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:

That’s Not Runnin’, That’s Playin’

I had this week’s workouts all planned, two “short” runs, two gym days.  Then I would rest on Friday before the big day: SATURDAY. (Yikes!).

Monday, I got the boys off to school then returned home and got back in bed.  I slept until 12:30 PM.  TWELVE.  THIRTY.  I guess I was tired.  No run on Monday.  No gym on Monday.

Okay, so change of plans: two “short” runs and one gym day.

Tuesday morning, I got a 7:10 AM call to substitute teach.  Not being in the position to turn down work, I took the job and afterward drove to my regular job for a very long work day.  No run on Tuesday.  No gym on Tuesday.

My carefully laid-out plans for this week’s workouts were shot in just two days.  This morning I had to admit something to myself.  Training for Saddleback is OVER.  There’s nothing I can really gain (except for some rest) that will prepare me any more for Saturday.

And so today I laced up my shoes, strapped on my pack and hit the trails for some fun running.  Actually, it was more like playing.  But isn’t all running really playing?  I know I get a little serious about it at times, as if it’s my lifeline, but really I just want to have fun.  That’s why I love trail running so much – because it’s fun!

I’m kind of glad my plans were shot.  Otherwise, I may have not got in such a fun run.

Heading up Wood Creek Trail, it’s still a bit chilly:

By the number of spider webs I broke through, I could tell I was the first runner on Wood Creek Today:

Dozens of these enormous webs hung high throughout the wooded trails:

The sun warms up this single track (Coyote Run) as hundreds if not thousands (seriously) of crows gawk and fly about from tree to tree:

View of Wood Canyon and Coyote Run below from the Nature Loop Trail that brought me high above the creek and to this awesome view of new green growth:

Some delightful feathery blooms:

Photo Op on Cave Rock Trail against THE rock:

Running down Cave Rock Trail:

Entering Meadows Trail with no anxiety over the approaching climb:

Approaching top of Meadows Trail and look what’s in the distance – hint:  Saddleback Marathon:

Top of Meadows showing off Pacific Ocean (Laguna Beach) with an awkward pose :

I just love these goats:

Top of the World and feeling great!:

Heading back to truck along West Ridge (notice background – Saturday!!):

10.25 Miles run today (approx. 16.5 km):

There’s More Than One Way To The Top Of The World

No matter your destination, there’s always more than one route.  This is true in many ways, not only with running.  It’s true in all things in life – there are countless routes.  In some cases, all the routes are difficult.  But I suppose that depends on your goal.  If your goal is run to The Top of the World (the top of Aliso/Wood Canyons over looking Laguna Beach), the only way there is up and up and up.

If you know me, you probably know that my favorite route to the top is up Meadows Trail.  Why?  Not because it’s the steepest way.  Because it is.  I love running up Meadows because it’s a switchback, single-track.  There’s something about Switchback single-tracks that my brain can grasp onto and change into something exciting and fun!

Today, I chose a different route to The Top of the World.  I chose Mathis, which is not a single track, nor is it a switchback, and I usually also don’t pick it because there’s no shade. 

Fortunately, shade didn’t matter on this misty, cloudy day.  And the idea of Mathis gave me no anxiety.  I felt carefree as I ran in and out of all the different trails along the way.  It was one of those days, like so many on the trail, where everything was beautiful.  I had to eventually tell myself, “No more pictures!!.”

I broke through countless spider webs as I ran along Wood Creek Trail.  I noticed that the poison oak leaves were turning red and I took delight in moss covered rocks.  Here I stopped to set up a picture among one of my favorite spots on Wood Creek Trail (I love, love, love running up these rocks):

Wood Creek dumped me back into Wood Canyon.  I saw a few cyclists, a runner here and there.  When I jumped onto Coyote Run Trail, I didn’t see one person as I ran in and out of the trees.  At one point, thousands (I’m serious THOUSANDS!  It had to be that many) of crows flew about and nested in the trees.  They cawed so loudly and almost frantically, I was a bit spooked, wondering, “What do they see that I can’t see?”

For all I know, they could have been having an acorn feeding frenzy.  I don’t know crow habits.  I did try to capture a picture here before turning off to ascend Nature Loop Trail for a ridge run so that I ran above the canyon.  But the picture doesn’t show the countless crows sitting in the trees.  It still think it’s an eerie picture:

I descended down Nature Loop to hit Mathis.  I ran along a new barbed wire fence that’s up along the newly reinforced creek bed.  Good thing they put in these single chains every fifty feet or so, otherwise everyone and her brother would be getting in:

I ran Mathis with little thoughts running through my mind.  One foot in front of the other – that’s all I did, except for some focusing on form.  When I reached the top of Mathis, two female hikers were sitting at the kiosk.  One of them said, “YOU JUST RAN UP THAT THING???” 

“Ya,” I chuckled.  “It’s a little hard.” 

“Ya,” she said.  “It’s a little steep.”

Yes, Mathis is a little steep.  But, amazingly, I’ve run steeper.  And the steepness continued up West Ridge.  I took a little detour onto Park Avenue Nature Trail to finally reach THE TOP.

Nothing to see at Top of the World except pure white skies, I spent little time there.  I don’t need to see the ocean anymore.  Just being at The Top of the World was glorious.  I ran back down West Ridge in the cold, my clothing wet from sweat.  I saw my running friend, Jeff, far off in the distance.  Then I opted for a nice technical downhill on Rockit Trail:

Ending up Rockit, fall flowers line the trail:

Back onto Coyote Run Trail, I ran with joy, wanting more.  But I worked today and I just didn’t have the time.  I did have the time to snap this photo of my favorite tree on Coyote Run:

Finally ending back on Wood Canyon Trail, I realized that I had run 2.5 miles (4.02 km) more than I planned.  With some melancholy in my heart over the fact that I would be leaving this beauty, I stopped to capture one more picture of Southern California coastal trails:

Elevation Profile:  9.51 miles (15.30 km) run today

Nature Loop Trail

I went for another evening run today.  I find it very difficult, strenuous to run in the afternoon or evening.  And this evening it was hot.  I wore minimalist shoes which are still so extremely comfortable.  It’s not actually like I’m running barefoot.  But it’s like I’m not wearing shoes (and my neuroma knows it too!  I came in from today’s run limping.) 

As I ran Coyote Run Trail, I saw something dark to my side run and leap through the brush.  I thought “Oh crap,” because I feared I was running alongside an extra active bobcat.  I’m not usually fearful of bobcats.  But I usually see them in the morning when they are a bit lackadaisical.  So, I abruptly stopped in the single-track trail.  Not ten feet away stood a wide-eyed deer chewing on a wad of grass.  A few feet from her another deer bent down to chomp the vegetation.  My presence didn’t phase these beauties a bit.  As I ran onward, I saw the third deer, the smallest one, the one that had been leaping through the grass when it spooked me. 

Off Coyote Run Trail I ran the last remaining trail at Aliso/Wood Canyons Park that I had not yet run.  I put off Nature Loop Trail because it seemed that every time I ran past it, time was fleeting.  I finally took that right turn and climbed up to the ridgeline trail, and as of this evening, I have conquered every single marked trail in these canyons. 

Who would have thought?  And I had lots and lots of fun doing it (not to mention some disappointments, some falls and injuries), but mostly an awesome time.

View from Nature Loop Trail

A pause before coming off Nature Loop Trail

The Trail

Miles run today:  5.13 (The loop:  Canyon Vistas Park, Wood Canyon to Wood Creek Trail, back to Wood Canyon Trail, Coyote Run Trail, Nature Loop Trail, Mathis Trail, Wood Canyon Trail back to Canyon Vistas Park)