This Week

Woe is me who can hardly find time to get in runs nowadays.  This week I managed to get in three runs, and I am grateful for that.  Still, I need more miles.  I want more trails

Run #1, Trabuco Creek Trail (in San Juan Capistrano) to Arroyo Trabuco (in Mission Viejo) 6.0 mile (9.66 km) out-and-back:

I call these trails “urban” trails, as I could hear traffic whizzing by along Camino Capistrano and graffiti dressed the walls as I ran beneath eight lanes of traffic travelling along Interstate 5. 

I crossed Trabuco Creek beneath the train tracks where I saw these high school students walking down to the creek.  I half expected them to pull out a joint, or at the least a pack of cigarettes.  Instead, they took fishing poles out from their packs. 

Run #2, Aliso Creek Trail to Wood Canyon, up Cave Rock Trail, back to Wood Canyon, Dripping Cave Trail, Mathis, Oak Grove, and then up the big incline called Car Wreck Trail, back to Mathis Trail, West Ridge to Top of the World, Meadows, back to Aliso Creek Trail, 9.33 mile (15.02 km) loop:

I got out late as usual, as I have little time for household chores and must tend to them first when I have spare moments.  As such, the weather was warm, and I overdressed because (hark!) it still is winter. 

I stopped by my favorite places in Aliso / Wood Canyons, such as Cave Rock, Dripping Cave and even Car Wreck Trail.  Of course, my loop included Top of the World for a quick view of the lovely Pacific. 

Everything was green and beautiful. 

Run #3, ran inland from my house so that I could catch the bike trail down to Monarch Beach, to Salt Creek Beach, Dana Strands (AKA The Strands), up to The Headlands, and Highway One back home, 8.45 mile (13.6 km) loop:

Got out late (3PM) for once again some winter heat.    Fortunately, I got some of that coastal breeze that keep so many coming back.  I had really hoped to get in at least fifteen miles for my last run of this week.  That was not possible – there were clothes to wash, bags to pack, floors and dishes to wash and toilets to scrub today.  I let the dream of fifteen miles flitter away and enjoyed half the miles anyway.

And they were difficult.  I think the main reason for my struggle was the winter warmth, and the fact that I set off toward the end of the day.  Regardless, I am better for it. 

Here’s the funny thing about run #3:  according to my garmin, the elevation gain was 1,238’.  I find this absolutely amazing, especially since I only reached a maximum elevation of 350’.  There were lots of ups and downs, I suppose.  And they add up.  (I have not scrutinized the graph below to figure out whether Garmin got the total gain correct). 

Trail Treats

This morning I went for a trail run for the fun of it.  Yes, the fun it of it.  My choices for today were to take in the little treats along nearest trails that I have discovered over the past years.  Without using mental math, I estimated my loop would run between 8 and 10 miles.  I was hoping for ten, but that’s me, I’m a distance and elevation junkie.

I ran down into Wood Canyon, which runs about 3 miles in length.  Along Wood Canyon, there’s several opportunities to run up to the ridge that takes you to Top of the World.  I ran the first opportunity to the ridge, Cholla Trail, a short trail, but a nasty incline.  This way, I was able to run the entire ridge to Top of the World, which is a delightful rolling hill run.

Top of the World is a neighborhood in Laguna Beach that overlooks the Pacific Ocean.  It’s a particular, upper-upper class neighborhood.  But laymen like myself, refer to all the neighborhoods at the top of the ridge as Top of the World, not just that exclusive neighborhood. 

First Photographed Treat / Top of the World:

I turned around at Top of the World and ran back down West Ridge.  Instead of continuing the downhill toward Cholla, I made a right onto Mathis Trail and took it to Car Wreck Trail – a steep, rocky single track leading down into a valley where an old car wreck rests on a slope.  The run is tricky and at times treacherous with jumps steeper than I feel comfortable with.  But I made it through okay.  (At times, I admit that I slowed to a snail’s pace.  Though, I never needed to scoot along on my behind).

2nd Treat / Car Wreck Trail:

Finally, I took a trip onto Dripping Cave Trail, which I haven’t run in ages.  It’s slightly steep at first, but runnable.  After all the climbing though, you arrive to one of the best treats in the park, Dripping Cave (AKA Robber’s Cave).

3rd Treat / Dripping Cave Trail:

Sitting on a bridge along Dripping Cave for the photo op / I’m a dirty, dirty girl (the scar on my right knee I got when I was 6 years old – it’s 42 years old!):

Twin Peaks Recovery

Recovery has been slow.  But that’s okay because I let so many things slide lately, things with deadlines.  I used this week’s down time to get caught up working. 

The first 3 days after Twin Peaks, I woke with extremely stiff legs.  My feet feel good.  I haven’t done much of anything to speed recovery, which is probably why it’s been slow.  How do I speed up recovery?  I foam roll, do floor exercises, stretch those hips and IT band.  All I’ve really done is foam roll – and just once or twice.

Today, I got in my recovery run.  I started late on the trails this morning since I needed to get the boys off to school.  The weather was delightfully cool with a slight breeze.  I took off with a pack because I wasn’t quite sure how far I’d run.  I don’t know what I was thinking, but I decided to add Car Wreck Trail UP HILL (see the steep portion in the elevation profile below.)  It kicked my butt all over the place.

Turns out that I didn’t need the pack, because I put in just under 8 miles.  A handheld would have done with this weather.  Eight miles is good.  I’m certainly not complaining.  I didn’t realize how much that big uphill would shove me around. 

I also forgot to tape my arches.  Turns out, I didn’t feel discomfort at all.  The best thing about today’s run was that it was PRESSURE FREE.  Yes, gloriously pressure free.  I simply got to enjoy.  No worrying about my performance and how I’m going to in Twin Peaks.  That story has now been written. 

Running down into Wood Canyon:

Descending a staircase on Wood Creek Trail:

Coyote Run (where the fairies fly freely):

Running Oak Grove Trail:

Entering Car Wreck:

Car Wreck Trail:  Going up

Greetings from Top of the World:

This morning’s profile:

Recovery Run #2

Okay, I need two recovery runs.  Such is life with me.  Good thing is, I think I’m probably 90% back.  My legs did not feel extremely heavy (& unfortunately I didn’t lose any weight to explain that).  Not only that, I didn’t dread today’s warm-up, PLUS, I came in strong after a 11.5 mile hilly run. 

A new lollipop loop came to mind last night that I don’t think I’ve run in my regular wilderness park before.  I believe something new was good for my recovery.  Funny, I guessed this newly concocted lollipop loop was about 9 miles.  I was a little off. 

Some high (or rather low points in today’s run), I was nearly wiped out by two mountain bikers hauling a** down Rock It Trail.  They were for sure travelling more than the 10 mph speed limit.  I had to jump off the trail to avoid one mountain biker.  The other one, fortunately, I could hear her brakes before a possible collision.  Sorry, but I think it’s crazy to travel that quickly down these steep trails.  A wipe-out could mean death for the rider, for sure a SERIOUS injury.  I shiver to imagine what a collision with a runner would mean.

Also, two Sheriff helicopters hovered nearby for the first hour of my run.  I discussed the possibilities with another runner as we ran up Rock It trail.  We both agreed that the problem was probably on Lynx Trail, OR, as she said, “there was a killer loose.”  Her comment cracked me up because that’s exactly one of the scenarios that runs through my mind when there’s helicopters hovering above my trails.

Anyway, I heard later from another mountain biker that a cyclist was seriously hurt on Lynx Trail.  That’s another super steep, rocky terrain that mountain bikers generally take rather quickly.  I couldn’t help but wonder if the injured biker was travelling too fast. 

On my way back down from Top of the World, I passed the fire truck and paramedic that was presumably transporting the injured to the nearest hospital (which would have been South Coast in Laguna Beach).  The enormous trucks slowly made their way along West Ridge toward Top of the World.  And from far away, the fire truck actually honked several times, as if perhaps I didn’t see him.  Let me tell you, a big red fire truck travelling along the ridge of Aliso/Wood Canyons wilderness park is hard to miss.

I hope the best for the biker.  Really.  But I do wish some of the mountain bikers would slow down a bit travelling some of the steeper trails.  As a precaution, I always turn the music down very low when travelling these trails.   

And now to the photographs.  I gave myself lots of leeway to take pictures today.  Since I this was a recovery run, I figured quick stops to take a photo would do me good toward getting back to normal.

Entering Cave Rock Trail (not my usual route, a long neglected trail):

A Look Back onto Wood Canyon while Running up to THE rock:

Thar she blows – THE rock:

Flora along Wood Canyon Trail:

Creek Crossing on Mathis as I make my way to Coyote Run Trail:

Lovely Coyote Run:

Time to Climb:

Flora along Rock It Trail:

Why they call it Rock It:

Up, up and away (in my beautiful balloon) – can someone please remind me to wash the salt off those glasses?  LOL  I actually wash them quite frequently:

Running down Car Wreck Trail, a fun technical run:

A Stop at the Wreck:

Finishing up Car Wreck Trail to begin Oak Grove Trail:

Arriving to Dripping Cave (AKA Robbers’ Cave), First Thing, Check the Cave for Snakes:

Reach for the Sky, Cowboy! (Dripping AKA Robbers’ Cave):

11.5 miles (18.51 km) run today, the last day of my recovery :

Lollipop Loop from Above: