After The Rain

Southern California finally got some rain.  Two days of rain!  And we didn’t drown. And we didn’t flow away.  After the rains, I got two days in a row of running. Not two WHOLE days, but some hours worth, (while struggling, suffering way too early from fatigue).  Still I got, two glorious days, plodding one foot  in front of the other, as fast as I could muster.

Day One:  Three Beaches

We have five beaches (or 6 or 7, depending how you count) in my town.  Three of those beaches, the northern beaches, are adjoined along one long sandy strip, providing a nice 2+ mile stretch to get your feet moving:  Monarch Beach, Salt Creek and Dana Strands (AKA The Strands).  I decided early on Thursday, after getting the boys all off to school, that I would run the northern beaches, as all my coastal trails were closed due to “wet and muddy conditions.” 

I parked on Camino Del Avion, and ran down the bike trail to Salt Creek State Beach.   It’s over a mile along that bike path that runs adjacent to Monarch Links, a golf course with green belt views and memories of our early life in The O.C.  My husband and I lived on the other side of this golf course, across the street from Salt Creek Beach for our first ten years here.  It was easy living back then, though we didn’t know it.  We should have known it – I mean, come on, though we both worked 40+ hour weeks, and I was working on my bachelor’s degree for some of those years, evenings consisted of walks on a lonely beach, and solo dips in the community pool.  Weekends, well  . . . after laying around in our sun-drenched living room, we’d pack up our back packs, and head down to the beach for the entire day – THE ENTIRE DAY.  Hubby would fish in the surf, catching the nights’ dinner.  I’d write letters on pink stationary, write in my journal, read a novel, or better yet, work on my novel.  Occasionally, we’d jot off to the headlands, which seemed so far away (but is only about .75 of a mile away according to Thursday’s garmin recording).  Back then, we didn’t head back up to our apartment until nearly every beach-goer had gone home.  I’m not gonna say, “Those were the days,” because I wasn’t a runner then (I was a roller blader, a swimmer, a jazzersizer and OMG a smoker!), so I was missing out on a bunch – but they were wonderful days nonetheless. 

So there I was this past Thursday, trotting (yes trotting) back down to the beaches that I spent so many countless hours in the early years of my history in The O.C.  I wasn’t missing those days.  They just occasionally kissed my mind as I took in new times on these same beaches – this time, approaching 50 years old, with three sons and a wild-crazy home, downtown in the same beach resort. 

As soon as my feet hit the sand on Salt Creek Beach, I took a right and headed toward Monarch Beach.  Problem with the recent rains – Monarch Creek flowed heavily into the ocean.  There was no hopping this without getting my feet wet.

With my heart intent on running Monarch, I took a seat in the sand.  There were few people on the beach – a thong-bikini clad lady ran barefoot along the sand.   A gentleman did pushups up by the dirt trail.  I unlaced my shoes, shoved my socks inside and not so gingerly trudged across Monarch Creek.  My feet sank into the wet sand, as my mind relished the cool rushing water. 

On the other side of the creek I was free!  Free to conquer the remainder of Monarch Beach.  Birds barely flinched as I trotted up on them barefoot in the sand. 

I did some boulder “running” to practice for Calico which is about a month away.  These rocks however, unlike the ones that don’t seem to move in the desert, wobbled like teeter-totters when I pounced on them.  I only fell once – it was a hard solid fall, with the ground giving no resistance.  I pushed myself back to my feet happily unscathed. 

The rocks along Monarch Beach:

After Monarch, I ran back across the creek (taking my shoes off again), ran along Salt Creek, and then The Strands.  I stopped when I hit The Headlands where I photographed some sea anemones and watched the waves crash up on the rocks. 

7.25 miles

Day Two: Mentally Sensitive / Mathis Loop

The coastal trails in Aliso/Wood Canyons opened back up on Friday.  Grudgingly, I had to come to terms with a nagging ankle problem that I believe is not really an ankle problem, but a heel problem.  My hunch is that the stiffness and low-level pain that I’ve been denying is related to my on-going plantar fasciitis.   Frequent calve stretching along Aliso Creek Trail alleviated the situation within about the first mile (which further points to a plantar fasciitis problem).

Anyway, the trails were muddy, and my climb up Mentally Sensitive proved quite strenuous.  I worked up quite a sweat, as I slid back three feet for practically every foot of progress (fun!). 

In all, I covered 10.7 miles, with 1,274’ of elevation gain.  Felt good.  And I was tired.

On the Seventh Day

Day 5 (Saturday):   Taught a six hour computer class and found it difficult to get out the door when I arrived home.  I did manage to continue this streak with a 1.23 mile run around town. 

Day 6 (Sunday):  I went on a hike with my boys and a good friend for 3.5 miles along Tijeras Creek and Arroyo Trabuco trails.  My family and my friend thought this should have counted for my running streak.  But I didn’t run on the hike, so it didn’t count.    Back at home, I ran out the door into downtown and back, for a 1.34 mile run.

Day 7 (Today!) : This evening, I finally found a little time to run out the door for a nice distance.  I thought I’d probably put in three miles (certainly wanted to do more than my minimum requirement).  I had an urge to run along the headlands, so I headed out that way, not really sure where I would run.

A Quick Stop at the Gazebo overlooking the Marina:

View from The Headlands:

Just getting to The Headlands pushed me on further in the 7th day of my Easter running streak.  I mean, I was so, so close to the ocean, I simply had to pay her a visit.  And so, I ran down from The Headlands to The Strands (AKA, Dana Strands) to check on my sea creatures in the tide pools before I headed onward for a sand run along The Strands and Salt Creek.  I spent some time at the base of The Headlands, taking in the waves as they crashed upon the rocks.  I relished the glossy black mussels and green sea urchins as I dodged waves slowly moving upward on the rocks.  Tide was rising, I could tell.  Foot prints had disappeared on the sand.  Sand castles were being flooded by waves. 

Sunflower (named so by me) Sea Urchins:

My Lovely Green Friends:

In all, I ran 6.29 miles on the 7th day of my Easter streak.  And all of it was lovely.  Yes, a little difficult at times, especially the up hills, but lovely still.

Trail Mimicking

I am a trail runner.  If it makes any sense, I am more a trail runner than I am a runner.  Even when circumstances bring me to the road, I search out something that can somehow mimic the trail.  Though nothing so far truly mimics the trail, I have had lots of fun lately with my boulder hopping.

I still have to run the streets to get to these boulders.  And I must admit the cars freak me out.  People tell me they are afraid of snakes and spiders and other wildlife – but what about cars?  They weigh more than anything I find out on the trail.  And they can flatten me in an instant.  I just don’t trust cars – I mean cars, not necessarily their drivers.  A tire could blow, and next thing I know that car is flying toward me as I run peacefully along the sidewalk.

Well . . . I’ll not think about that. 

My biggest dream as a child was not any particular career.  It was not to be rich or drive a fancy car.  My biggest dream was to live in a beach town.  I was living in a beach town by age 23.  And I had many great years wasting lots of time in the surf and sand.  I am very fortunate.

Funny how now, I want to “waste” lots of time in the mountains.  Every day when I look out to Saddleback Mountains, I’m drawn to drive up there and run.  Unfortunately, it just costs too much dang money and time to run the mountains every day during my running streak.

So, day 23 of this streak, I again headed out my front door to the beaches.  And even though I ran plenty of road, I had a terrific time working up a sweat.  My mission today:  run the boulders at Monarch Beach.  I am getting better, much better at maneuvering my feet over these large boulders.  I move side to side, hop up, jump down.  There was a time, many a year ago, that I could barely hike those rocks. 

What fun!

Scenes from today’s run:

St. Regis Hotel:

Making my way down to Monarch Beach:

Time for boulder hopping:

Making my way to the prize:

My dirty shoes standing on nature’s colorful beauty:

Some of the prize:

The big prize after all that boulder hopping – my own private beach:

Running Monarch Beach:

Big Wednesday :

Running Salt Creek:

The Strands:

Miles run on day 23 of Streaking into the New Year: 10.79 (17.36 km)

She’s a Two-Timer

That’s right.  I am!  Even though I broke up with the pavement some time ago.  I have been seen running around around with pavement a few times since.  One of them today.  But I have an excuse.  I had little time to run, and with the way my schedule’s working this week, I needed to run today.   To tell you the truth.  I was looking forward to meeting with my old friend pavement.  It’s kind of nice to run straight out the front door.

Firstly, I had to find some road shoes.  The first pair I pulled from the beneath the bed, though the same brand, were both for the left foot (apropos, I thought).  Searching more, I found a right and left shoe (of the same brand again underneath the head of my bed.  (I’d say it’s time to go through the shoes again )

Though I ran pavement today, I took to the inclines, which meant some fast long declines as well.  And I saw some new things, it’s been so long since I’ve run the streets of my seaside town.

I ran over a new walkway above The Strands (a local beach) with these fish mosaics (dozens of them).

And I found new beach access down to The Strands (this once secluded beach now has three delightful access points, all beautifully landscaped.  But what goes down, must come up – I know the saying goes the other way, but with running, I’m always thinking as I run down, yikes, I gotta run back up!)

A View of the The Strands

After running up another set of stairs, I thought I’d investigate the road further, see if I found something else new.  And like a dog, I sniffed out a trail.  Well, kinda a trail.  Yes, it was a trail, more of the headlands trail system that the city has put in.  Notice the fence below that lines the entire trail system to keep runners and hikers in check.  The sight is way to gorgeous to complain.  I just think a more rustic looking fence might have fit better.

This trail meanders around the headlands overlooking the Pacific and comes out at a brand new building, some sort of headlands information building, where I promptly tripped on the pavement where it met the dirt.  I tripped hard too.  I thought surely I was going down.  My body was practically parallel with the earth.

No Worries.  I was able to add one fall to my fall count today nonetheless (LOL).  I came out overlooking the harbor and ran a path and bridge that travels along the cliff.  And while running UPSTAIRS.  Yup.  Upstairs.  I fell.  It was a soft fall.  No harm.  That’s ten to date though (3 for pavement, 7 for trails?).

I’m sure to visit pavement again.  Can you believe how lucky I am?  When probably a third of the country is covered in snow, I stand above in shorts (sweating) overlooking blues skies and the great Pacific.

Miles logged this morning: 6.53 + this afternoon, 1 mile with my son = 7.53

Dana Point Marina below

One Week (Exactly) Hence

Exactly one week has passed since Camp Pendleton's Hard Corps Marathon.  And eventhough I was pretty bad off (cramp-wise), I am way better off (recovery-wise) than my first marathon  (SD Rock N' Roll Marathon).  I haven't looked it up, but if memory serves me correctly, two weeks passed before I fully recovered from my first marathon.  This time, aside from cramping the second day, I felt pretty much recovered right away.

I have been preoccupied with life over the past week; it has tired me so.  Still, I set my alarm for a run this morning, though I would have rather slept in.  Actually, so much as been going on, that though I yearned to run during it all, when it comes right down to it, I would rather lay in bed and zone-out.  Zone-out ALL DAY LONG.

But I'm old enough to know what's better for me -- even if I do have a chorizo burrito dinner. : ) (Bad Girl!)

Goal this morning: Hills. Just 2 short weeks from now, I heading up Bulldog (at Malibu Creek Park), and having lost a lot of my hill training during physical therapy, I figured today was a good day for hills. I couldn't make the trails though (not enough time with the stuff going on 'round here), so I ran out my front door, first on a down hill to the highway, which I took down even further for a nice flat run on Del Obispo. I forgot to focus on form, and I forgot my mantra, which probably explains why I never really got out of my slump.

I'm not talking about a terrible slump. It's just that, the euphoria never hit. Then again, I kept the mileage on the low side.

After running the flat portion, I began my climb up Stonehill. Waving at a neighbor who seemed to be shocked at seeing me running up this hill at 7:30 in the morning, I turned left on Selva to run a steady climb, for a good two-thirds of the entire length of Selva. Reaching the high point of the city, I barely noticed the Pacific Ocean (it was a gray day), instead focusing on the music of my ipod.

My mood began to lift some when I finally reached the stairway leading down to The Strands (a small beach that's usually pretty empty). My mood didn't lift because it was empty, but because it was like meeting an old friend.  I love The Strands. 

Running on down to The Strands

The Rock Stacker at it again


Quick Stop at the cliffs to greet my friends

Not much hills to run on the sand.  I ran The Stands (there and back), Salt Creek and Monarch Beach, then began my ascent up the windy trail toward the highway.  I ran under the highway, then up the staircase to the apartments my husband and I lived in for nearly ten years (before the children).  From there I ran up Stonehill, a pretty good climb that I would have never dreamt of running twenty years ago when we lived there. 

The morning was still young when I arrived home, happy to see all my boys awake, eating breakfast and not yet raising havoc.   Miles logged this morning:  8.2

Getting Closer to Countdown

With no chance of being ready for Saturday's marathon, I took off for a run this morning, a road run, but jammed-packed with hills.  I'm not even sure I can run the 26.2 miles within the time limit.  My goal is simply to finish (if they let me), uninjured and most importantly SMILING.

So the hills of this beachside town provided quite a strenuous workout this morning.  It was a beautiful run, and the weather was oh so cool.  After making my way inland, I climbed Stonehill feeling strong, then made my way down toward the northern beaches. 

The fountain in front of St. Regis Hotel / I couldn't help think of this weekend's waterfalls, the contrast and similarities.

Heading toward the condemned path that leads to Monarch Beach (Aliso Canyon is just on the otherside of the hills in the background)

On the downhill, getting closer to the Pacific Ocean (Monarch Beach)

Running through the tunnel at the golf course (The Links).  Pacific Coast Highway is above me.

I dabbled with taking video, practicing for the marathon.  Turns out, I don't do too well holding the camera still while running.  The Pacific was choppy this morning, the tide on the high side (though there was plenty of sand on most of the beaches).  I ran Monarch Beach, Salt Creek and The Strands, then ran back up to Pacific Coast Highway via the windy path up Salt Creek's green belt.  After a nice long climb, I finally came in for a lovely downhill, no pain, at 10.80 miles logged for the morning.

Self photo at Salt Creek/Monarch Beach 

Rounding the bluff, The Strands in the distance, most of its beach taken by the tide

Standing at the base of the cliff that ends The Strands Beach

Heading back on The Strands -- Monarch Beach and Salt Creek in distance