Spotting Snakes

I didn't want to run this morning, especially not hills. I did anyway. Why? Because, I ran flat easy miles on Tuesday, and I'm planning on runs Saturday and Sunday. So, today was the only day to fit it in -- I don't want to run Friday, because that would make runs three days in a row. I'm a two-day-max-in-a row-runner (so fearful I am of injury.)

Aliso/Wood Canyons wilderness park has five trails that lead directly to the top. 1) Meadows, 2) Mathis, 3) Rock-It, 4) Lynx and 5) Cholla. It's difficult to say which is hardest to run. Different days I'd give you different answers. Today, I didn't want to run up Cholla, because that meant a 4 1/2 mile run to even get to Cholla. And I wasn't much in the mood for Meadows and its steep, steep switchback. Rock-It didn't sound too bad -- less mileage than Cholla to arrive at. But Rock-It actually leads away from Top of the World, which means some back tracking. I WAS NOT INTERESTED IN BACK TRACKING.  And Lynx was out of the question, first because I might as well run all the way to Cholla (which is easier to run up), and secondly it leads in the wrong direction too! The run from the ranger station to Mathis is approximately 2 1/2 miles.  And so Mathis it was. And tough it was. Sunny, hot, sweaty tough. 

As I ran up Mathis, not having a good time at all, I simply thought to myself, "It'll be over, it'll be over." And QUITE SOME TIME LATER . . . it was.

And then the fun began. Overlooking a brilliantly blue Pacific, I ran along Top of the World, still a little sluggish. But things were beginning to look beautiful. I headed down Meadows feeling a lot better than when I started off. And pretty much right away, I spotted a Rattler slowly slithering his way across the trail. He didn't even seem to notice me as I stopped abruptly in my tracks. I got a good look at that rattle as it disappeared into the mustard seed plants, and I was off running again.

By now everything was definately beautiful. The hills were green. Mustard seed added a colorful zing. And I had spotted a rattlesnake before he spotted me! I'm not too fearful of rattlers -- just as long as I see it FIRST. I also have a game plan, which lessens my fear a bit. My plan, should I have the misfortune of getting bit by a rattler is to stay put. I read that exerting energy makes the poison travel faster through your body. My plan is to calmy sit, preferably in the shade. I have the Ranger's station number programmed into my phone, so I will call them first because I figure they can help me fastest. Then I can call 911. Hopefully I never have to use this plan. I'll just keep my eyes open and keep looking so that I'll see the rattlers first.

I met another snake at the base of Meadows.  I stopped in my tracks to watch it slither across the road.  It had the same rich, deep brown colorings of the rattler.  But this one wasn't fat like the one up the hill.  And its tailend went to a small point, no rattler.  It was a gopher snake.  And he too slithered off into the mustard -- that is first after looking at me, sticking his head into a gopher hole, and then basking in the hot sun for just a bit.

Miles logged this morning:  9.08

Easy Miles

Ran 8.27 "easy" miles Tuesday morning.  I write "easy", because this was a road run, down to the local beaches and through the marina and wharf.  The wind blew against me most of the time, but still the run was definately "easy" compared to Saturday's Malibu Creek. 

All the while, helicopters hovered above the waters at Doheny Beach.  Different helicopters -- news helicopters, military helicopters . . . They were flying in and out of the area ever since I brought my boys to school at 8:00 AM.  By the time I reached the jetty, I feared the worst -- perhaps a surfboarder had drowned, or maybe a jetskier had crashed.  Turns out, there was a whale in the shallow waters just outside of the harbor's mouth.  It was quite the spectacle, dozens of people lined up on the rocks, news vans tried to park as spectators jammed the road with their cars.  I heard on the news when I returned home from this run, "No one knows why the whale swam so close into the harbor, but some speculate that he was looking for a quiet place to rest."

Poor whale certainly didn't find a quiet place today.

Miles logged 8.27

Xterra Malibu Creek 22k

I don’t recall waking through the night, but it I didn’t sleep well.  Seemed like I was dreaming or fretting about going up Bulldog Road all through my sleeping hours.  So when I hit the road at 4:45 AM, I was drowsy, and oh so eager for that sun to rise so that I could wake fully.  I needed energy, something . . .  who knew all I needed was defining?

Skies were blue, the sun shining bright.  I didn’t think about what awaited me as I ran through Malibu State Creek Park.  I have after all, run this loop twice before.  I knew that I could do it.  The questions were:  Was I going to cramp out?  Would my hip hold up?  (For massive electrolyte restoration I filled my camelback with grape Pedialyte, and threw several salt packets into my belt for good measure).  I just ran through the park, listening to people’s conversations, listening to my music, taking in the visual beauty.  I kept toward the back of the pack.  And on the single-track I ran quickly to keep up with the runner ahead of me.

Early on in the race

Yikes!

Looking back from where we’ve come

And then we hit Bulldog Road.  My strategy:  Do not try to run the steepest parts.  Hike them as quickly as possible, no hands on the hips and run every flat.  Simple enough.  YA . . . right : )

In a "nutshell,” going up Bulldog was TOUGH.  There were points were everyone around me was hiking – there were many places the same deal (hiking).  My strategy worked well for me.  I was smiling, but there were times I thought, “I don’t really like this trail!” Overall, I never felt like I couldn’t hack it.  On the other hand, I was surprised to see a few, poor suffering souls, not carrying water! They didn’t have a swagger.  They were staggering. 

I reached the top of Bulldog and spent entirely too much time there at the aid station – mainly waiting in line for the porta potty, then taking off a shoe to remove a rock.  Feeling strong I was able to keep on running.  No cramps, hip felt great.  Before the next aid station, I ran through a swarm of bees, thousands of bees in the exact location I ran through a swarm in last year’s Xterra Malibu Creek race.   A group of four or so runners ran through at once as these fast-flying, black little bees crashed into our legs, arms and face. Delightful!  I think I actually screamed here : )

Continuing on (After Bulldog) toward the peak

Before reaching the second peak (I’m guessing mile 8), I felt an inkling of a cramp in my left leg – like it was threatening to cramp.  To make good and sure cramps didn’t attack, I tore open two packets of salt and downed them in a cup of water at the next aid station.  Then I tucked my camera away, and set my mind on focusing for the trip back. 

I maintained a strong, focused run on the downhill.  I tripped once, and my muscles tightened, and for that second I feared the total body cramp that took me down to the dirt in last year’s race.  But I remained upright and kept those nasty cramps at bay.

So fatigued that I was, I was still able to run the whole way down.  I passed a few people for good that I had been going back and forth with – that is, they’d pass me, I’d pass them, and so on, and so forth.  In all, over the last four miles, I passed twenty-one people.  No one passed me.  I attribute this to 1) defeating cramps – hooray!!  2) conserving energy – hiking instead, when running would have wiped me out, and 3) planks at home for a stronger core so that I could keep the column straight and strong on that long downhill.

I handed off some salt packages to a guy cramping on the way down.  It’s a terrible, disappointing pain to get during a race.  His calve muscles, tightened and twisted, were visible to the eye.  I recognized it at first sight! 

Those last few miles were solemn.  Exhaustion was everywhere.  That final little hill (that is relatively) that overlooks the boys’ detention center was brutal, and upon reaching the top, I ran down gleefully, because both times I’d ran this loop in the past, I cramped terribly coming in.  Not today. : )  NOT TODAY.

Coming in for the final stretch (detention center in distance)

I finished this race smiling, my ultimate goal.  And I finished this race “defined.”  Who can define themselves in a word or even an event?  I certainly can’t.  After Saturday though, I have to say, I am “defined.”  I CAN DO THIS.  Who would have thought?  I was just chatting with an OLD high school friend, and he said that he never thought that I was the “athletic type.” 

Well, maybe I wasn’t and maybe I’m not.  But I CAN do this.  I can run a race up the Santa Monica Mountains and back, and love it all the while (thanks by the way to OCTR – I really would have never even thought about doing such a thing, much less thinking that I could accomplish it). 

Halleluiah!

13.684 miles logged Saturday May 8

ps.  Aunt Joann, I thought of you as I drove back 405 S through your city.  If I had only your # or even a memory of how to get to your place, I would have stopped by. You are a special lady.   Thinking of you & praying for you.  Love, Lauren

Wiped out, but ready as I can be

Unexpected events threw Thursday’s scheduling a bit.  But I still fit in one last run, a short one, but hilly, before tomorrow’s 22k.  I powered up Cholla and then Westridge to Top of the World where I quickly stretched the hamstrings and rushed back to the car. 

Now the trip back has its ups and downs, it is a ridge route after all, and it seems no matter which direction I take on a ridge, it’s gonna be difficult.  The two toughest Westridge Trail hills are downhill, as is Cholla, for the return trip.  But there are some new up hills on the way back – still nothing like Cholla Trail or that tiny section leading up to the Mathis intersection.  So I could never understand why it takes me just a few minutes shorter to make the trip back.  It seems I should be able to run the return trip much quicker.  Pressed for time today, I told myself, “I’m gonna do the trip back ten minutes quicker than the trip in!”  So I set my watch to zero and I hauled a**.  I was surprised that I couldn’t do it.  But I was close.  The run from Canyon Vistas Park to Top of the World took me forty minutes.  The return trip took thirty-three minutes.

I was wiped out for the rest of the day.  I mean, it was like I ran a grueling twenty mile run.  And I only ran six miles. 

I was even still fatigued today. 

Got some errands in today – no workout, just some hip exercises.  I’m all packed, coffee in the coffee maker, I’m ready to head off for the race tomorrow.   No anxiety, mainly because I’ve done this loop twice before.  I know what to expect.  My goals:  No falling, no injuries, no cramping, and finish smiling (finishing in 3 hours would be nice too). 

Here’s what I’m looking at tomorrow.  I haven’t put in anything near this elevation gain in recent training.  This should be fun.

To all a good night.  Have a fun run tomorrow wherever you run.  Good luck to all Malibu Creek runners.  And good luck too to those brave souls running the PCT 50 Mile Trail run tomorrow as well! : )

Going a little crazy now that I learned how to use the video button on my camera.

I really had no business putting in a fourteen mile trail run this morning.  I was just too tired.  BUT I felt like I needed one more hilly, longish run before Malibu Creek.  Today was about the only day I could fit one in, being that I didn’t want to fit in a grueling run close up to the weekend. 

I took off sluggish on Aliso Canyon Trail, then ran Wood Canyon in its entirety, wishing, wishing, wishing for shade.  By the time that lovely shade hit me, I was overheated.  (Again, I over dressed, but thank goodness left the fleece at home!)

Giant sycamore on Wood Canyon Trail


Determined to make this run, I continued on up Cholla (my featured trail of the day – see video below).  It wasn’t until I ran along Westridge a good while before things began to look beautiful.  When I run everything is beautiful, I may have mentioned that before.  Sometimes it’s beautiful from the first step.  Other times I have to wait some miles.  But eventually, everything is beautiful (sometimes it even waits to hit me on my very last step!).

When “Everything is Beautiful,” I become trigger happy with the camera

At Top of the World, Laguna Beach and the Pacific Ocean was hidden by a thick marine layer that I wished would rise a little to shade me.   

Results:  No hip pain!  And though my left calve threatened to cramp toward the very end of this run, my legs did not cramp.  (If you haven’t guessed, my goal for Malibu Creek this weekend, besides finishing with a smile on my face, is NO CRAMPS). 

Total Miles logged:  14

Featured Trail of the Day:  Cholla Trail  (Another bumpy ride!)

Technorati Tags: Cholla Trail,Westridge,Top of the World,Aliso and Wood Canyons,Trail Running

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

Kids Run the O.C.

I just realized that I'm not running up Bulldog again in two weeks.  I'm running up Bulldog in ONE week.    O . . . M . . . G . . .

No time to train today.  This weekend is the OC Marathon.  No; I didn't run the marathon.  But my eight year old ran the "Kids Run the O.C."  And I ran with him -- 1 mile.  It was a blast, festive, a little crazy, overrun with, screaming, lunatic kids (& and don't mean baby goats : )

The idea was, the kids enrolled in a program at their elementary schools where they were to have run the equivilant of 25.2 miles of activities.  Today, they ran the last mile of the "marathon."  I was so proud of my little guy (who has been through a tough, tough time the past couple weeks).  The last quarter mile, even though he was so tired, he ran it on in across the finish line with a tremendous burst of speed.  Way to go my precious baby boy!

Miles logged this morning:  1