Summer is Here

One way to make the heat in my local hills seem like nothing, I mean absolutely nothing,  is to run in Corona (Riverside county).  This of course I did last weekend.  Then, on Thursday, I hit the trails again.  This time in my normal stomping grounds, Aliso/Wood Canyons.  I took off for the trails during the afternoon precisely to get myself more accustomed to the heat.  It felt like a cool spring day compared to the treacherous heat in Corona.  It truly was a lovely summer day with blue skies, a hot sun and a semi-cool breeze. 

I stepped over a gopher snake in Aliso Canyon.  With its tail end sticking out of the brush, I could tell immediately he was not a rattler.  Then I turned into an empty Wood Canyon, empty because few venture out into these canyons during the afternoon in the summertime.  About two and a half miles in, I hopped over Wood Creek onto Mathis and made a quick turn onto Coyote Run.  Coyote Run meanders in and out of deep shade, where I stopped to take in the beauty and fully cool down. 

Coyote Run Trail: 

From Coyote Run, I opted for the rigorous trail called Rock-It, duly named for its white rock floor.  Feeling stronger than I have in a long time, I took that trail to West Ridge.  On Rock-It I encountered my first people on these trails today – two different groups of hikers, 5 people total. 

Rock-It Trail:

Though it seemed relatively cool to me, I surmised that it was not so for others by the looks on their faces as I made my way up West Ridge to Top of the World.  And then as I progressed, a fire truck with lights swirling drove down the ridge, and after that two more emergency vehicles.  When I arrived to the Top of the World, I found a vantage point where I could see a rescue effort way down on Car Wreck Trail.  My best guess was that heat exhaustion had overcome a hiker along that steep, exposed trail.  I think this because there was no helicopter evacuation.  It seems like when someone is physically injured, say a broken leg or such, a helicopter transports the victim out of the canyons.  (I never heard what happened, but am hoping that no news means good news). 

Anyway, I closed up my loop by running down Meadows Trail, totaling 11.41 miles with 1,329’ of elevation gain.  I felt fine afterward.  However, my foot was wasted back at home.  I really am not sure what I am going to do about this.  I limped around all night, and woke this morning still in pain.  I skipped a run this morning, instead went for the gym membership.  I am stumped and a little dismayed.  Perhaps I will throw in the towel, get an MRI and take some months off.   I really am at odds about this.  Most of the time I am in denial and don’t think about what I should do.  But now, a calm has come over me, as I realize that the time is ideal to slow down and try to get healed.