Holy Jim Aid Station / Chimera 2012

I had one more trail to mark on my way into the Holy Jim Aid Station.  I thought marking Trabuco Canyon Road would take forty-five minutes.  Ended up taking an hour and fifteen minutes!  Yikes.  Still, I arrived at least an hour before the first runner hit our station

On the way, I saw this car turned over.  A volunteer fireman had already inspected the scene, found nothing and was waiting for the police.  I just couldn’t understand how someone could flip a car right there.  The fire guy said it happens at least once a month.

What the runners saw on Trabuco as they approached our station:

The day was wonderful.  The runners were gracious.  Our crew was great, some previous running friends, some new running friends.  We had some music, lots of food and drink.  The racers were in good spirits, even those suffering.  We saw the hundred miler racers twice (at 28.5 and 38.5 miles), the 100k racers just once.  Amazingly, the winner of the 100 mile ran this BEAST of a course in under 17 hours.  This is truly shocking.  I talked to him earlier in the day, and he was so casual, unbelievably calm.

Everyone who attempted this race were superstars.  Really.  I was in awe.

Some scenes throughout the day:  

Mark Rohren, Me, Mike Epler, Alison Chavez:

The first place runner Fabrice Hardel:

Robert Whited:

John Hockett & Alison Chavez:

Greg Hardesty (#14):

The Jester (#6):

Stephen De La Cruz (#33):

Welcome to Holy Jim Aid

Kurt Erlandson (on left):

Marking Bedford

Tomorrow is a big day in the trail / ultra running community around here.  Saturday begins Chimera – a 100 mile / 100 km race in the Saddleback Mountains.  My mountains.  No, I’m not running this beast.  But I am working it.  If you are running, and aren’t in bed yet, and are reading this post (though you probably should be sleeping :) say “Hi” when you see me!

I’ve had a great time witnessing the awesome amount of effort put out by the race directors and dozens and dozens of volunteers to pull this thing off.  I feel honored to be part of this.  I had my truck loaded with supplies for our station earlier in the week.  I’ve been receiving updates via e-mail over the past week from our station captain as well as the volunteer director (who happens to be running in this race too).  I’ve got everything stacked in the kitchen to take with me tomorrow for the long day ahead.

At one point during this prep, I was asked if I could mark the single-track Bedford.  I didn’t know Bedford, so I thought it wouldn’t be wise.  I declined.  Then I found out that Bedford is the trail that I call Silverado Motorway.  That’s when I thought, “No way!”  I’ve only run down that trail, and being on my “break,” I thought a three mile steep switch-back was too much.

But then it went on “unassigned.”  And I finally volunteered.  Heck, I could add it into my Friday run.  Double heck, I could do the Silverado Loop, that 17 mile loop that I’ve only run twice, but counter-clockwise.

With trail marking tape in hand, and a rain coat, gloves and head warmth shoved in my hydration pack, I headed up Maple Springs at about 9:30 this morning.   Reports said 30% chance of rain.  I wanted to run.  And I didn’t want to chance being out there in cold rain.  The skies were gray, the weather almost cold.  It was perfect for a three mile uphill run. 

I took a quick left onto Silverado Motorway / Bedford and began marking the heck out of that trail.  I marked it for the runner who has never been on Bedford, who is alone, and who is beginning to get paranoid about whether he/she took a wrong turn.  (I apologize now to the person who takes down the markers : )

Running up Bedford wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.  Granted, I stopped several times to mark the trail.  The difficulty came after Bedford.  It was false summit after false summit after false summit.  Funny thing is, when I ran this loop reversed, it seemed like The Main Divide was mainly uphill.  Ends up, today, The Main Divide was mainly uphill, rolling hills yes – but add in those false summits – that’s difficult.  Fun difficult.  I could see for miles, and I didn’t see evidence of a single soul out there.  I felt completely alone in the mountains.  It was beautiful.  Not only for the eyes, but for the soul also.

Then, seemingly out of nowhere, a ranger truck drove by.  The driver slowed and casually said, “Everything okay?”  I was kind of glad that if I were to have collapsed on the divide, someone would have eventually driven by.

FINALLY, I made it to “Four Corners.”  I had ran 9.65 miles.  It felt like twenty, a lovely, lovely twenty.

“Four Corners” :

I lazily ran the 7 plus miles down Maple Springs to close up this loop.  By that time, people were driving up the mountain for an afternoon drive.  I saw one cyclist, two motorcyclists.  No runners.  Sure, this run took me longer than usual.  But I’m NOT TRAINING.  Plus, I was marking the trail for Chimera.  Yes!

Meadows, My Old Friend . . .

Time was short today, so I cut my big loop short this morning.  That meant I got the pleasure of running up my old friend Meadows. 

I know Meadows Trail looks excruciating.  But it really isn’t that terrible.  Well, it’s pretty terrible – the good kind of terrible.  What makes Meadows bearable is its majestic views.  And it’s also a switchback, which makes pretty much any trail bearable.

The best part is that I experienced no anxiety approaching Meadows Trail.  Yet there was a time I wouldn’t run anywhere near Meadows Trail.  It was that daunting.  I nearly cried the first time I went up.  It was quite painful.  And that first time, I could barely run even three steps of it.  The Saddleback Mountains have successfully dwarfed my old friend.   

Today, I ran unusually slow (and that’s PRETTY SLOW).  My run was delightful nonetheless because this month I’m on a break!  Yes, I’m running through my “break,” even visiting my old friend Meadows.  But I’m not stressing and I’m NOT training.

