Doing Time

Today, I did my time on the trails.  Wasn’t really in the mood.  Didn’t even have that much available time.  I neglected the laundry, dishes, vacuuming however, so I could get out there.  In the process of increasing my weekly mileage, some runs it’s just about the doing time.

I ran past the “Old Corral.”  This was a working corral when when this property was part of a gigantic ranch that the Moulton family owned. 

After 4.5 miles, I ran up out of Wood Canyon, via Cholla Trail.  I struggled a little with the climb, but took opportunity to STOP and take a picture looking back into the canyon.

At mile 7.5, I reached Top of the World, stopped for a quick self-portrait.

At about mile 9, I finally reached the top of Meadows Trail.  Nice and sweaty, I was ready for that windy switch-back trail.

I joyfully ran down Meadows, following some mountain bikers who quickly left me in the dust. 

A mile later, I was running the flat portion of Meadows back into Wood Canyon to close up the loop.

12.20 miles run doing time.

STILL Not Training

I wrote that I wasn’t training (for now), and I’m sticking to it! Like I mentioned, I’m resting while running.  This morning was my “short” run, an out-and-back to Top of the World in Laguna Beach.  This is a nice hilly run, not too steep at all, but a good work-out.  Once I reached the ridge, it was rolling hills, REAL rolling hills, not those hills that some people (and I won’t mention names) call “rolling hills.”  (You know, those hills that you have to grasp at branches, scrape your knees just to climb ). 

It’s full-on autumn here, which is a delight.  But this also means that I almost always overdress.  Like I did today.  The weather was cool, even cloudy and darkish at first.  But, after climbing the first hill (Cholla Trail – not a rolling hill), I was ready to strip off the long sleeves.

But I managed.  And I managed happily. 

Here’s to running while resting!!

Cholla Trail:

Top of the World:

Looking at Saddleback Mountains:

A Day in the Life of my Easy Day

No work today, my “easy” day, my Friday.  I love “easy” days, mainly because I have more time to run. (Is that selfish?  Yup – a truth I have to accept.) 

I woke at 6 AM made a pot of coffee, let our puppy outside,  folded clothes, switched clothes to the dryer, put another load into the washer, fed our pup.  Then I poured myself a cup of coffee, checked e-mail, read a blog entry and commented.  I filled the dishwasher, washed down the counters.  After that came the fun part: waking three boys.  The oldest jumped right up because he goes to school last and has time to run off to the office and play Minecraft.  The middle boy jumped right up too, then went out to the couch and slept before the television.  It was boy number three that frustrated me.  He would not budge from bed and I finally had to rely on counting.  1 . . . 2 . . . 3 . . . He was up then too, asleep on the floor in front of the television. 

Middle boy had a stomach ache and didn’t want breakfast.  I made our youngest breakfast, then commenced to make three packed lunches, while at the same time filling my hydration pack with water and Nuun tablets.  By 7:30 AM I was out the door driving 2 boys to school.  After attending morning assembly, which consisted of the flag salute and announcements, I talked with middle boy’s teacher, then a girlfriend and drove back home for boy number three.  Thing is, I didn’t head off toward home.  I started driving to Aliso/Wood Canyons!

At home, our oldest had already made and ate his breakfast and was fully dressed when I arrived.  This is what he said to me, “Dang it!  I forgot to take a shower.”

Forgot? 

“You can’t be perfect,” I said.  “Put on some deodorant, take a shower tonight.” Some day he will appreciate my tolerance (right now, he thinks I’m probably the strictest mom in town).  Funny – he acted annoyed when I said I accidentally drove toward Aliso/Wood Canyons instead of home.

In a rush, I laced up my trail shoes, put on some running clothes while my son hollered for me from inside the truck.  So off I drove again, this time to our oldest boy’s school.  Drinking my breakfast along the way (a yogurt smoothie), I parked in the school lot, and we listened to a music cd – Pitbull.  Then he headed off with five minutes to spare. (I might add that he was angry with me for embarrassing him by “rocking out” in the car, though no one witnessed it.)

Then . . . FREEDOM.  OH FREEDOM!

In 90F+ weather, my feet hit the trails happily at Aliso/Wood Canyons. I felt a bit draggy, not exactly dragging my feet, but running slower than usual due to the heat.  Did this bother me?  No way!  I was running trails and that’s all I really wanted right then.  I decided on the “Big Loop”, that is a loop around the entire park.  I also chose a clock-wise loop because that goes UP Meadows and I like to torture myself in the heat.  

A View of Saddleback Mountains from the top of Meadows Trail (Ya!  I’ve been up there!)

View of Pacific Ocean/Laguna Beach from top of Meadows:

Though these trails were heaven, the heat was hellish, and frankly I kind of liked it, in a suffering sort of way.  Thankfully I checked my hydration pack at Top of the World, because ends up, I was nearly empty.  I refilled and headed off again onto West Ridge.  I saw only one runner, and a few mountain bikers. 

