Finishing up the Wretchedness

The skies have been dark, cold and gloomy the past few days.  Yet, no rain.  Today, I set out on hilly trails in Aliso/Wood Canyons beneath these dark moist skies, trying to kick troubles from my mind.  It wasn’t until the rains came down as I ran through green meadows, that I was finally able to let go.  When I write “let go,” I mean to run in the moment, to think about nothing, to just be in the present.  And the present only.

I encountered some difficulty maintaining this, as the outside world pounded on my brain to be let in.  I relented and let it in occasionally.  I’ll tell you what though – climbing up Mentally Sensitive (see the steepest climb in profile below) took all my troubles and dashed them on the rocks.  In a nutshell, the climb was murder.  The best thing about it was finishing up the wretchedness.  After that trial, it was all pretty much easy going from then on.  Best thing was, I received a text message from a good friend that I haven’t heard from in a long time.  Bad thing was, she was in town, and I was too far to get to her in time.  Still, I enjoyed the awesomeness of this spring day, rain, intruding troubles, steep climbs and all!

Here’s to trying to running ridiculously difficult climbs.

Miles run:  11.02  Route:  Aliso Creek Trail, Wood Canyon, Meadows, Mentally Sensitive, Top of the World, West Ridge, Mathis, Wood Canyon, Cave Rock Trail, Wood Canyon, Aliso Creek Trail

Back in the Saddle

I love not training!  I got out on the trails this morning and I did not think about negative splits, pace or how I need to improve.  I merely had a set number of hours that I got to “play” in the wilderness.

I took off on Aliso Creek Trail with the creek to my left flowing heavier than usual.  My calves started off stiff on this partially paved trail.  I stopped about 3/4’s of a mile in to stretch.  Onward I ran toward Wood Canyon, never to feel that stiffness in my calves the remainder of today’s run.  The skies were deep blue with white puffy clouds.  The weather was perfectly cool.  I barely grew warm enough to roll up the sleeves of my new Twin Peaks shirt. 

With no route planned today, I ran an old favorite, Cave Rock Trail.  I noticed an amazingly blue bird flutter in the leaves.  And then a reddish-brown hawk flew above.  But I couldn’t get my camera out quick enough for a picture.  So, I merely got back into the moment and kicked into a grove on the downhill back into Wood Canyon. 

Cave Rock dumped me out back onto Wood Canyon Trail.  I startled a female runner when I popped out onto the trail.  It’s easy to miss Cave Rock.  Even when you notice the trail, you aren’t apt to take it.  From appearances it doesn’t look like much of a trail, more like a little trip around a big rock.  Runners can’t see that the rock goes on and on.  It took me a few years to finally run it. 

From Wood Canyon, I made one creek crossing, then took Mathis Trail.  But I didn’t take that sharp incline to the ridge.  Instead, I ran another little unknown trail called Nature Loop.  It’s a magical single-track, ridgeline trail with tremendous views of all the main thoroughfares.  Nature Loop is one of those trails where you can see everything, but no one can see you. 

Creek Crossing on Mathis Trail: 

Nature Loop:  Going up . . .

Nature Loop (perhaps the best kept secret in the park) dumps out onto Coyote Run Trail.  I love Coyote Run, but sometimes it bores me with its length.  This is where Nature Loop helps.  It cuts off about half of Coyote Run. 

I saw my second person on the trails today on Coyote Run – he was a mountain biker.  We approached head-on.  I moved to the right.  He did the same.  I love it when it all works! 

Coyote Run:

Coyote Run dumps back out onto Wood Canyon Trail.  I didn’t see any other person and enjoyed running the canyon to its end.  Then I ran up Cholla Trail to West Ridge.  I picked up my speed on West Ridge, so happy to finally run trails for the sake of running trails.  Lovely! 

I didn’t summit today.  Why?  Because I didn’t want to.  No, not really.  I didn’t have the time.  Instead, I blasted down Mathis, to make this an 11 mile run and get back in time to stretch and drive home in time to shower and dress for work.

I love runs like these.

A quick stop on West Ridge to “point out” Saddleback Mountains:

Elevation profile:  I opted for a gradual climb to the ridge.  Really . . . I’m serious:

Labor Day Run

Labor Day has always marked the end of summer for us, even though it’s not the official end of summer.  This day has always been the last holiday before school resumes.  The boys go back to school on Wednesday.  (I go back to work somewhere around then, depending on enrollment numbers).  So, I suppose I can call today’s run the last run of summer.  (Therefore, HEAT – go away!!)

Turns out that oh, a few hundred mountain bikers decided to take their last ride of the summer at the same place I chose for my last run – Aliso/Wood Canyons.  I started off strong (though slowly) and chose to zig-zag my way through the wilderness, going up the hardest trail first:  Mentally Sensitive.  I didn’t mind so much running Meadows to get there, jumping out of the way for mountain bikers every few minutes or so. 

No one else dared going up or down Mentally Sensitive on this sunny, hot, last-day-of-summer Labor Day.  I had a enjoyable hard time of it myself.  Toward the top, I opted on some bushwhacking for a trip into a local park.  I came across a few other female runners in the park.  They looked so nice and fresh with matching attire and shoes, whereas, dirt already caked my legs and clothing.  I’m making up for all the dirt I didn’t play around in as a young girl. 

I took a quick run down Meadows back to Wood Canyon, completely annoyed by the twenty or so mountain bikers FLYING down that steep switch-back.  Now, I don’t want to complain too much about mountain bikers.  When I run in the mountains, I only meet polite riders.  And in the coastal hills, I’ve met many wonderful cyclists.  But today, the numbers were just too great, which meant those riders that ride as fast as they can inches away from hikers and runners, were out in greater numbers.  Each time they flew by me, they left a spray of dirt in my face.  Not fun, especially with temperatures rising.

Meadows Trail (going down):

Back in the canyon, I opted for trails where I rarely see mountain bikers.  Cave Rock for example, does not even allow bikes.  I did notice a multitude of tire tread prints, but enjoyed the trail alone.

Cave Rock:

Back in the canyon, I ran onto Dripping Cave.  A group of 50 or so hikers made their way out as I ran in.  I skipped the cave, as heat was increasing and I wanted to get as many miles in as possible.  I got to pass a few mountain bikers who stopped to walk their bikes up the inclines of Dripping Cave.  We all thoroughly enjoyed the shady downhill to Mathis Trail. 

Dripping Cave Trail:

I ran up Mathis, the merciless trail toward the ridge with absolutely no shade.  I met several pleasant cyclists and hikers struggling their way up as well.  Those riding down left so much dirt in their wake that my mood began to waiver.  I made West Ridge in one piece, but wanted to toss a handful of dirt at the cyclists as they rode down.  I just wanted them to experience a fine mist of dirt thrown in their face while riding.  Perhaps they didn’t know.  I mean, would they ride so quickly down, so closely to other people, spraying dirt into runners’/hikers’ faces if they knew?  I resolved to think they didn’t know, but decided not to throw dirt in their faces.

Good thing I didn’t act so severely, because I would have felt very badly when I ran toward Top of the World, past a fire truck on a rescue (probably a mountain biker).  And then later as I ran along West Ridge, I stood with a group of bikers and hikers as we all watched a helicopter attempt to land for another rescue.  We couldn’t see the hurt individual, the trails the helicopter hovered told me, the wounded had to be a biker.

Top of the World:

With a full pack after refilling at Top of the World, I ran along West Ridge with dread over the heat I’d encounter for the remaining run (as I was running away from the ranger station at this point).  I felt extremely over-heated and the thought of running back down through the canyons for FIVE miles did not appeal to me.  When I reached the end of West Ridge, I had all intentions of running back down into the canyon.  But then I did something that I have never done.  No.  I didn’t phone my husband to come pick me up.  I’ve done that before.  I ran straight out of the park into the suburbs. 

I simply couldn’t take running through that oven of a canyon full of speeding mountain bikers and opted for the streets instead.  Yes, I willingly chose road running over trails – road running with shaded sidewalks and slight breezes, no dirt in the face.  I wasn’t even exactly sure how to make it back to the ranger station using streets, but I had a notion. 

I made it back just fine.  And it turns out that my detour out of the wilderness ended up being the EXACT same mileage as if I were to have run back through the canyons – five miles, making today’s last-day-of-summer, Labor Day run 16 miles long.

Leaving the wilderness for a street run:

The Profile:

Low Point in Training

I can’t get my groove lately, and I’m experiencing a momentary lapse of progress in my training.  For a while there, I felt stronger, I ran faster, I finished faster.  I’m guessing about a week and a half ago fatigue hit me like a brick wall.  Suddenly, I feel weak, I’m running slower and finishing even slower.  I won’t even get started on the negative self-talk that’s been whirling around my head.

I kept Friday as scheduled, a rest day.  Today, Saturday, was my scheduled long run.  I woke at 4:30 AM, walked out to the living room and said to myself, “I. JUST. CANNOT. DO. IT.”  Knowing that I will get my groove back, hopefully very soon, I nicely kicked my son off the couch (why was he sleeping on the couch?) and fell back asleep on the couch.  I woke every hour, on the hour after that, when I finally awoke for good at 9:00 AM. 

I decided to swap today’s training with tomorrow’s, and go for a ten mile run this afternoon.  My feet hit dirt around 12:30 PM.  Extremely hot out there, I felt sluggish at the start.  A half mile in, I thought I just can’t do this.  But I trudged on in the blistering heat anyway.  After a mile and a half I decided, heck, just visit some of your favorite nearby places in Wood Canyon, chuck the training, simply run and enjoy the scenery.

And then the pressure was off.  The next mile was still tough.  But after a rest in a naturally air conditioned cave called Dripping Cave, the remaining miles were bearable, and there were even fleeting moments of enjoyment.

Who knows if I’ll get my long run in tomorrow.  I am definitely burned-out.  We shall see. : )  On the good side, I got some more pictures.  LOL.  Thanks for reading!

A Squished Scorpion:

Short-cut up Cave Rock:

Glorious shade on the way to Dripping Cave:

Dripping Cave:

Waiting for my groove (ha, ha) next to Wood Creek:

Running back (yay!) on Aliso Creek Trail:

Miles run this afternoon:  5.38

Now, That’s MUCH Better!

Confession:  Sometimes I wear a knee brace for no reason at all.  Like right now, I’m sitting in front of the t.v. in my pajamas, my knees feel great.  Then I looked to my gym bag, saw the brace and pulled it up beneath my pant leg up to my left knee.  What’s up with that? 

Today, I was scheduled for another ten mile run.  After yesterday’s hellish heat run, I’m surprised I made it out to the trails.  I felt a bit fatigued at first, but that was probably because I hit the dirt at 7:00 AM.  Ahhhhh, what a difference – overcast skies, lots of trees and plenty of fluids.  Now, that’s much, much better!

You can see from my pictures how very fortunate I was (& am).

Running Cave Rock Trail in the morning, not a soul in sight:

Lovely Cave Rock Trail:

Frolicking through the woods on my way to Dripping Cave:

Can never resist a picture in Dripping Cave (AKA Robber’s Cave):

A Dudleya’s bloom along Dripping Cave:

A favorite spot along Dripping Cave Trail that I usually run up instead of down – I don’t think I ran it much faster going down:

Ending up Dripping Cave Trail to meet up with Mathis Trail (one trail here that I usually avoid running up):

Running up Mathis, which isn’t so bad, ESPECIALLY after yesterday’s run:

Top of the World in sight from Mathis Trail:

About to descend again beneath the clouds as I run down Meadows Trail:

Elevation Profile – and what a delightful profile she was:

Putting My Fun Back Into My Run

I wasn’t really sure what “over-training” meant.  I thought it had to involve an injury of some sort, something like a repetitive injury, or at the very least extreme physical fatigue.  I’ll tell what I’ve learned training for my upcoming race – I have definitely over-trained.  But I am not injured and I am not extremely physically fatigued.  I have over-trained to the point of severe MENTAL fatigue. 

For a long time now, the mental battle with running extreme courses has always been the toughest for me.  And with  this recent training, I have become so mentally tired that my confidence plummeted, my negative self-talk reared it’s ugly head.  I also began overly fretting over this upcoming race.  (Wait, I’m more than overly fretting.  I’m freaking-out.)  I have had no desire to run since my Palm Sunday run, and as such, I haven’t.  That just isn’t me.  I did a some upper body work-outs (not much), some floor exercises (again not much).  I even packed for a run and never went.

Today, I pretty much just forced myself to the trails.  I told myself, “You’re no longer training.  YOU ARE ALLOWED TO HAVE FUN.  Play girl.  Go play!”

And that is just what I did.  The run didn’t start out fun.  It started out tiring, like my brain simply said, “No, no, no, not again!”  But when I stopped for a quick picture at my regular photo-op – Meadows Trail – I suddenly began to let loose.  I looked forward to running up Meadows for fun.  No repeats.  No trying to beat a clock.  Just for fun.  I’m not saying that the run up Meadows wasn’t difficult.  It was stress-free.  I actually stopped twice to look around and take in the beauty.

Meadows Trailhead:

Entering Meadows, A Deliciously Deceitful Trail:

A Quick Pose Before Steep Run To The Top:

Top of the World, The Prize:

Car Wreck Trail, How Do I Run Thee?  Carefully, But With A Smile:

The Wreck:

More Of Car Wreck Trail, A Hidden Gem Within The Park:

Hopping Onto Dripping Cave, An Old Friend:

Saying “Hello” To My Old Friend:

Leaving Dripping Cave:

After Hitting Dripping Cave, I Set Off For Cave Rock Trail:

I Love This Rock:

Elevation Profile Of Today’s Fun Run:

Satellite: