though my loop was probably double the size,  with a creek crossing – I didn’t have a bike to carry. 

As it was, this detour, added time I didn’t have to my run (I think the heat did too).  I fell so much behind in my schedule, that I needed to pick up my pace a great deal from my normal 14 mile runs, in order to make it to my youngest son’s school to pick him up in time.  I cut it really close.  When I made it to school, I was so beat, I sat on the curb to rest while waiting for him to come out.  This was a first.  I never sit on the curb.

Miles run:  13.78

Don’t Wait Until The Last Minute

I try not to procrastinate.  But sometimes I do.  And almost always, it messes up things.  This is why I’ve begun my Twin Peaks so early.  This is why I got my run in today, even though I put it off all morning.  I would have probably been running tonight in the dark, if I hadn’t unexpectedly been summoned to a teaching assignment that looked like it would be cancelled.  In a split second, I rearranged everything, threw on some running pants, laced up my shoes and ran out the front door.  I got in nearly six miles today admist cool wet beach weather.  And once again, I think I’m better for it. 

 

Goal Met

With a mere (ha!) fourteen miles remaining to make my mileage goal this week, I absolutely, under no circumstances wanted to go out and run.  I’ve been experiencing a bout of insomnia, and having finally got some solid sleep around 3AM, I was in no mood to get up when the 4:30 alarm went off.  So, I went back to sleep.  And I dreamt about running.  As I tossed and turned, I wheeled and dealed in my mind about how to handle today’s run.  I threw out a run in the mountains (that would gain me a couple hours).  I considered local runs and continued dreaming about running. 

When I finally woke, I slowly prepared for today’s run.  I knew that I had to do this, else regret the remainder of the day.  With a cup of coffee in hand, I felt much better when I stepped out the front door and let the cool morning air hit my face.  Without thinking about the next hours to come, I headed off to Aliso/Wood Canyons intent on a 14.5 mile out-and-back.  Turns out, I didn’t trust myself with an out-and-back.  It’s too easy to turn back early with out-and-backs.  Instead, I committed to a big loop.  The loop however, I know from experience, only measures 13.25 miles.  This meant I had to add little portions here and there to make up the remaining 3/4’s of a mile.  Last thing I wanted to do was run circles around the parking lot at the end of this run to make up the distance.  (How many of us have done that before?)

I won’t keep you in suspense.  I got the job done, and I’m better for it.  There were four creek crossings.  I came up upon three deer, one coyote, many rabbits and squirrels and one gopher.  I climbed up to the ridge and took in the Pacific Ocean.  Always an awesome experience.  Also, the ridge was crowded with runners, hikers and mountain bikers, so much so, I’d call it festive. 

My morning:

Wood Canyon:

Running up Cholla Trail:

Looking down at Laguna Canyon Road from West Ridge:

Nearing Top of the World:

My trip down Mentally Sensitive, which I could have probably travelled faster if I had sat on my behind and slid down:

Miles ran:  14 

Weekly Goal:  Met! (40 miles)

In Between Rains

Rain came down yesterday, and all through the night.  We’re in a drought here in California.  Though drought is our natural state, this one is worse than normal.  I’m hoping that we get enough rain to fill the dry creek beds in my mountains.  Lots of people are hoping for enough rain to fill back up our reservoirs.  (How selfish am I?  Though in my defense, I seldom complain about rain anymore because I realize how much we need it).

I have a 40 mile goal for this week.  If I didn’t get out today, I was going to have a difficult time making goal being that I’m only running one day this weekend.  So, I forced myself out the door beneath gloomy skies.  I wore pants (yes pants!) while running down Highway 1 on this cold morning.  After crossing over the pedestrian bridge to the beaches, I was ready to unlayer (though, I did not for a couple more miles.)  

A replenished estuary – this is where the Pacific Ocean meets San Juan Creek (San Juan Creek meets Trabuco Creek, which I write about often, about 3 miles inland):

Within two miles of this morning’s run, the dark clouds parted.  The birds came out in abundance.  Runners came out in abundance as well.  I dodged the puddles, stopped for a few pictures.  I saw our local Olympic qualifier, an amazing runner I used to see every day I ran in my beginning running days – back when I only ran roads.   He’s still out there, running super strong.  I know he was a qualifier because back then I stalked researched him on the internet after memorizing his bib number from a local race that I ran.  Muhahahaha. 

Anyway, back to the subject -- a wonderful road run this morning!  Felt good to get my feet running quicker than usual, still slow, but much quicker than my normal slow.  There was a time when the trails were closed, I didn’t run.  I didn’t think the streets could give me the enjoyment that trails did.  But I did enjoy today’s run.  I really did. 

Six Creek Crossings

Thursday morning, I changed my running plans on a whim.  I just didn’t feel like the rolling coastal hills of Aliso/Wood Canyons.  I was more in the mood for the long, lonely, stretched out trail called Arroyo Trabuco.  I parked in Las Flores, a town not too far from home, and kicked up my feet along a strand of dirt next to The Water District,

and made my way down to Arroyo Trabuco:

I made 6 creek crossings (or crick crossings, depending where you’re from) --

One:

Two:

Three:

Four:

Five:

Six:

I had some close calls, but didn’t fall in once.  I ran all the way to the back entrance of O’Neill park (at the base of the Saddleback Mountains).  Here I turned around and headed back --

My total out-and-back measured about 13.5 miles (approx. 22k).  I made the same number of creek crossings for the “back”, minus one.  I was running out of time, so I took a short-cut back to the truck.  Ends up the “short cut” was such a climb, though I cut some distance from my run, I don’t think I cut much time. 

After the Rain

We got a downpour last night.  A loud, windy downpour.  We needed it.  The only bad thing about all the rain is that after a rain like that, the local trails are all closed.  So, I woke this morning, pretty dang sure a trail run was out of the question.  That was a-okay.  I spent the morning with my husband and then with chores – groceries, scrubbing the bathtub, washing dishes, laundering, napping (yes, napping! ). 

After getting the boys home from school, I took off out the front door for a cool evening run along the local beaches.  Everything was clean and beautiful as it always is after a rain.  The skies were bigger than usual, the clouds puffier.  The ocean was a deep blue, the sand a rich brown. 

Glorious.  It’s a wonder I drive all the way to the mountains to run when I have this here at home. 

Miles logged:  5.41  Elevation gained: 171’