Too Much Data

Have you ever been talking on the cell phone, while at the same time looking for your cell phone?  I have. 

My sister told me that she once used the landline to call her cell because she couldn’t find it.  Then she ran and answered the cell, “Hello?  Hello?”

I was once telling my friend how I left my keys in the car ignition when I went grocery shopping.  The entire produce section was looking for my keys, because I WAS SURE that I had them in my hands while looking at apples.  My friend told me – that’s nothing!  Then he confessed that when he went golfing he had to go back to his car because he thought he left his keys in them.  Not only did he find his keys in the ignition.  But he car was still running!!!

Are we getting old?  Everyone gets old (and really we’re not THAT old).  Even if we were, I don’t think that’s the culprit here.  I think there’s just too much to think about.  Too much data. 

At least for my brain.

No, this blog is not going where you think it is.  I’m not going to talk about all the high tech shoes and running equipment, and how we have to keep track of our pace, elevation, etc. . .   I’m simply going to say that I took a nice thirteen mile run this morning.  My last run before the storm that’s supposed to come in tomorrow. 

Anyway, I dumped lots and lots of data running trails today.  It was beautiful. 

As I ran down “No-Name,” I felt extremely thirsty.  Lately, I’ve been running with handhelds, and with nothing in my hands this morning, I kind of felt to myself (I didn’t really think words, because I was in NO THINKING MODE this morning), “I can’t wait to get to the ranger station.”  (There’s a drinking fountain there.)  This is how it is in NO THINKING MODE.  I mean, didn’t it dawn on me that it was pretty odd that I didn’t carry water on a ten plus mile run?  Then some voice penetrated through the wall and said, “Ah . . . Lauren, you have 64 fluid ounces on your back.”  I laughed and laughed as I drank up.

And then I ran in the moment for the next thirteen miles.

And now for the pictures of a tranquil trail run in El Moro:

The route:

Running down No-Name Trail toward the Pacific Ocean:

Crossing bridge to run up El Moro Canyon:

El Moro Canyon:

Old Emerald Falls Trail:

About to ascend Old Emerald Trail:

A nice hearty climb on Old Emerald:

Approaching top of Old Emerald:

Running back to reality on Bommer Ridge:

Miles run:  13.61 (21.90 km)

Two Parks Before The Rain

I posted a group run for Crystal Cove this morning, then learned I wouldn’t have access to a car.  So I woke a little earlier.  And I walked down to the bus stop and waited for a bus in the dark.  I don’t mind taking the bus.  In fact, I kind of like it.  I get to look at all the shops and landscaping along the way without the fear of slamming into the car ahead of me (not that there’s many cars on the road at this hour anyway.)

First the good news:  1) The bus was on time and even arrived at my destination 5 minutes early, 2) The weather was perfectly cool, 3) and five perfectly cool people showed up to join me on this run (Hank, Sheila, Vicky, Rick and Kelly) and then 4) I had absolutely no piriformis muscle pains or any pains whatsoever.

The bad news:  No bad news! (Oh, except maybe that I was a little worn out for today’s run)

Rick, Kelly, Sheila, Vicky, Hank on “No Name Trail” (that’s really the name : )

Rick, Kelly, Me, Sheila, Hank

 

We ran up, up, up on a trail (a fire road) called “No Name,” that I think should be renamed “No Relief.”  From there we hit a single track, eventually making our way to the top.  Well, almost the top.  We cut it a little short to run 2 other single tracks just beneath the ridge.  Then we ran Moro Ridge back and with my directions ran us directly into a dead end.  Backtracking some, we picked up Moro Ridge again, eventually making a 9 1/2 mile loop back at the ranger station.

Then Sheila, Hank and I took off for another run up to the top – the top-top this time, Bommer Ridge.  I had this notion to try and connect my park (Aliso Wood Cyns) with Crystal Cove.  So after running through a lovely El Moro Canyon to the top, Sheila and Hank veered to the left to complete their loop.  I took off to the right out of Crystal Cove Park into Laguna Wilderness Park with no idea how many miles lay ahead before I reached Aliso/Wood.

I was feeling pretty dang tired.  But after some calories and a bit more hiking, I got my second pair of legs and was off running again.  Bommer Ridge went on much longer than I expected.  And then Aliso/Wood Cyns came into sight.  I was actually running parallel to West Ridge (one of my regular trails) as I ran along Bommer.  Still, it was a long way off, and I ran out of fluids before I even reached Big Bend, the long steep down hill that would bring me into Laguna Canyon. 

Making it happily and without injury to Laguna Wilderness’s parking lot, I looked up at the nasty climb that would take me into Aliso/Wood and knew I wouldn’t be able to make it without fluids.  So I called my husband for a ride home and spent a good long while stretching these old muscles after running nearly 18 miles through two different parks.  But not before calling hubby back really fast with a special request:  “Please, please, bring water!”

Tonight the rain pours down.  I’m sitting here practically giddy that I got in such a good run before they closed the trails : ))

View of Saddleback from Fence Line Trail

Waiting for Lauren : )

 

Heading down Moro Ridge

 

El Moro Canyon’s Beauty

 

A Dead Baby Rattler on Elevator Trail : (

A view of El Moro Canyon from Bommer Ridge

Running Big Ben (highest peak in background is Top of the World at Aliso/Wood Canyons Park)

Laguna Ridge Trail

Portrait of Big Bend Trail in parking lot

 

 Elevation Profile: +3,059’ 

Miles logged:  17.65 (Route:  No Dogs Trail to No Name Ridge, right on Ticketron, up Deer Canyon, Fence Line Trail, Missing Link Trail, Moro Ridge to B.F.I. back to ranger station, El Moro Canyon, Elevator Trail to Bommer Ridge, Big Bend Trail down to Laguna Ridge and parking lot, Entrance #7 to Laguna Coast Wilderness Park)