After 42 Consecutive Days . . .

After 42 consecutive days of running, I am not injured.  That is a hoot because I have often read that people over forty should not run every day, else risk injury.  It’s also a hoot  because prior to 2011 I was Ms. Injury.  Keep in mind that I have been working on my form, actually changed it back in early 2011.  And I’m still working on perfecting it.  I also stretch after every run.  I never stretch before I run.  I foam roll every day, and do some hip and glute exercises every day. 

After 42 consecutive days of running, my legs feel heavier, as in tighter and stronger, like they are harder with more muscle.  I occasionally have felt little aches along right IT band (always the right).  But have been able to “iron” them out over night (so far!).

After 42 consecutive days of running, I am tired.  I nap more often; sometimes twice a day.  I also consume way more calories than normal, and as such am fearful of the scale.

Today, I put in a nice and easy 5.09 miles running at the beach – very little running on the sand.  I ran mostly on asphalt and sidewalk all the way to where the sidewalk ends.  Then I turned around and ran home.

Surf & sand and a thousand birds

And this guy takes the lead . . .

“Where the sidewalk ends.”

Oops, Here I Go Again

I’ve got a little IT Band Syndrome going on in my left leg – nothing some, pretty much constant, rolling won’t fix.  I rolled when everyone was sleeping this morning.  Then I threw the roller in the truck and drove the boys to school.

I rolled on the asphalt of the church parking lot that I parked in to run at Aliso/Wood Canyons.  When I took off on this misty morning, my left knee still ached just a bit.  But I really didn’t care.   I just wanted to run trails. 

Deciding on Psycho-Path (Mentally Sensitive ) I knew that I had to do the loop quicker than I ran it Monday if I didn’t want to be late picking up the boys.  Thing was, my run started off slowly with various issues:  pit stops, head phone tanglings, shoe laces untying, photos that I had to capture, etc. 

Off into the mist on Aliso Creek Trail:

As I ran Meadows Trail, I could see something moving in the fields that Psycho-Path (Mentally Sensitive) travels through.  It was white with black stripes.  And for some odd reason, I just couldn’t let it go.  What was it???  There are no wild animals (specifically cats, because that all I really care about) with zebra-like stripes in our parts.  As the trail swooped around, I looked closer, deciding that they weren’t stripes at all, but instead the thing was a big tin wash pan.  But why was it moving in the wind so lackadaisically?  A wash pan would make some kind of clanging noise.  Taking up more time on this run that I needed to finish quicker, I stopped and stared for a while.  Yup, zebra stripes.  Then of all things, I took a step into the meadow and ACTUALLY BEGAN THE TREK ACROSS THE MEADOW to find out what this thing was. 

STOP.  I told myself.  This is how you get into trouble!  Do not run across the wet meadow and get your shoes wet.  And what if it is an animal?  What then smart gal?  After some time, with one foot in the meadow and one on the trail, I finally came to the conclusion that I was looking at a partially deflated zebra-striped mylar balloon blowing in the wind. 

Who knows.  It was enough to get me running again. 

Funny thing.  I felt anxiety weighing down on me as I approached Psycho-Path’s climb.  This climbing anxiety hasn’t happened in a long time with my running.  As I approached I thought, “pace yourself and just take it easy,” and that settled me down.  I ran up the whole thing. 

Yup, psycho.

Running up the steepest trail in Aliso/Wood Canyons:

Though I ran it, I did stop once or twice to snap a quick picture – like of this lovely multi-colored moss:

And this majestic scene:

Here’s looking back (the trail runs along that ridgeline down the center of this photo)  LOL.  The toughest part hasn’t even begun:

If you run trails, perhaps you can relate.  To reach the top of a steep climb is exhilarating.  And to keep on running with no recovery time needed is ecstatic.  (Just in case you’re wondering why I put myself through this – the glory . . . the defeat over the body and mind!).  

Running along the ridge toward Top of the World, reminds me of lonely Texas country road running:

Some fancy footwork down Car Wreck Trail:

Meet my new friend:

Good buddies:

I goofed around a bit too much at the car wreck above that I had to kick it into high gear to finish off this run.  Before I finish off this blog, I should tell you that a while back I asked the ranger about the wreck.  She told me that the previous owners of this property (the owners who donated it to the county – can you believe how nice that is!) were goofing around on the roads.  The crash happened then (the car is a Volvo).  And as far as the ranger knew, there were no fatalities.  Probably only minor injuries.  That was many years ago.

High-gear through Oak Grove Trail:

Miles logged this morning:  9.9 (15.93 km)

Up Rockit to The Top of the World.

On the road a little after 6 AM for a group run, I was hopeful for a good IT band day. Yesterday, I bought a foam roller. As soon as I got home, I tore open the packaging, layed on my side and rolled back and forth over the band. I would have never believed it, had someone told me that this would work (actually more than one person told me it would work). After only three painful rolls, I stood up with huge improvement. I could barely feel there was a problem. Wouldn't it be nice, I thought to myself as I rolled into Aliso Wood Canyons Park, if I could do these hills without burning pain in my hip?

We were pretty bundled up, all five of us -- myself, Sheila, Kelly, Tom and someone new to our runs, Hank. When I say new, I don't mean new runner, or even new trail runner. He seemed to take these hills with ease!

Anyway, what I thought might be a pretty dang cold descent into the canyon, turned out not to be so. Sure, it was cold, but definately not freezing. We took Aliso Canyon to Wood, saw a Blue Heron slowly walking through the brown grass. Then we ran up Mathis Trail just a bit to hop onto Coyote Run. We made our way along Coyote, weaving in and out of grove shade, up and down mildly hilly terrain, until we reached Rockit. And then the climbing began.

My hip felt great, but if there was anywhere it would start burning, it would be running up Rockit. What a huge relief it was to not feel pain -- and what a beautiful sight it was running up that rock trail in the early morning. Hank took up the lead with Tom, us three ladies coming up behind, we reached Westridge with gloves off, long-sleeves tied around our waists.

After a break over looking Laguna Beach at Top of the World, we made our way down to Mathis and took that lovely decline until the turnoff for Dripping Cave. There's a pretty good climb in the beginning of this trail, but nothing like we had already run. Plus some of it's beneath big old oaks, with their roots twisted above the surface. Running along a single-track ridge type trail for a bit, we climbed that final hill, and made our way back down into the shade. Of course we stopped in Dripping Cave, then left running for that final stretch back to the ranger station, passing that Blue Heron again along the way.

I had a great run today (great group, as always) and put in 11.07 miles running to the Top of the World. My IT band felt great. There was no limp back to the car, no painful stretching, just a very dull sensation that the trouble wasn't completely gone. Marvelous.

Sheila on Rockit Trail headed for Top of the World


Kelly so gracefully making her way on Rockit


Top of the World, Overlooking Laguna Beach (Me, Kelly, Sheila, Tom, Hank)


Kelly, Tom and Hank in Dripping Cave (A.K.A. Robber's Cave)

Heading Back toward Wood Canyon

IT hurts

This morning running gal took another afternoon run today. I was fooling myself though, and really shouldn't have taken that run. Yesterday, the pain in my IT band disappeared after 6 miles on the elliptical crossramp. I thought, "hey, it's over! I can go ahead and run again."

Not quite. Though my marina run was enjoyable, it was not pain free. And tonight, I suffer, walking about like I'm ninety years old with a bum hip. After much denial, I finally gave in, and have put in for five days (FIVE DAYS) no running.

So all of you out there running next week: know that when I see you, or hear about you, I am green with envy.

Miles logged this afternoon: 5.63

Flat Runs are Fun too : )

I didn’t run this morning – too cold, though it wasn’t actually TOO cold to run. It’s just that I’ve got this IT band thing, in other words, my hip HURTS. I swam yesterday, and the whole 2200 yards was pleasant, no pain whatsoever. As soon as I pushed myself out of that pool – ouch, there it was: IT burnin’. I’ve been wearing ice on my hip like a gun in a holster.

So, I wasn’t eager to jump right out of bed this morning to run in the cold. But I knew that I needed to run, my psyche needed it. Last run was Tuesday (my run up Meadows Trail), and that was way too long ago. Since then, I see people run, and I get jealous (and I’m not really a jealous person!).

After taking it easy this morning, turning in attendance, post office mailings, phone calls, e-mails, etc, then watching my soap, I finally DROVE down to the marina for a run. I never drive down there anymore – I always run out the door for my marina runs. But today was a good day for a perfectly flat run, and the only way for that to happen was to drive down the big hill. Hopefully a flat run would ease the pain (or at least not worsen it).

Turns out, there was some burning during this afternoon’s run. I didn’t care – not one bit; wait that’s putting it loosely, it’s more like I DIDN’T GIVE A DAMN. I wanted to run; I ached to run.

Enjoyable, that’s how I will describe this flat run alongside the harbor waters, despite the burning. I stretched when I drank, and the pain actually seemed to lessen with movement. The breeze was strong and cool. The skies were blue. White seagulls crowded the waters. When I ran beneath the island bridge (twice) the winds rushed against me furiously – it was almost surreal.

I concentrated on posture and listened to my music, thinking about mundane things. I decided that it was time to change out my white canvas purse for my blue, Mayan embroidered one. I wondered if those tiny pin legged white birds tip-toeing about the island were Egrets, or some other bird. I also decided what to post on my literary blog, and which Sunday to post a Top of the World trail run. I thought about some of my students, and how relieved I was to get their progress reports done before the weekend. I thought about how to carve our three pumpkins, and that I’d be better off leaving that to hubby. And sometimes I thought about nothing at all. : ) Bliss.

And oh ya I thought about one more thing: I LOVE THIS SONG (Catch and Release by the Silversun Pickups, I played and replayed it the last two miles of my run : ))

Follow me
Want to live in a fantasy

Quietly

Show you everything you'll ever need

I hope you'll take it
I know you're faking just a little bit

Come on and taste it

Just get excited cuz you're giving in

Come and see

How the wind in your hair will feel differently

Catch and release

The lure above

Who...

Here we are

In the bathwater hold afloat

Later on

Don't say I didn't tell you so

Maybe I didn't but you're taking it

Knew you were faking just a little bit

Now that you'll taste it

No need to fight it cuz you're giving in

Follow me

Down the streams of sweat on your body

Can't believe
The lure was enough

Do you see?

How the wind in your hair now feels differently

Catch and release

The lure above
Who knows?

How this feeling grows?

Was it truly what -Truly worth the starting

Who knows?

Why the engine's blown

Was it truly what -Truly worth the parting

Follow me

Down the streams of sweat on your body

Can't believe

The lure was enough

Do you see?

How in the wind in your hair now feels differently

Catch and release the lure above

Miles logged this Friday before Halloween: 6.5

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j08iHBqiavU&feature=PlayList&p=22D536FC7CADE48C&index=1