Day 50

Today was the 50th day of my running streak.  Fifty was a big day as far as I was concerned, so I didn’t want to use a “minimum card,” and run a couple miles.  But time was short and gasoline was low.  You see, today was early-out day for my two youngest children, which means they ended school about 2 hours early.  AND it’s late-in day for my oldest, which means that he went to school a WHOLE HOUR LATE. 

There wasn’t a chance in heck that I wasn’t running today.  I packed a rain jacket in my hydration pack because we were supposed to get a downpour.  Actually, I hoped for lots of rain.  I thought that would make day 50 big!  With little time and little gasoline I felt it ideal to leave my truck in the boys’ school lot and run.  I ran out to the bike trail and headed toward Santiago Peak.  I knew that I wasn’t going to get far, but I wanted to see if I could learn something, anything new.  We learn something new every day, right?

The river walk (aka) bike trail where Trabuco Creek meets San Juan Creek:

Though the weather was cold for my parts, and the sky gray, I overheated pretty quickly and had those gloves off in a jiffy.  I was really hoping for rain also, so I could get that rain jacket out of my pack.  It made me feel heavier than usual. 

After running the river walk to its end, I ran through some neighborhoods to pick up the El Camino Real trail that coincidentally runs through El Camino Real Park.    Zig-zagging through the park, I crossed the train tracks to pick up Trabuco Creek Trail.

El Camino Real Park (why did I take a picture here – well, it’s right in front of the restrooms, and since I was already stopped, I thought this was a good time to strike a pose):

I felt good when my feet hit dirt.  Amazingly strong.  I really had no idea that I could run 50 days in a row.  My confidence (in running ONLY) has been lifted.  Then my heart lifted when I came head-on with the creek.  I crossed it gleefully, then ran beneath the train tracks onward to the orange groves.

I found the orange groves so lovely that I had to stop and take another photo.  And here’s what I learned today:  DO NOT sit down in this field – not if you don’t want a thousand microscopic thorns poking in your hands and legs, plus about fifty tinee, tiny green aphids crawling all about your skin (Oops.  I totally forgot to search for tics.  LOL.  These adventures – they are so fun to reminisce about & I just did a quick tic check : )

Stopping to spy on a lady bug before taking off, I brushed off the aphids and did my best to wipe away the stickers.  I was laughing though.  Why?  Because this is me:  The middle-aged woman who runs from her childrens’ school and sits down in a patch of grass to photograph herself without thinking about things like STICKERS and bugs.

So, the rain did fall on my run, but hardly.  I barely even felt the drops.  And it wasn’t nearly enough to take out the rain jacket.  Still I hoped (but to no avail).

Running onward, I made my way beneath the freeways more comfortably this time.  Still, I kept alert, as it is dark, and there’s so many nooks and  crannies (hiding places) beneath Interstate Five. 

Approaching the “Bridge that’s not the answer.”

A little after mile five I turned around and began my run back, but not before seeing a man on his tip-toes looking into the backyard of a house.  That spooked me some.  I of course thought the worst, figuring he was casing the joint for a burglary or something.  By the time I returned, he was gone.  

After running the trails and El Camino Real Park, I decided to make a run through The Los Rios District, which is an historic area in our parts, dating back to the 1800’s.  I love all the colors there, even on this gray day. 

Back at Trabuco Creek:

Cutting through the train station to Los Rios District:

Lots of delightful scenes crossed my eyes during my run through the “district,” but I couldn’t stand around and take pictures all day, like I would wish to.  Here are just a couple:

A lovely run for my 50th day, EVENTHOUGH it didn’t rain.  10.30 miles run this morning (16.58 km).