Today’s run in itself was uneventful, and that was beautiful. Truly beautiful.  If you can appreciate uneventfulness, you probably will never say these words, “I am bored.”  My children and my students all say, “I am bored.”  At this point in my life, I really can’t understand those words.  Anyway, off subject!   I found a couple more bike reflectors to add to my collection.  I said hello to perfect strangers.  I witnessed countless squirrels and bunnies scamper across the trails and through the fields.  Delightful.

Running the Canyon, Wood Creek Trail, where it’s actually hotter than the ridge.  The heat seems to get trapped in the canyon.  I took this particular photo because at this point, my calves were burning up from the sun, the heat was tremendous.

Wood Creek Trail – the prize!  Top of the World isn’t the prize, it’s more the glory.  Trails like these, they are the prize.

I include this picture only because of the effort it took catching it.  I slid down a slope to get it, tried several times to run in front of the camera in the allotted time, until I finally decided to traipse through the creek and wet my feet (and you know I’m not vain, because I absolutely HATE the way the hydration pack makes me look, kinda squished with no figure at all).

Wood Canyon Trail / Conservation Corps still working on the trails.

I ran on in slowly to the truck.  Then I drove quickly home to shower as fast as I could.  My face was crusted with salt.  For lunch I made a turkey sandwich and washed it down with a diet coke while surfing the internet, answering e-mails, etc.  Then I was back in the truck to drive to the school once again.  I hung out with other moms until the children got out.  After that I took our youngest and middle boy and went along with a girlfriend and her son and step-mother to the school’s book faire.  After spending about a half hour in the book faire, I dropped the youngest boys at home, then headed off to grocery shop.  From there, I drove to oldest boy’s school to pick him up.

Back at home, I listened to the eldest practice violin, and then middle boy practice the guitar.  I did more laundry, downloaded my garmin, answered more e-mails, gathered paperwork for a meeting tomorrow, charged the ipod.  Then it was time to start dinner while the boys and FOUR additional neighborhood boys played in the backyard. 

We ate outside tonight beneath an oversized maroon umbrella, it was so dang hot in the house,  For dinner I served carne asada steak, ranch style beans, french fries and a romaine and spinach salad.  For those who didn’t want a green salad (youngest and middle boy), they got peaches.  I had something a little different:  macaroni and cheese, a romaine and spinach salad with light Caesar dressing and wine.  : )

Alas, the day was not finished.  I cleared the backyard table, emptied the dishwasher, filled the dishwasher, prompted homework.  Then there was more laundry to do.  After that – fast forward, with the children all in bed, I put the computer on my lap, answered e-mails and began this blog.  I’m sure there’s lots that I missed.  I just thought it would be fun to catalogue the day.  Stay tuned if this if your first read of my blog.  It isn’t usually this mundane.

Today’s run:

Heat

After recently reading Lisa Tamati’s Running Hot I have been inspired to return to the Bulldog 50k this August.  When the heat took me out last August, I thought I’d NEVER attempt the Bulldog 50k again.  Then I got to thinking a couple months ago, perhaps I’d run the 25k.  I’d have all the time in the world to finish. 

Then I went and won Running Hot on Quadrathron.  (Thanks Stuart! )  Lisa Tamati has done amazing runs, including Badwater twice.  I have to say after reading about her “hot” adventures,  I’m “hooked.”  Hooked that is, into trying Bulldog 50k again.  I haven’t told the family yet; not sure what they’ll say.  And to be honest, I haven’t made my final decision. 

Until then, I’ve been researching heat training.  The way I figure this is that I need to get acclimated to running in that kind of heat.  AND, I need to learn how to cool myself down.

Coincidentally, I’ve had a bit of heat training lately, especially today.  I began my run in long sleeves.  And though June Gloom was in the air, humidity was HIGH. 

Aliso Creek Trail

I ran off Wood Canyon onto Dripping Cave Trail (one of my favorites) for a detour to Mathis.  I felt sluggish.  The humidity was really getting to me.  Though I didn’t feel anxious over the run up Mathis, I was beginning to get a little anxious over the heat climbing it.  By mile 2.38, I reached the cave, and the humidity was UNBEARABLE.  I was sure to drink up, and I took those long sleeves off and got the hair also off my neck. 

Knowing that Mathis was going to be a bitch, I took my time playing around on Dripping Cave Trail.  I did not want to panic.  Though during Bulldog’s 50k, heat was my worst enemy, panicking was enemy number 2.

Cooled Off, I traipsed through dry creek bed to pose for the camera, cave is to your right (careful, don’t touch the poison oak!).

One of the lovely summer plants around here, growing on outer cave wall.

What you see when you come out far end of cave.

Getting closer to Mathis, one of my favorite trees, and . . .

I realized that I’ve never climbed it.  So I set my camera to timer and try to make it to branch in time.

Unsteadily on branch, the camera timer clicks again, and then . . .

My Camera plummets off the ledge, across the trail and down the slope.  This is the picture the timer snapped along the way (LOL).

Enough of Dripping Cave Trail, I could no longer deny Mathis.  One foot in front of the other I said to myself while passing the first biker up that mile climb.  She was pretty easy to conquer.  Sweating, she smiled when she finally got off her bike and began walking Mathis.  It took me quite some time to pass the next biker.  I’d say it took me about a third of a mile to finally pass him.  He didn’t smile, but he acknowledged my “hello” with a friendly grunt. 

When I reached Top of the World, I believe that it was a little before noon.  The breeze was cooler up there.  But as soon as I took off down West Ridge toward Cholla, the sun came out.  And it came out in ABUNDANCE.  I was sure getting a dose of what I wanted (well, kinda wanted).

I fought against a bad habit that I have, that is conserving water.  Forcing myself to drink up, because I had plenty of water, I took in a couple gels.  The heat was extreme on Wood Canyon once I ran out of the shade for good.  That’s when I remembered that I had a handkerchief in my pack.  Our friend the O.C. Rock n’ Roll Chef a while ago suggested that I do what chefs do in the kitchen to cool down.  They take that famous handkerchief off their neck, wet it and put it on their head.  That’s just what I did.  At stream crossings I drenched it and draped it over my head.  That did wonders cooling me down, especially when a slight breeze hit.  The only problem was, the handkerchief dried out quicker than I wanted.

When I finally ran to the ranger station, I was pretty dang hot.  I saw at least 3 runners running into the canyon and a biker or 2 all WITHOUT water.  (How do they do it???)  I thought about walking into the ranger station and requesting some cold water.  But I was beat and really had to keep moving to cool down a bit.  I walked around the lot before stretching.  And there parked along the road, were a woman and a man who had just come out of the canyon.  They were drinking ice cold waters and said to me, “You look hot.  Do you want a water?”  I started to say that I didn’t, because that’s what I do.  But when I saw the ice chest in the back of their truck I said, “Why yes, thank you so much, I do!”

That cold water was delightful!

12 miles (19.31 km) run today:

+1,582/-1,580

I’m No Renegade, But . . .

Sure, I often run the same place (not necessarily the same time) – that is, Aliso Wood Canyons.  But this place is filled with so many lovely trails, so many treacherous climbs (well, not exactly treacherous), that I could concoct a different route every day. And, that I did today.

Time short as usual, especially because it’s our oldest son’s birthday (Happy Birthday J!).  Thing is, I’m just too selfish about my running.  Even if the washing machine is broken (and it is) and I had to run back and forth to the Laundromat (woke at 5:30AM to fit this in) and had more even errands to run to finish off the birthday event, I wasn’t going to give up my run.  Those other things, well, I’d have to squeeze them in somehow (see, selfish!).

Enough self-degradation.  My run was a great release. 

First thing I saw running into the canyon, a quail.  I always see quail running the coastal hills.  That is, I see quail running about as I’m running about.  Never before have been able to capture a picture this close: 

Since, I knew I couldn’t put in great mileage, I decided to run off Wood Canyon Trail onto the single-tracks that I love so much.  First on the agenda:  Wood Creek.  After a nice climb, I over-looked the canyon, then hopped onto an overgrown single-track.  I ran through plenty of spider webs and reveled in the shade of this paradise trail before dumping back out onto Wood Canyon Trail.

On Wood Creek Trail Overlooking Wood Canyon

Running Wood Creek Trail

More Wood Creek – 3 or more of these wood plank bridges exist.  One of them is about to bust in half.

I ran Wood Canyon for a bit.  Then reluctantly made my way onto Coyote Run.  Why reluctantly?  Well, that’s the sight of the last coiled rattler that I came upon.  I have this funny idea that I’m going to come across a rattler in the exact same place I have before.  It’s never happened.  Nevertheless, I turned my ipod down low to run this trail:

Coyote Run dumps out onto Mathis.  Running Mathis, I quickly came upon the closed-off section with signs and warnings to STAY OUT.  Now, the bottom part of Mathis has been closed since our December rains.  But I thought it had reopened by now.  Unfortunately, the detour is Dripping Cave, which was too much out of the way for me.  I was running to the Top of the World, and I didn’t have time for such a detour. 

I’m really not a renegade.  But rules like this one (the closed trail), I treat more as a guideline.  As so, listening carefully for trucks, I ducked beneath the barrier and ran Mathis.  The entire area was plowed.  Large machinery stood vacant, but no workers were about.  After running out of the closed portion, where the climb begins, I came across two women bikers.  They asked me if they could get through Mathis.  I told them it was closed, but I had ran it.  They were pretty nervous about attempting such a devilish feat.  But they too didn’t have time for the detour.  They asked me what I thought a few times, with worried looks on their faces.  All I could really say was – it’s closed, there’s barriers, but I crossed the barriers and didn’t get caught.  I added as we parted, “If you get caught, just say you’re lost.” 

Shhhh.  Don’t tell anyone. 

Running Up Mathis:

Finally Reaching Top of the World

My Reward (coconut water)

Once I hit West Ridge for the return trip, the climbs were joyous.  The down hills were downright fun.  Though the sun blared down hard, I got bits of shade from the birds of preys’ shadows as they flew over head.  I saw one hawk with a mouse in it’s mouth.  Poor mousey.

Upon reaching the car, I was rushed, oh so rushed.  I raced around looking for the video game my son wanted (never to find it).  Then I picked up youngest son from school, did some laundry at the Laundromat.  Hubby picked up middle boy, while I cleaned the kitchen and wrapped presents.  Then I rushed off to do more laundry, purchased a gift card for Game Stop, bought some swim goggles for our eldest and picked up his birthday cake. And let me tell you!  I think today was National Walk as Slow as you Can Day.   I was trying to whiz through the stores with people walking sooooo slow.   Finally, I rushed home, feeling flabbergasted.  After wrapping the last present and laying the gifts out just right on the piano, I was ready to go pick the birthday boy up from school.  Before leaving, I said to my two youngest boys, “Today is kiss your brother’s a** day – I don’t want anyone to end up in the cornfield.”

Was that wrong?  (It’s been a rough year for my precious pre-teen).

My husband gave me a horrified look when I said this.  My boys didn’t seem to get it.  Do you kind of understand what I mean about the cornfield???  If you’re my age and grew up in the U.S., you probably know exactly what I mean.  Just ask, and I’ll explain (if you’re dying to know : ))

Today’s elevation profile:

Miles run today:  7.6

No Woes

I am now one of those people using a broken-up cracked cell phone and am happy to do it!  I like having a junky phone – ideal for the trails.  Turns out I dropped it on my last run (on the road!)   Fortunately, someone found it, called and returned it.  And it still works same as before (for now). (I will be the last person I know to buy a “smart" phone.)

Went for a delightful trail run today.  Had very little time, but I needed to get rid of my woes.  Not permanently of course.  Such is life.  Instead, I set them aside momentarily for a bit of running:

Running up Cholla Trail (.5 to 1.00 on graph above & miles 5.5 to 6) – today’s route to the ridge:

Top of Cholla, ready to run West Ridge Trail

Running along West Ridge.  Which Trail did I take?  Hmmmmm . . .

Well, you’re reading the blog of a single-track lover.  I took the right trail, so that I could see this:

And this:

Back on West Ridge, another fork in the road.  Which trail did I take?  You probably have guessed the pattern.  Single-track minded, I took the right.

After running to Top of the World, I took another single track detour onto Park Avenue Nature Trail to end up back on West Ridge, with much of it’s trail laid out before me. 

Miles run this morning: 6.4

2:05

Time for another timed loop of this:

Goal:  2 hours.  Best Time: 2:04

Rain lightly fell as I ran down Wood Canyon.  I don’t know if that was to my advantage or disadvantage.  I dressed warmly (though wore shorts), so the rain kept me cool.  My goal (besides the two hour thingy) was to not think, just remain in the present and to make the top of Meadows Trail in 1 hour (about five mile mark). 

Well, I did pretty good on the not thinking part, and I did pretty well at pushing myself to run faster through Wood Canyon.  Running Meadows was tough, tough, tough.  Though the trail starts off relatively flat, I began stressing over the upcoming climb.  And then I saw this:

A Blue Heron (much prettier and seemingly closer in real life)

Ends up I made the top of Meadows Trail in 1 hour 3 minutes (a minute better than last time).  But let me tell you!  I was spent.  I really wanted to quit this game today.  Thing was, I was 4.5 miles away from the car.  I had to get back somehow.

Time for a Nap

I told myself to take it down a notch until I arrived to the Top of The World neighborhoods, then pick it up.  I was drop-dead tired, and found it very difficult to push myself.  But when I finally reached West Ridge Trail (homeward bound!), I gained some new legs after realizing that I still had time to make my record.

I flew on the downhills on West Ridge and ran as hard as I could on the uphills.  I did my best time on the flats though, surprisingly.  I found myself yearning for flat trail. 

I did not beat my time, ending up with 2 hours 5 minutes.  But I was thrilled anyway.  Thrilled that I came in so close to my best time when I was so dog-gone tired.  Thrilled that I was able to push myself when no one else was around.

Another day!

Miles logged:  9.50