How to force yourself through a 20 mile trail run, when you don’t wanna

Woke to a 4 AM alarm, packed my gear, changed for a run, then decided I needed more sleep.  Set my alarm for 6:00 AM, fell asleep on the couch.  When the alarm rang out, I reset it for 6:30 AM, and then later, reset it again for 7:30 AM.  Mistake.

I finally rolled out of the driveway at 7:45 AM and drove an hour to the Holy Jim Trailhead.  After applying sunscreen for the hot morning sun, I stepped out of the truck.  That’s when I, and the inside of my truck were promptly swarmed by gnats.  “I’m sorry,” I told myself.  “But I just can’t do this AGAIN.”  And so, I drove out of the canyon, the entire time fighting against the inner voices that go bash, bash, bash against thyself. 

I decided to stop by my house to give hubby his ATM card.  I got a chance to say hello to my boys and their friends.  Then I drove off again, headed to Aliso/Wood Canyons.  I did not start running until 10:15 AM.  And the weather was already HOT.

I planned on a ten mile loop that I would run twice.  By the top of my first climb, I realized a double loop was not a good idea.  The misery level was just too high today, and I didn’t think that I’d have the mental power to continue onward after the first loop with my truck so close by.  For the next 5 or so rolling miles, I focused on staying in the moment and off and on, thought about how I might alter my plan and still come up with a 20 mile run.

Yummy looking Prickly Pears on Cholla Trail (I have never tried one, but these look scrumptious, if I could figure out how to pick one without a thousand tiny thorns imbedding my fingers):

3 miles in (up), at Top of the World,  the real heat has just begun:

As I ran down Mentally Sensitive Trail, I had no idea that I would eventually concoct a route that later included climbing up Mentally Sensitive.  That’s okay.  An unclear plan made running down the steepest trail in the park delightful, scary sometimes yes, slow sometimes yes, but delightful nonetheless.  By the time I reached Aliso Canyon where I would connect up with the last part of Mentally Sensitive and Meadows Trail, a runner came barreling toward Mentally Sensitive for the climb up.  I thought he was crazy.

By the time I reached Wood Canyon, where I would normally turn left for a loop, I decided to instead turn right and run out as far as I could.  Get as far away from the truck as possible was my plan.  That way, I’d have no choice but to continue this 20+ mile route, else I wouldn’t get back to my truck. 

At the ranger station, I drenched myself in cold water, and took off for Laguna Niguel Lake.  This meant crossing a busy street.   But that was well-worth it.  Laguna Niguel Lake was cool, shady and sprinkled with drinking fountains throughout.  At a little over 10 miles on my garmin, I turned around and headed back.  Before leaving the lake, I filled my pack to the brim and re-drenched my bandana which I now wore upon my head.

Running down Mentally Sensitive:

Laguna Niguel Lake:

Though still quite warm, miles 10 through 15 were bearable.  Not quick, but bearable.  At the base of Mentally Sensitive, I ran out of gas.  I mean, I felt like I could not run another step.  I forced down some more calories and began to power hike that climb.  Pretty quickly in, I hit a stubborn wall, found some shade and sat until I regained energy.  I sat more than once in the shade during that one mile climb.  And I felt no shame about it.  I figured this was the only way I was going to have the strength to run in the last 5 miles.

Sitting in the dirt on Mentally Sensitive Trail where shade is scarce:

Finally!  At the top of Mentally Sensitive:

I recovered pretty quickly for the final 5 mile stretch.  Actually, I was amazed that I was able to run those last five miles.  Mind you, I ran at a snail’s pace.   I hunted down a couple of short-cuts, to no avail, which ended up wasting more energy.  The last quarter mile to my truck, I peeled off my pack and walked back up through Canyon View Park.  My energy was spent.  SPENT. 

I am actually a little proud of myself for pulling this off with such a late start – especially since I spent the first few minutes of my running trying to figure out a way that I could get out of running Twin Peaks come October.  I’m just going to force myself, like I did today.

Free Spartan Race Goes to . . .

Thank you for all the comments.  I held the drawing tonight.  My son blindly picked the winner of the Spartan Race.  The winner of the free race goes to Maggie.  (Maggie, please e-mail me within 2 weeks from tomorrow, Friday the 13th.  Click “View my complete profile” on right panel of this page & click on e-mail link to do so): 

 

Thanks to all for reading.  For all readers, use this link for a 15% off code for qualifying Spartan Races: http://bit.ly/spartanwarrior

Thanks again!

The Chase

Late this morning I ran The Big Lollipop Loop at Aliso/Wood Canyons.  I have run this route frequently, both clockwise and counterclockwise.  Today I ran clockwise, which gets the toughest part over within 4 miles. 

The weather was breezy and cool, wonderfully so.  I spotted lots of coyote and deer tracks, some snake tracks, and fewer bobcat tracks.  Except for squirrels, bunnies and lizards, I’ve seen very few wildlife lately in the coastal hills.  I’m sure this is due to the fact that the park has been so crowded over summer break.

Running Meadows Trail toward Mentally Sensitive (for a huge climb):

FINALLY peaking Mentally Sensitive, I’m off for some bushwhacking into Moulton Park (a city park along the ridge):

Woo-Wee:

After a long run along the ridge, coming off Cholla Trail to make the turn in this loop (entering Wood Canyon):

I ran past a field with about three miles remaining of this thirteen  mile run and saw my first coyote today.  Normally, I don’t stop for every coyote.  But this one had a particularly beautiful reddish coat.  I stopped across the field from the wild dog and began snapping photos.

There she is (click for a larger view):

Well, this beaut appeared nervous, backing further and further from me.  That’s when I noticed a large doe hiding in the brush behind her.  The doe went unnoticed, still as a statue.  Eventually the coyote turned from me and ran into the bush, straight on into the doe.  It all happened so quickly, I’m amazed how much went through my mind.  It’s times like these, that I don’t think actual words went through my mind, but instead concepts and ideas.  Translated into words, this is what I thought:  What the heck is going to happen?  The coyote is a predator; the doe is not.  But the doe is so much larger.  I imagined the coyote lurching at the deer out of fear and perhaps a brawl ensuing.  But this was not the case.  Instead . . .

The coyote ran straight on into the doe and in one motion turned and ran back out into the open field.  Simultaneously, the deer charged after the coyote, both running at tremendous speeds.  I just clicked my camera as I watched in awe.  Eventually, the coyote escaped into the brush. 

Coyote unknowingly walking up on a doe:

The chase is on (again, click for perhaps a better view):

Well, those last few miles of running were tough.  But the chase provided a great deal of exhilaration and helped push me in to finish up those 13.30 miles.

Great, tiring run.

Today is the anniversary of the 9-11 attacks; tonight I’m finding it difficult to concentrate on writing this entry.  God Bless all the heroes that day, and all the families who were touched by this horrific act.

Drenched

Thank goodness the heat finally broke.  Or so I thought!  I hit the hills about 10AM; I had beautiful cool breezes.  But humidity was high, high, high.  By the time I finished my 6.42 mile hilly run to Top of the World and back, I was drenched in sweat.  Seriously, my hair was as wet as if I had just washed it.    My clothing was sopping.  Awesome.  It was a difficult run.  But someone had to do it. 

A little over a month remains before Twin Peaks Ultra.  I will never be ready.  But such is the story of my life.  I will do the best I can.

Happy running!

Misery Well Worth It

I completed day 12 of my fitness streak (from the Fitness Streakers Facebook group).  Very few of those days have been running because I prefer the air-conditioned gym to the sweltering heat on the trails.  This of course adds to my stress-level because I need to run.  I love trails. 

This morning, I overslept for an early morning mountain run.  I went to church with my family instead.  Afterward, I thought I’d get in some more gym time.  Then I decided, No way!  Suck it up, Lauren.  Get out there and put in some miles in this heat. 

And that is what I did. 

1PM, I ran through Moulton Park in Laguna Beach toward Mentally Sensitive Trail.  I ran down that insanely steep trail into Aliso Viejo.  This took a lot of concentration, else I fall off the edge.  I jumped from side to side of the eroded single track.  Quite often I stepped directly to my side to slow my pace.  This fancy footwork maneuvering the downhill kept my mind off the heat.  When the trail finally leveled out, I ran through a desolate, brown field, in 93 degrees Fahrenheit with 92% humidity. 

Ouch.  

Prepared to descend upon Mentally Sensitive:

Mentally Sensitive levels out:

Aliso and Wood Canyons was practically empty today.  I came upon two hikers in Wood Canyon and two mountain bikers a little later.  The trails were still.  The woods were quiet.  The air was so thick, I had some difficulty breathing.  The only reason I didn’t cut this ten mile loop short by running up any of the drastic hills to the ridge, is because I wanted a more gradual climb.  Gradual of course is relative. 

Wood Canyon:

I ran the ridge alone, and needed to rest two or three times in the shade.  Then I came upon my trail friend A-Rod.  We stopped and chatted for a short bit, as a young man stood to his side.  I was a little delirious I think, because I couldn’t get out the word “humidity.”  I tried three times when A-Rod offered me his inhaler.  I declined, then asked about his friend.  “He’s my son,” said A-Rod.  This shocked the heck out of me.  I looked at his son and almost asked, “What high school do you go to?”  And then, AND THEN, in my heated, misery kind of dumbness, I asked, “Are you a man or a boy?”  I laughed out loud when I said this.  So did A-Rod’s son – “I’m 27,” he said. 

The break, friendly faces, and a good chuckle gave me the strength I needed to continue on up to Top of the World.  Thank God for Top of the World.  I was plumb out of fluids. I refilled my pack and drenched myself down as well.  I took off refreshed for the last 2.5 miles of this run.

As I ran that last mile upon the dry desert-like terrain, a breeze came along. I was completely alone out on the ridge making my way back up to a high point.  All vegetation was chewed to the ground from the goats that occasionally roam there.  My head cover blew in the wind, and out there in the middle of nowhere, I felt like a desert nomad.  I felt tranquil and comforted and thought to myself, all that misery was worth this very moment.

The Adventure:

Spartan Race Give-Away

I have another Spartan race entry to give away.  Leave me a comment.  If you’re the only comment, YOU WIN!!.  If I have more than one comment, I’ll have a drawing, and you could still win.   (The entry is good for 2013/2014 in the continental U.S.)

I’ve finally decided I’m going for it.  I’m going to register for a Spartan Race – it’s a 5k, so I can do the miles  But can I hack the obstacles?  We shall see. 

The big news is that NBC has partnered up with Spartan races.  And so now you’ll be able to see what all the excitement is about.  NBC is televising a Spartan World Championship race at the end of this month.  They will be filming 8 professional athletes and 4 everyday Spartans in Killington Vermont.  (Still time for you to register!) 

500,000 people are expected to run Spartan Race this year.  Looks like I’m going to be one of them! 

Learn more about Spartan Races and how they are becoming quite a phenomenon in this interesting article from Business Week:

Calling on Muddy Spartans to Save Reebok

ps.  Don’t forget to leave me a comment if you want a free race code.

pss. Re-cap to come in December when I run my Spartan Sprint.

Split Shift

I drove to the trailhead under darkness.  The last five miles is off road and took 30 minutes to drive.  I waited for the sky to lighten before venturing out of the truck.  I was ready.  I was ready to run up the mountain.  A ranger drove up just as I made my first steps.  He told me that they had a dozen rescues over the weekend.  I’m so glad one of those wasn’t for me.

A half mile into my run up Holy Jim gnats swarmed my face.  “Embrace the gnats,” I told myself.  That’s what I always tell myself.  And it works. 

Embrace the gnats!

As the forest thickened, the gnats doubled, tripled.  I breathed them up my nose.  They flew into my ears.  And they flew behind my glasses and into my eyes.  I swiped at them just so that I could breathe freely.  Then I changed my plan.  I’d just run up to the top of Holy Jim and come back (as opposed to running to the peak). 

Those tiny flies were relentless!  They followed me even when I ran higher up the trail.  Soon, my ability to embrace the gnats disappeared. 

At about mile two a bee stung my head.  I must have taken off my hat at one point, then put it back on over a bee.  Well, I didn’t know for sure if the sting came from a bee or a hornet.  A bee only stings once, a hornet can sting again and again.  You can understand why I wanted that thing off my head in a hurry.  I tore my hat off and grasped at the flying insect that was tangled in my hair.  I pulled at it again and again until I finally loosened the thing.  And I flung it to the ground.  (I couldn’t find it, but I think it was a bee).  Well, I had enough of this.  I turned around and ran back to the truck for a total of a 4.12 mile run. 

Second Shift

About 3:30 PM I took off in my truck headed for trails in San Juan Capistrano that run alongside Trabuco Creek.  I do believe, can’t be sure, but I’m pretty positive that when I ran this trail last June or July, I said that I would NEVER run this trail in the summer again.

For good reason!  Arroyo Trabuco trail was hot as hell today.

Yay!  Some shade:

Though a tiny portion of the trail looked like this --

Most of the time the trail looked like this --

And most of the time, I looked like this – utterly miserable:

I managed to run 8.28 miles in the afternoon with a split shift total of 12.40 miles.  The best thing about today’s runs was that I was running (oh, and that I didn’t die). Other than that, they pretty much sucked (excuse my language).  I’m ready for summer to end.