Friday the 13th

I woke to the realization that today is Friday the 13th.  Now, didn’t we just recently have a Friday the 13th?  In fact, haven’t we had several this year already, like more than usual?  Turns out NO.  This is our first of the year.  August 2010 was the last Friday the 13th.  Perhaps I was just dreaming.  Because I do that a lot.  Dream.

Never did I believe in the superstitious Friday the 13th.  When I was a young lady, perhaps teen (maybe I’m dreaming again, and I was in my thirties lol), the Friday the 13th movies came out.  I was a bit spooked over the date after that.  Probably since then, not a Friday the 13th passes without at least a pause.  The silly-girlish-like me thought this morning, “Today would be a perfect day for a fall or a snake bite on my run.”  Tell me!  Who thinks that?  L.O.L. (Seriously, if you think things like this comment and let me know!)

In fact, the day was just the opposite for my run.  This Friday the 13th was a lucky day.  Lucky, because the sun didn’t come out until the end of my run (Yes, I know the sun is beautiful, but when you’re running up Meadows Trail, the sun is an unwelcome visitor).  This Friday the 13th was also lucky because I didn’t see a single snake.  Wait, I take that back.  I would have loved to have seen a snake, so I guess it was unlucky in that respect.  But it was a lucky day because I didn’t get struck by a snake (even luckier that a tick did not attach – I hate ticks!).   And though mountain bikers roamed the trails in freakish numbers, I experienced not a single near-miss.  My run was lucky also because the breeze was cool.  My form felt good.  And I even finished this run in time for my first school pick-up.

I was a picture taking fool, I admit, so happy I was to run today.  The best part, slowly but surely, some parts of my new form are becoming habit.  For example, I keep my head up a good 90% of the time.  My strike is always mid-foot and I “kick” out the back.  I’ve got my arms down pretty good also.  The biggest problem is keeping my core engaged, especially on uphills.  Without that core engaged, that lean at the ankles  that Chi-Running is famous for (and natural running in general) is impossible.  (An “engaged” core kind of feels like a pelvis tilt, or like you’re just about to do a crunch.)

Scenes from the first Friday the 13th of 2011:

Entering Meadows Trail (Notice the nice flat single track) – Not for long, soon sweat will pour.

Some of the spring beauty that lingers in the coastal hills of Southern California (Meadows Trail)

A quick stop nearing the top of Meadows Trail.  The brown meadow in the flatlands (about mid photo) is about a quarter mile into Meadows Trail.

Happily, joyfully posing at the top of Meadows Trail.  Can you believe the Pacific Ocean is behind me? In real life, I could see it, though not clearly, and it was as calm as a lake.  (I kind of look like a Blue Cross worker or perhaps Florence Nightingale with that hat : )

Running along ridge, looking down on Meadows Trail (I ran up on the right).

Top of Mathis Trail with warnings that I can’t run it to the end.  I must take a detour up Drippin Cave.  Ahhhh bummer.

Running Down Meadows Trail toward Wood Canyon (& Dripping Cave Trail), Aliso Canyon in the far distance.

Entering Dripping Cave Trail, Ahh, lovely shade as the sun appears.

One of my favorite places in Aliso/Wood Canyons (Dripping Cave), the rocks are covered with moss.  Notice poison oak in bottom left corner.

More Dripping Cave Running (parallel to Wood Canyon Trail).  Must run carefully here, as this is the scene of one of my bad falls.

Relaxing, just a bit in Dripping Cave (AKA Robbers Cave).  Can’t stay long, need to get to school to pick up son.

Leaving Dripping Cave.  Fairyland.  This picture doesn’t even do the scene justice. 

Miles run today:  9.50 (for those familiar with Aliso/Wood Canyons, my route was Aliso Creek Trail to Wood Canyon where I quickly hopped onto Meadows Trail up to Top of the World.  From there I ran Park Avenue Nature Trail to West Ridge.  Then I ran down Mathis and took a short detour up Dripping Cave to end back on Wood Canyon.  Then I ran it back in on Aliso Creek Trail to finish this run.) I felt good and strong.  But by the time I arrived to my son’s school, I felt like I needed to vomit, as I only took in 100 calories on the run (and drank only a 230 calorie breakfast).  Not good planning.  But I still call this a LUCKY day.

Working on Form

Today I set off for a run specifically to work on my Chi Running form, oh ya, and to see how my hair cut works with my runs.   (Worked pretty good, short enough that no need today to get it off my neck with pigtails.)

I didn’t work on speed, I didn’t care about cardio.  I didn’t work on elevation today.  Today was sort of a lackadaisical run, sort of, because I had planned my run (which isn’t very lackadaisical), but then changed my mind at the end and took a minor detour.  My goals were to enjoy myself and to focus on form, specifically, my step. 

I ran a relatively flat route, Aliso Creek Trail, which begins paved, and up Wood Canyon.  Giving myself permission to stop and snap photos, I took the opportunity to check my column, making sure that it was straight.

My run was definitely different.  I cannot say that it was effortless.  But I felt stronger.  Much stronger.  And the effort I used to run my usual pace, even slightly faster, seemed less.  Occasionally, effort increased, in other words, I could feel my legs working harder.  I’d check my form while running, and sure enough, my core was not “engaged”, specifically, my pelvis was tilted forward.  Almost miraculously, effort decreased when I fixed that. 

Though I focused on my step, other corrections came to mind, as I noticed them immediately when they’d occur (it’s funny how your body gets used to doing things a certain way, and it wants so much to keep on doing it that way).  For example, my arms – when I kept them bent at less than 90 degrees with the elbows not passing my column, I felt even stronger.  Then every so often, I’d find them just kind of hanging out there, swinging out front.  Correction and strength returned.

At my turnaround, I felt extremely pleased at feeling some progress this early.  To celebrate, I took a little detour for some sight seeing on Cave Rock Trail.  Then I ran back on in to the ranger station feeling as strong as when I first took off.  (A few times back in, I caught myself looking to the ground, which I quickly corrected.) 

I’m going to need to work on this for a long time to get all the “focuses” working together.  I will say that my step much improved with today’s 9.3 miles.  And I’ll repeat, that while the run was not actually easy, it was comfortable, fun and most importantly, I felt strong.

Spring flowers on Wood Canyon Trail

Crossing Creek in Wood Canyon

Crossing over bridge on Wood Canyon Trail

More beauty in wood Canyon

Detour up Cave Rock Trail

Running down The Rock

Rattler crossing as I run final stretch on Aliso Creek Trail