Out-and-Back in my Favorite Wilderness Park

My doctor wants me to come in to talk about my x-rays : /  I said to the lady who phoned me, "Is it bad? Please give me at least a hint."  She said it wasn't bad.  That he'd probably want me to go into physical therapy.  Okay . . . ok.  That, I can deal with. 

The call was this afternoon, as I wore an ice pack on my hip. : )

ANYWAY, I slept in again today : ).  Woke at, oh I don't recall now, and my phone is nowhere near to look, but I believe it was 6:15 when I rose to that annoying alarm.  I sat on the couch, checked my e-mail, logged onto Facebook, drank 2 cups of coffee and then it dawned on me.  Open the blinds!  Take a look outside!  And wouldn't you know it -- I saw blue.  BLUE, BLUE, BLUE.  Lovely blue. 

It has been quite eerie running these past weeks in the dripping fog.  Blue skies definately got me off that couch this morning.  I arrived at Aliso/Wood Canyons Wilderness Park about 7:15 AM.  It was crowded with mountain bikers, a few runners.

I ran an out-and-back, 7 miles each way.  The first mile and a half in was on Aliso Creek Trail (total 1.5 miles, half of it aslphalt) and then I took Wood Canyon Trail to its end.  I purposely stayed in the moment, refusing to think about the run up to the ridge.  I was amazed how much that helped (why should I be amazed?  I know this).  Oddly surprisingly, I found running up Cholla Trail today much easier than usual.  Totally stress free.  Besides the fact that I'm not a super athelete, what really gets me on the hard runs is the stress, the anxiety I feel knowing hard climbs approach.  So, that's one of the things I focus on:  not focusing on the climbs.  (Funny, one of the things I thought about was what a prospective student said to me yesterday.  She said, "God made us weak," and I thought at the moment, "Bizarre, that is so true."  But at the same time, I reminded myself as I climbed Cholla thinking about this, God made us STRONG.  We are BOTH weak and strong.  Isn't that always the way things are?  -- it's always BOTH). 

That sun was shining brightly today.  A blessing, but yet a curse (see, BOTH!),  And I drank up to compensate.  As I've mentioned before, the first half of Wood Canyon trail is relatively flat, but with little shade.  Needless to say, I was looking forward to the grade increasing, because that meant shade. 

Pretty Flowers Along Wood Canyon Trail

Lovely Wood Canyon Trail

I really love Wood Canyon -- especially the shady parts.  It reminds me of a fantasy -- like there's tiny fairies fluttering about, hiding behind moss ridden trunks.  Toward the end of Wood Canyon, I hit the heat wall that I haven't met in, I'd say, probably a year.  It feels like you literally hit a wall of heat.  Summertime is here.

Suprised to take Cholla Trail so "easily", I ran Westridge to Top of the World where I did a full set of stretches (what I mean by "full set" is the same stretches I do at the end of my run -- hamstrings, hips, quads, calves).  On the way back, I worked on my downhill speed.  That is afterall, my strong point.  Surprisingly, many trail runners have problems with downhills -- quad problems, knee problems.  So far, I haven't.  But since my half dozen or so falls, I've slowed my downhill running a bit.  With Bulldog approaching however, I need anything I can get, so I sped it up some today, focusing, focusing on the terrain to avoid a fall.  (No falls!).

Base of Cholla Trail

For the 1st time in a long time, I could see the Pacific from Top of the World!

And then I turned around and ran the whole thing back.  Toward the end on Aliso Creek Trail, a cyclist whizzed by me so fast, that I actually screamed and nearly fell.  All I heard was his spokes, and I thought it sounded a little like a rattler (as if screaming would help me against a rattler!).  He, the cylist, not the make-believe rattler, didn't call out or say a single word.  He simply raced by me on that single track.  Fortunately, I'm one of those runners that stays to one side.  I don't switch without looking behind me.  But still . . . he didn't know that : )

This cyclist startled me so badly that my ipod flung off my water pack.  The lady he was riding with stopped and helped me look for it.  We found it on the dirt trail some ways back.  She was kind.  And I was apologetic for some reason.  REALLY, he should had let me know he was passing me at such a high speed.  Most cyclists do -- they usually ring their bells, or say something like "on your left!"  Most are courteous.  But once in a while . . .

No harm, no foul. 

Wonderful run.

Miles logged this morning:  14 

Local Run

Originally I planned on an early morning solo 14 mile, out-and-back trail run.  My alarm set for 5:30, I didn’t make it.  I was wiped out and decided to sleep in.  I slept until 7:30.  And then I sat around some with my middle son, oh a couple of hours, before deciding, I wasn’t gonna make a trail run, because I was on a time-schedule (today I was taking the boys out to grandpa & grandma’s for a swim day with cousins – Yes, I was gonna travel the road of The Accident)

Instead, I laced up my road shoes and headed out the door for a nice hilly run around the top of town, knowing I’d return home sooner this way.  Then I made my way down the bike path to the northern beaches (Monarch Beach).

Lots of runners out this morning.  Something I noticed beneath these gray skies, that these runners are much different than the runners I meet up with on the trail.  Not one of the fifty, sixty, heck maybe 70 of the runners, smiled or even made eye contact with me today.  Finally, as I ran the boardwalk along The Strands, a walker smiled wide.  I returned the smile, relieved.

It seems out on the trail, almost every smiles.  Certainly everyone makes eye contact.  Perhaps because it’s much rarer to come across another runner on the trails I run, so we acknowledge each other.  Who knows.

After running all 3 beaches (Monarch, Salt Creek and Dana Strands), I began my descent up out of Salt Creek with my accident injury starting to flare up (xray results come Monday or Tuesday).  Still, even with the ache, I was happy to make the difficult climb up Stonehill (which really isn’t that difficult compared to some trail hills), and made it back home thrilled to get in a couple hours on the road. 

I called my son out of the house, and we finished this run off with one lap (about 1/2 mile around the neighborhood).  He’s 8 years old and we have plans of running a 5k together this Thanksgiving : )

Miles logged this morning:  11.24

The Only Trail on this Run – Coming into Monarch Beach

Creek Flowing into the Ocean / Ocean Flowing into the Creek

Running at Salt Creek Beach / Around the Bluff is The Strands

Murals Leaving Salt Creek Beach

Technorati Tags: ten plus miles,Monarch Beach,Salt Creek Beach,Dana Strands,The Strands,Road run

Harding Hustle – A Volunteer’s Report

I woke at 3 AM and am so tired as I write this blog entry.  So, I’ll try & make this brief.  Today, I volunteered for the Harding Hustle, an out-and-back up Harding Truck Trail (approx. 30k) trail race.  I caught the shuttle (school bus) at 4:40 AM and helped with the pre-race things, bibs, late registrants etc.  Saw some people I knew.  And met some people I only “knew” by their blogs.  One of the volunteers was Catra (Dirt Diva).  I also met for the first time, bloggers Billy (L.A. Runner), Glenn (Running Fat Guy – who wasn’t by the way, fat) and Greg (I Run, Therefore . . . I’m Thirsty) (Wait, I met Greg at Twin Peaks briefly).

Harding Hustle Shuttle

Volunteers:  Andy, Catra and wife of runner (sorry, can’t remember everyone’s names : (

Runners:  Unknown, Dave, Morgan

Race Director, Jessica Deline gives race directions

They’re Off!

And then it was quiet. Really quiet.   I got a massage while waiting for the first numbers to start coming in over the radio.  It was a chilly morning.  I walked a bit up Harding Truck Trail to catch a bit it in photos.  After the numbers rolled on in from the turnaround, we knew about when the front runners would start coming in.  So, I took another little walk up Harding Truck Trail for a look.  There was not a runner in sight.  About to give up and turn around, I saw a flash of red coming around the corner.  There he was, the first place runner, flying down truck trail.  He was amazing. 

After that the runners began dwindling in, and I wished I could have watched every single one of them cross the finish line – it was that exciting.  I called out times for the volunteer recording them.  I handed out medals. But I had to climb on the first bus back (about 9:45) and get home.

So dead-dog-tired (and I didn’t even run!), I walked in through the front door, said, “Good morning, I love you,” and then me and my husband said “good-night,” at the exact same time.  My youngest boy roared with laughter at that as I walked straight to my room, crawled beneath the covers and tried to sleep.  I got about an hour of sleep in.  And now I must sign off, because I can barely even think.

Fun, fun day though. 

Harding Truck Trail

Flowers Along the Trail

On my little walk along Harding during the quiet time

First Place (I believe, just a little over 2 hours!!)

Finisher Medals

More Runners Cross the Finish Line

Resting Up (notice massage tables in background, they fill up by the time I leave)

Technorati Tags: Harding Hustle

Cool Evening Summer Runs

If you read this blog occasionally you know that I am a morning runner.  Not today.  With the boys home from school, and me working some mornings, I need to fit in runs when I can.  And when I could today, was tonight.  This evening I ran my short run down at the marina. Restaurant lights glistened on the ocean waters which were gently rippling against a cool breeze.  Diners who had too much to drink walked zig-zaggedly  along the walkways.  A man, seemingly older than myself, taller, and quite "manly" looking walked about in a denim mini skirt while two of those diners feeling free and easy, giggled loudly behind him.  Roller bladers without gear whizzed by as I ran off of the island toward the cliffs where sadly too many people around here dive off to end it all.  Waves crashed violently, yet beautifully against the rocks there.  Young children screamed in delight as they tried to outrun the spray.

I went back and forth between taking in the ocean's supremacy, the breeze, the music, to thinking about all the things I have to do.  I refuse to think about all the things I need to do when I run, because it can overwhelm me.  When "the list" popped in my head tonight, I took my imaginary bat and hit it out of the ballpark.  Success.

Wonderful run tonight.  Total miles 5.25. 

Clockwise on the Big Loop in Aliso / Wood Cyns

I dreamt a crazy dream, of pouring rain, flooded trails, quicksand and powers from another world snatching the best and brightest people, mostly children from Earth.  I stood off to the side of the flood hollering to children not to step on the sandbars as they escaped the “aliens” and the flood.  I remember “they” took all the children from one school as they received their Perfect Attendance Awards.  And I knew for some reason, “they” wanted these children not because they were the smartest, but because of their perseverance to attend every single day of school.

I really dreamt this.

ANYWAY, this morning the air was heavy-laden with moisture.  The streets were wet, the skies gray, large drips fell from tree leaves.  After driving my wrecked car back to the shop, I picked up my rental and headed off to Aliso / Wood Canyons for another big loop run – this time clockwise.  That meant running UP Meadows Trail (Oh my!).  But it also meant getting the hardest climbing done with first.  And that’s a good thing. : )

Running Meadow’s flat portion, approaching the climb (I can’t even see Top of the World) 

I found running UP Meadows extremely difficult.  Visibility was maybe a tenth of a mile – seriously.  That’s kind of neat and all, but on a climb like Meadows, I found it mentally difficult, because I wasn’t ever quite sure how much longer I had to run before reaching the top.  And another thing – the dirt was wet, which didn’t exactly make mud.  It made clay.  Nothing like running a single track, switchback for a mile long incline with Frankenstein feet.  That’s how much clay clung to my shoes.  My feet were heavy (more so than usual).

I stopped once to remove the mud/clay from my shoes.  But it wasn’t ten seconds later that clay covered them again.  So I gave up on the removal plan and just kept on running to the top. 

Soaking wet, not from rain, but from sweat and the moisture in the air, I reached Top of the World triumphantly.  Not sprinting, not beaming with a smile, but victorious. 

Frankenstein Feet

 Top of the World (Ocean behind me – Really!)

I found this run much less stressful, more enjoyable than my counter-clockwise run last Tuesday.  Perhaps I was more rested today.  Perhaps it was the better mood.  Or maybe it was just the plain fact that I ran the hardest, steepest climb first.  I finished up at the ranger station feeling pretty good, thinking I did have a chance to get myself in shape enough for Bulldog (Malibu Creek 50k) by the end of August.

Heading down Westridge on my way to Cholla Trail

 Homeward bound / Wood Canyon, on a fairytale trail

Miles logged this morning:  11.65

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

Happy 4th of July Run

I planned on a 7 AM quick hilly run around town.  I slept in until almost 9 AM!  Wow.  That is a rarity, and a fine rarity at that.  It is the Fourth of July after all.  I finally laced up my shoes and ran out the door at 11 AM, happy to get in a run around town.  Why happy (because lately that has been a rarity too)?  Because I knew it would be easy, because even though I mapped out the most hilliest (is that a word) route possible, this was a road run.  For some reason, even with steep grades, running the road is so much easier for me than running a trail, with even a mild grade.  I figure the road is easier because the sidewalk is smooth, not rocky, and basically level horizontally (from side to side).  Therefore, I don't need as much strength to stay upright (as opposed to flat on my face).

Great run.  Sunny warm skies; the air smelled of BBQ's.  Only thing was, so giddy to get out the door and run, I forgot my hat, my sunglasses and water, chapstick, and not to mention sunscreen.  (I of course remembered my ipod -- NEVER forget the music).  Don't do that; don’t forget the water especially.  Especially in July.  Especially around noon.  I ran a few detours, one into an Albertson's store for the drinking fountain in their stockroom and the other into a Taco Bell to drink from their bathroom sink faucet. : )

In all I ran 5.76 happy miles.  After a bbq dinner at home, the whole family  walked over to a bluff park a few blocks away to watch fireworks.  And I learned today after looking at the pictures tonight, that I look EXACTLY like my mother.  That's not a bad thing.  It's just a fact.  But it's a little weird noticing it.  : )

GOD BLESS AMERICA

Emerald Canyon

“Pain or damage don’t end the world.  Or despair, or f****** beatings.  The world ends when you’re dead.  Until then, you got more punishment  in store.  Stand it like a man . . . and give some back.”

Al Swearengen (Deadwood)

Somewhere along the line, I seemed to have lost my training.  I thought it was the car accident, but really, it’s been seeping away for a while.  In fact, it seems to have happened when I vowed to get stronger.  The more strength training I do, the weaker I feel.  And when I run lately, especially with this lingering ache (& lingering depression)  from the accident, I AM TIRED.

(I do have a doctor’s appointment set up for early next week for the ache, hopefully that will help with the depression as well.)

And so, the story of this morning’s run is one of lagging, feeling like I have no groove.  On the good side, I ran with two OCTR friends, Sheila and Tom.  We began on an uphill along Bommer ridge in Irvine, then made our way down into a gorgeous, overgrown Emerald Canyon.  Along the way, we spooked a bobcat, who simply stood on the trail and stared us down for a bit before taking off. 

Emerald Canyon dead-ends at the back of the Emerald Bay Community in Laguna Beach.  After a quick break, we headed back for a nice long run UP to the ridge (though the beginning climb was not so bad).  We turned off onto the Old Emerald Falls trail, I believe, another wonderful single track – love those single tracks.  And at one point, I recall Tom mentioning that we were running along another trail named “Fence Line.”

As tired, and as defeated that I’ve felt lately, I have to say that I’d do today’s run again.  And again, and again, and again . . .

 Heading down to Emerald Canyon? Or is this Bommer Ridge?

 Bushwhacking thru overgrown single track

 Canyon Walls

 Begins to look like a another world, the deeper we get into the canyon

 

Heading back up, stopping to snap a photo of this giant Dudleya brittonii (a nice excuse to rest : ) 

Almost to the top (looking back)

Miles logged Saturday morning:  10.1

Borrowed from Tom (I hope he doesn’t mind : > ) / Our route in blue

Technorati Tags: Bommer Ridge,Emerald Canyon,Emerald Falls Trail,Fence Line Trail,El Moro,Crystal Cove,Trail Running