Meadows:

Running the Ridge Toward Top of the World:

Descending into Wood Canyon via Mathis Trail:

Much Needed Run

After sleeping much of the afternoon Sunday, I bedded down early.  I’m sure I was sound asleep by 10:00 PM.  At 12:30 AM, my phone rang out a text, which confused the heck out of me.  I thought the sound was my morning alarm.  Then I noticed the time.  Thinking perhaps someone was texting to check if I was running in the morning, I fumbled for my glasses and opened my phone to read the text.  IT WAS AN AD FOR A TAR FREE CIGARETTE KIT addressed to me by name. 

Excuse me?  Text messages are not free.  They count against my account whether I send or receive.  And then to send me one at 12:30 AM, when I want to wake at 4:30 AM!!  Now, I’m not the type of person to say this to someone, but I was this close (I’m pressing two fingers together) to texting back “F*** Y**” without the asterisks.  I decided against that, put my glasses in my shoes on the floor and tossed and turned for a bit until I fell back asleep.

4:30 AM, my cellphone alarm rang out.  I woke, turned on the heaters.  It was still dark out, and the weather WAS FREEZING.  I made a two-cup pot of coffee, bundled beneath two flannel blankets and fell promptly asleep on the couch.  (Sound familiar?) 

I dreamt about oversleeping and missing a holiday run.  I didn’t want to miss a run on a holiday.  Holidays are perfect running days.  Why?  Because trail running is a form of celebration most of the time for me. 

I actually woke myself out of my dream at 6:30 AM.  On the road at 7:00 AM, I made it to the Maple Springs trailhead around 8:00 AM.   The wind blew cold.  Bundled up, I took off for a 7.5 mile uphill run to “Four Corners” in the freezing cold.

Goofing around at the trailhead before taking off:

I saw two runners on their way down, two cyclists.  Other than that, I was alone (but not lonely) the entire uphill trip.  The creeks were dry.  The Maples were turning yellow.  And I spooked two small deer on the road. 

This was a peaceful run.  A much needed run.  I chose Maple Springs, located in Silverado Canyon because I just couldn’t face Trabuco Canyon right now.  I wanted a anxiety-free, moment-by-moment run.  I didn’t want to face my defeat in Trabuco Canyon.  Maple Springs holds only good memories for me.  Today piled on some more with majestic views, clear blue skies, and crisp cool weather, add to that an overall acceptance and gratitude of life.

Dry creek bed crossing:

Holding onto my cap as the wind tries to take it:

Pure beauty:

Climbing:

I didn’t stress about pace.  I didn’t stress about my problems.  I didn’t stress about anything.  I simply worked.  And it felt great to work hard.  The weather warmed slightly.  I warmed quicker and stripped off the warm clothing by mile five.  But I never felt over-heated.  Everything was PERFECT.

A frozen puddle:

A quick pose at “Four Corners”

Heading back down:

November New Member Run

I ended a chillin’ week by “leading” this month’s New Member run for The OCTR (Orange County Trail Runners).  I put “leading” in quotes because I didn’t really lead it.  I more liked organized it and then showed up.  The runners who attended were much too fast for me to “lead.”  Fortunately, my good running friend, Michael, showed.  He took it easy and kept me company as we covered some of the cool trails, of you guessed it, Aliso/Wood Canyons.

Ready to hit Wood Canyon and run up to the ridge:

Top of the World:

A daunting Car Wreck Trail:

The Car Wreck:

Making our way to Oak Grove Trail:

Heading back:

This morning’ Elevation Profile:

Chillin’

I’m taking a break, but I haven’t stopped running trails.  For now, I’m going for the short runs (short being less than 10 miles).  No big adventures planned for the immediate future.  The past couple months I had been contemplating a 50k for December.  That’s off the table now.  November, I’m chillin’ and having some fun on the run.  December, I’ll kick it up a notch for Calico in January.  For now, I have some re-evaluating and resting up to do.

Greetings on a warm November morning at Top of the World:

My Feet

I’ve written often about my feet.  Obviously, feet are extremely important to me : ).  Recently, I wrote much about my Plantar Fasciitis bout.  But even more recently, I’ve mentioned something called a neuroma.  And I don’t think I’ve ever gone into what’s up with that (though my friends and family know something about it!).

A neuroma is when one of my foot nerves rubs against my toe bones.  It hurts.  An old neuroma hurts more than a newer one.  It’s a burning feeling, literally like my second and third toes are on fire.  It also tingles, as if a thousand tiny needles are poking into my toes. 

Ten years ago, the neuroma in my left foot was so painful, I had to quit exercising.  I wasn’t a runner then but I was still active.  I received cortisone shots that left me unable to even walk well for a week.  The shots helped some after the initial week.  My doctors however, would only give me 3 shots a year.   I got custom made orthotics that did nothing to relieve the pain.

Finally, I had that nerve in my left foot surgically removed.  Recovery was extremely slow.  For YEARS my “surgery” foot just didn’t feel right.  By the time my surgery foot finally felt normal, I was a runner.  Meanwhile, the neuroma in my right foot began to worsen.  I flat out declined cortisone shots and surgery.  I had more orthotics made, that again did nothing to relieve the pain.  Meditation worked for a while.  Massaging never worked. Then one day, my husband mentioned that I should stop by a “foot” store up the street called “The Good Feet Store.”  I was about to run my very first race, a 5k turkey trot.  I was pretty desperate to relieve the pain.  So into the store I went.  Three hundred dollars later, I had an extreme pair of non-custom orthotics.  For many years these orthotics have been my saving grace.  But now and then, especially when I’m carrying extra weight, the pain returns.  I merely run through it.  I just can’t put myself through the surgery again, nor do I want the cortisone shots.

Today, I got out for a short run, and didn’t feel even an inkling of neuroma pain.  It comes and goes like that.  And so I will continue to deal with it, try to drop some pounds and enjoy the beautiful trails with a nerve rubbing against my toe bones. 

This morning’s run: