Solo Saddleback Training Run

I got a late start this morning for my one and only training run for The Saddleback Marathon.  I actually started my run at 9:00 AM.  I rarely start mountain runs that late.  But it’s autumn now, so the weather was nice and cool.  I even wore long sleeves and ran the heater on the drive to Trabuco Canyon.

Planning runs, I forget to count prep time at my truck – this morning it took me ten plus minutes prepping before I took off up the mountain:

It’s deer season in California.  So, I was sure to wear clothing the colors not usually found in nature.  I don’t want to be mistaken for a deer this time of year.  I should have worn a bright orange shirt – but I don’t own one.  I saw two male hunters hiking into the canyon (separately), both in camouflage (but one also wore an orange vest).  Both carried their rifles with a sling over their shoulder, with the barrels pointed upward.  Both also, though youngish men (younger than me), wore their heads shaven clean.  

I ran up Holy Jim, reminiscing about Twin Peaks, or rather trying to reminisce.  I don’t recall much now of running up Holy Jim.  I know today the trail was a lot more crowded with hikers and mountain bikers.  I timed myself going up, but that went out the window when my spouse left a phone message and started texting me.  I forgot to leave a note where I was running today.  This halted my run up Holy Jim because I was afraid to keep moving forward, lest I lose my cell connection.  The other problem was that I couldn’t READ MY PHONE!  Why?  Because I can’t see close up or tiny things without my glasses.  So, I texted HJ.  And hubby brainstormed my oldest son to find out that HJ meant Holy Jim.  (I was so proud of my son : )

Heading up Holy Jim:

Just before reaching The Main Divide, I heard a gunshot.  Just one.  My time was not good when I finally reached the divide.  I turned right and continued running without stopping.  More trucks than usual drove along the divide.  A few motorcyclists did as well.  I made the next junction (Indian Truck Trail) in good time, actually ten minutes faster than usual. 

View of Riverside county from the divide:

This is what much of running the divide is like, but this is section less hilly and less rocky than other parts:

I made it to a secret water stash just in time.  After refilling my pack I heard talking and laughing.  I didn’t want to exit the hiding spot, so I remained hiding in the bushes.  I waited and I waited.  I didn’t want to expose the water spot by exiting just as they went by.  Then again, they might have been runners who knew about the spot.  I waited and waited some more.  Thing was, I needed to pee.  And I could not, would not pee anywhere a secret water stash.  So, I finally pushed through the bushes, and ran up the trail to find four hikers taking photos of themselves.  I came “out of nowhere” to them.  And they were just about in the spot where I had decided to duck into the bushes to do my business.  (I’m just telling it how it is : )  I took a picture of their group with their camera before taking off along the divide to find another sufficient “spot.”

Anyway, the gnats flew about my face as I ran toward Trabuco Trail.  My timing wasn’t too bad.  What was bad was my trip down Trabuco.  This trail is one of the most beautiful trails I know.  It’s also very rocky, and I tend to run it fearfully, which is not good for my time.  There was a day when I ran down Trabuco much quicker.  But with my falls over the past couple years, I’ve grown timid.

Trabuco Trail:

I think I’ll save my quicker running down Trabuco for this Saturday’s race.  Overall, I ran to my truck at a slower speed than expected.  But overall, I enjoyed my training run.  I love these mountains.

Today’s profile:

Scared and Excited

Well, the eve before the eve of Twin Peaks is here.  I am scared.  I am excited.  I really want to enjoy.  I love those mountains so much that I would really like to make this a positive journey – a frolic through the wilderness, no matter how many miles I make.

I am up past my usual bedtime tonight without regret, because when I wake at 5:30 tomorrow, I want to be good and tired by 7:00 pm to fall promptly asleep, so that I can leave the house by 2:30 AM for my Saturday morning Twin Peaks start.

Today, I did all my errands, called in my son’s anti-seizure medication refill, did ALL the laundry, dishes, swept,  etc.  I did some ab work, some upper body weights and some floor exercises.  I even told my husband where to find things, stupid things that he’s not used to knowing about, like sheets, medication, etc.  PLUS, if it were ever an issue, I told him that I approve of organ transplants, and that I would be honored to save the life of someone’s loved one.  Morbid?  Not necessarily.  I’m just covering all bases.  He really should know these things anyway. He is after all my mate, the man I knew I would marry very early on; the man who also knew the woman (me)  who couldn’t walk uphill without taking a cigarette break and a rest somewhere in there (in my twenties!!!).  

Besides that, I worked today.  A joy as always to be with the high school students.  They took my mind off the upcoming adventure.  Funny, they have no idea what a basket-case I am.  At home, I fluctuated between numbness and anxiety.  My family was very good to me. 

My staging area is nearly complete (the kitchen table), of which I’ve laid out everything I will need (though I still haven’t picked out my running shirt).

These are the things, in case anyone’s so very curious, that I will put into my truck via 3 bags tomorrow evening:

My hydration pack:  camera, phone, gels, fluids, Glide (for chaffing) Endurolytes, Nuun tables, wipes (not toilet paper – wet wipes!), bandana, an ipod, an extra ipod, extra ear buds, extra sd cards (for camera) headlamp (plus extra batteries), lip balm, band aids, knee brace, ankle brace (both cloth), athletic tape  and a watch.  Plus I will wear sunglasses, most likely sleeves (depending on the temperature at 4:30 AM),  a garmin and a hat, and will also carry one hand-held for fluids.  Oh, and lastly, I will have a list of personal time requirements for me to finish this race in the knick of time, already typed in EXTRA LARGE print (because I won’t be bringing my reading glasses). 

My drop bag (available at about mile 22 and approximately mile 41): extra socks, sunscreen, a roller, electrolytes, gels, coconut water, (perhaps a protein shake if I can get to the store in time), more calories, more band aids, more Glide, artificial ice-packs, pain reliever cream, more Glide, more athletic tape, a bottle of Endurolytes, tube socks, antibiotic lotion, more Nuun tablets, extra lip balm and I’m sure more that I will think of last minute.

My after race bag:  another set of undergarments, clean socks, comfy sandals, a light jacket, basketball sweats (the kind that have zippers on the bottom so that I can easily pull up over shoes). 

For now that’s it.  Still to do:  replace batteries in headlamp and set watch to exact time.  And oh yes . . . pack these bags. 

Thanks so much for all your support and confidence!  I can’t adequately relay how much I appreciate you all.

Back to the Mountains

Day two of “hard” week (Wednesday) rolled around and I rolled myself out of bed.  I felt sore from head to toe, particularly my quads and my arms.  Looking back, I could have probably gotten through the scheduled run, or at least part of it.  I felt more than anything that I really needed a day of recovery.  So, I allowed myself the day off, on the condition that I wouldn’t beat myself up all day for missing the run.  In order to accomplish that, I cleaned house big time, worked on laundry, read and napped.

Wednesday was supposed to be 14 miles and Thursday was scheduled for ten.  I flip-flopped that so that I would not run too much behind, and set off for 14 miles in the Saddleback Mountains this morning (Thursday A.M.)

It was still dark as I sat in my truck in my driveway.  The only reason I didn’t change plans and head for a coastal hills run was because I was too lazy to turn off the car, open up the house and tip-toe in to change the note I left my husband.  (I leave him a note with the trails I’ll be running in case something happens.  And I don’t stray from my note.)

Last night I looked forward to the time alone in the mountains today.  But the closer I got to the mountains, the more I fretted their difficulty.  The Holy Jim parking lot was empty when I took off running up Trabuco Trail.  The sun had risen and the gnats soon discovered me running alone through the canyon.

A quick shot before taking off up Trabuco Trail:

One of the cabins along the trail:

Quickly into this run the gnats swarmed around my head.  Now, I’m usually one to tell people, “You need to accept the gnats.  Then it will be better.”  I usually run pretty carefree through the creatures, especially now that I breathe through my nose.  This morning however, they swarmed my head like I was their hive.  They flew up my nose.  They landed on my eyeballs.    They psyched me out so much, I lost my groove.  I looked to the ground too much, and somehow tweaked my knee along the way. 

I felt like from afar you couldn’t see my head.  All you could see was a swarm of these tiny gnats buzzing, buzzing, buzzing.  I wanted to plop to the dirt and cry.  Seriously.  But to do that would mean remaining with the gnats.  I needed to get up West Horse Thief a bit before they left me, that much I figured.

Me and the gnats on Trabuco Trail:

Needless to say, those dang gnats didn’t get me to West Horse Thief any quicker.  In fact, they sucked the time right out of me.  They pretty much sucked everything out of me.  I didn’t look forward to my run anymore.  I even thought about turning around on Trabuco and heading back to the truck.  But, that would mean that I’d have to run through more gnats.  I wasn’t looking forward much to climbing West Horse Thief either.  However, I managed to run onward, slowly albeit, but run nonetheless. 

The beginning’s of West Horse Thief:

Climbing West Horse Thief WAS A BEAR, though beautiful it was:

Almost to the top, AND FEELING IT:

No matter how tortuous the climb is, reaching the top of West Horse Thief is always divine:

I ran the Main Divide feeling glorious.  The gnats forgot about me for several miles.  I didn’t see a single other person for a long time.  Finally, I spotted a cyclist off in the distance.  As we approached each other I was surprised to see that this lone rider was a woman!  A half mile or so later, I saw another cyclist (perhaps her boyfriend or husband), struggling to keep up with the lady.  Later, a dirt biker passed me as I grinded the dirt toward Holy Jim Trail.

I ran that five miles down Holy Jim eager to get back.  Eleven other hikers made their way up in various groups.  It was a lovely trip for me (hopefully for them too, but their faces revealed a great struggle).  Though lovely, it was a long, long trip.  And I’m oh, so glad I made it – gnats and all (and they were sure to greet me toward the bottom of Holy Jim)

Brutal!

I knew the third consecutive run of “Hard” week would be difficult.  I didn’t think the run would be brutal.  Ten miles, that’s all the plan said.  But I decided to run my ten miles on a Holy Jim Out-And-Back.  That’s a five mile trail in The Saddleback Mountains that ends at The Main Divide (Bear Springs).  It’s a tough five miles up (even down).  I’ve got it down now that I can usually run it all. 

I didn’t feel rested this morning, as I haven’t been sleeping well.  And I felt a little weak.  "Don’t care about time,” I told myself, “just do the miles.”

Slightly muggy and a little cool at the same time, about a thousand, yes ONE THOUSAND gnats decided to accompany me during the first two miles of Holy Jim.  I’m sure that I breathed in half a dozen through my nose. 

The downed tree still blocked Holy Jim just after the water falls turnoff.  That was delightful, hiking up the mountainside with a thousand gnats buzzing my face so that I could get around the tree.  I pushed it a little harder, though my pace was still slow, just to get away from those tiny bugs.

I tired easily running up that switch-back that I used to call “Holy Crap” instead of Holy Jim.  Today it felt once again like “Holy Crap.”  I felt a little light-headed and even hiked a few portions of single track.  Then I finally settled in and began enjoying the immense views.

I don’t know how this occurred, but at about 3.5 miles up, my camera flew out of my hand and off of the mountain.  You can imagine my horror as I looked down the side to see it resting lightly on a small tumbleweed-like plant.  The camera was probably about twenty feet down, so I needed to get down there.  Somehow.  I stood sideways at the edge figuring the best way to get down to my camera when the ground beneath me gave away.  I immediately fell and began sliding.  I quickly slid past my camera, unable to reach it.  I grabbed at plants on the way down to easily uproot everyone of them.  This slope was not secure!  Everything I touched went down with me. 

Many, many things go through my mind when stuff like this happen.  I knew instinctively to push my body into the mountainside.  I didn’t want to go airborne.  And I also knew instinctively to dig, dig, dig my foot into the mountain wall as I slid.  What I thought was this:  “Dang it!  It’s going to take ‘them’ forever to find me if I slide all the way to the ravine!”  I even kind of chuckled over the fine mess that I had found myself in.  My main thought, not really thought, but feeling was, “Don’t fall backward!” 

I finally dug my foot deep enough into the slope to stop my sliding.  And I began the slow process of digging in and climbing back up.  I looked for my camera on the way, didn’t see it at first.  Apparently, it slid some too in my avalanche.  Thank goodness there it was laying, as if not a care in the world, in that loosened plant, it’s lens still extended.  (Also, thank goodness I bought that extended in-case-you-throw-your-camera-off-a-mountain-and-break-it warranty). 

Climbing back up onto the trail, I found myself covered in dirt.  I had a minor cut on my left hand, a gash on right elbow (with a tiny bit of skin flapping),and welts up and down my left arm (that I didn’t notice until I got home).

Needless to say, the remaining trip to Bear Springs was excruciating!  Fatigue overwhelmed me, but eventually I made it.  I walked about on top, into the sun mainly to get away from my newly found gnat friends.  You can’t imagine how dang glad I was to have reached the top.  It was only five miles, but heck, what a brutal five miles.   I ran back so, so, so happy that I had only five miles left of mostly downhill.  And best of all, my camera still worked (for now!). 

I made decent (not good) time on the way back, especially considering my fatigue.  I even worked (ever so slightly) on my pivots around the switch-back turns.  And then of course those ONE THOUSAND gnats were back to greet me and run in the last two miles of this brutal run. 

Fit for a Mountain

I made it to the Saddleback Mountains this morning and set off running up Holy Jim at the first sign of dawn.  Right away, gnats swarmed my face, and I thought that I’d name today’s blog “Die-Gnats-Die!”  The little devils managed to get behind my sunglasses.   This provided great motivation to pick up my pace and get out of the shaded forest area of Holy Jim. 

Before I could escape the gnats, I came upon a large fallen tree that made the trail impassable.  So, I hiked the slope up and around its yanked out roots.  About 2 miles up the trail, only one gnat remained hovering about my face. 

Even though I’m wasn’t “training,” I worked hard.  I’m not “training,” because that word simply stresses me out too much lately.  Why is it such a stressor?  Because I’m beginning to feel I don’t stand a chance in heck at finishing Twin Peaks within the time requirements.  And instead of trying, I gave up for about a week.  But I just can’t give up.  I’m one of those stupid people.  I simply don’t know when to quit! 

Reaching the top of Holy Jim Trail (Bear Springs):

Disappointed somewhat in my time getting to Bear Springs, I made that left onto The Main Divide and kept on running.  I usually hike quite a bit of that beginning truck trail.  Today, I ran and continued to run.  Eventually though, I grew so worn down, I had to stop.  Yes, that is STOP and rest.  I about lost my mind about there.  With the sun beating down and no one in sight, I yelled out a profanity and threw my empty handheld to the rocky ground.  I held back a huge urge to pick up the rocks and start heaving them off the mountain.  I ran a few more steps, water bottle in hand, and the anger welled up again.  This time I threw my handheld on the ground and stomped on it like a little child throwing a fit. 

Well, I pulled myself together and made it to Santiago Peak in a total of 3 hours.  I wanted at most 2:45. 

Santiago Peak:

After a mountain top view and a cool down from my mountain fit, I had an enjoyable 8 mile run back down to the canyon.  I tripped several times (without falling!)  The heat bared down on my legs so terribly, it felt like someone was holding torches near them.  And it was still fairly early.  I came across several hikers making their way up, all with miserable looks on their faces.  I thought to myself, “Why do they put themselves through that.”  And then I laughed. I put myself through that.  I get this in return:

Miles run this morning:  16.17

Hard Week’s Long Run

Today I ran 24+ miles in the Saddleback Mountains.  I began in the dark and ended in sweltering heat.  I began loaded down with fluids.  I ended with one handheld filled from a small spring on the way down the mountain.  I had no choice but to load myself down with fluids.  It’s unfortunate (possibly, maybe not) that the only months to train for an autumn ultra is during the hottest months in Southern California.  Even with all the water that I carried (around 110 fluid ounces), I knew that still wouldn’t be enough.  I planned on two re-fill points, one at a secret stash for trail runners, and the other at Holy Jim’s spring.  When refilling at the “secret” stash, another runner came into the deep brush.  I think that I startled him. I heard him approach and amusingly made a step to hide.  Hilarious.  Ended up he is an ultra-runner that I’ve seen countless times, but have never met.  What an apropos place for an official meeting.  We departed in opposite directions.  But I was oh so glad to learn that I wasn’t the only nut out running in the Saddleback Mountains today. 

If you’re returning you may recall that I’m running my weeks, “Hard, Hard, Easy.”  This is the first week of “Hard.”  You probably also know that I’m having a difficult time with “training.”  It is making me feel weak, and it’s putting fret into my heart.  Frankly, I don’t like it much. 

I went out today thinking, “Just do the miles, try not to think about training.”  Most of the time when I run, I don’t think.  I try to stay in the moment.  That’s when running is most comfortable for me.  Today, I succeeded somewhat in not fretting over THE BIG RACE come October.  And I did have some fun.   Tiring, hard fun.

As always on these crazy runs, I broke it into sections/segments.  Otherwise, I don’t think I could accomplish this type of run.  But I did, all six segments.  And oh yes, do purchase a protection plan for your cameras.  Because I did, and already have a new camera.  Yes!  (And that’s with even admitting that I dropped my camera, and pretty much every camera I’ve broken).

The Pictorial:

Pre Run / Holy Jim Parking lot after a dang bumpy half hour off-road drive – READY TO RUN!  Don’t worry, it’s not as lonely as it looks.  At least 7 hikers just took off ahead of me:

Section 1:  Segment Blissful.  Approximately 5 miles, Blissful, included Trabuco Trail (a lush beauty mixed with rocky desert) and my old friend, West Horse Thief, a delightful, STEEP switch-back, when taken in the cool morning air:

Section 2:  Segment Awesome Views, approximately 3 miles of rolling, ridgeline, truck-trail running along The Main Divide:

Section 3:  Segment Gnat-ville, 4 miles, 2 miles down Indian Truck Trail and 2 miles back up, with plenty of gnats flying up my nose and crawling on my face:

Section 4:  Segment Hell, approximately 5 miles up The Main Divide to Santiago Peak.  It got pretty tough for me during this segment.  Still, I was able to plow past the hikers starting up after their Holy Jim hike.  I am improving a bit:

Section 5: Segment Relief, 3 miles back down The Main Divide to Holy Jim Trail.  I met two young women resting in the shade on their way up.  They exclaimed, “We saw you FLYING up this earlier.  You are good!”  Flying?  I laughed at the word, but if they say so, okay, I was flying.  LOL.  I thanked the young ladies.  When they asked how often I did this, and I told them once a week, they both laughed and further exclaimed, “You’re crazy.”  Fun times:

Section 6: Segment Homeward Bound, 5 miles down Holy Jim in the sweltering heat, focusing on the moment, so that I didn’t fall:

The whole: