Revisiting My Meltdown on The Main Divide

For a long time I have been wanting to revisit my meltdown on The Main Divide back in August 2013. It’s been nearly 7 years since that nearly fateful day. Yet I think about it time and again and use it as a point of reference often. I have known for a long time how wrong I was in explaining what happened to me that day.  In my post written very quickly after the event, I blamed a lack of calories for my demise. I somehow thought that I needed more than the 400 calories that I packed along in the form of mainly gels (100% carbs 1/3 of it sugar!). Problem with the calorie theory is, I have been running and hiking in almost exclusively a  fasted state for a few years now without any problem (even in the heat.) I ran the Calico Trail Race earlier this year in a fasted state and did not suffer for it, and in my opinion was better for it. Also as far as the calories go, I have an image of myself on that hot August day trying to suck down a gel as I struggled up Trabuco Trail toward The Main Divide. I was already sick at that point.

I mistakenly blamed lack of calories because I had plenty of fluids. I had driven out to Trabuco Canyon beforehand and stashed water in a forest area off of Holy Jim parking lot. When I arrived to that location during this run on August 3, I rested and drank up plenty there,  then filled up my pack (adding electrolytes) before beginning my five mile run up Trabuco Trail. Eventually, lack of fluids may have been a problem on that sizzling day, but not because I lacked them – it’s that I just couldn’t drink anymore, I was too nauseated.

From August 3, 2013, in Holy Jim lot refilling before heading off up Trabuco Trail

So, if it wasn’t fluids and it wasn’t calories, what was it that I fear nearly killed me on that day in the Cleveland National Forest? The answer is easy. I can tell you without hesitation that it was heat. Yes, Heat. I was suffering from heat exhaustion (what I call heat sick). There is no mistaking it. The first time I can remember succumbing to heat sickness was about 1984, 85 while fishing in Utah. My mother-in-law-to-be drenched a towel in the lake water and placed it over my head and then sat me beneath an umbrella. She didn’t pour fluids down my gullet. She instead attempted to cool down my body temperature. Unfortunately, I didn’t put this together and had to learn it all over again and again. The next big time I recall heat sickness striking is during Bulldog 50k in August 2010 with temperatures over 100F. I got so overheated that even fully  submerged in the stream I could not cool down. I could not cool down because I was already heat sick; I was past the point of no return. When this happens the heat is overbearing, especially in my head, I’m confused and lethargic, so much so that I’ve nearly fallen asleep before sprawled out on the trail with heat sickness. Heat sickness is a brutal hit to my system. I can be sick for days, sometimes with the chills and body aches – at the very least I’m in bed right away at home and out until the next day. Heat Sickness is a terrible thing, which is why I really wanted to revisit that day back in 2013 and set the record straight. I know it was heat exhaustion that prompted me to call for help. There is no mistaking heat exhaustion and it is silly that I did not immediately see this (I was fooled by my abundance of fluids!). My problem on August 3, 2013 was The Heat. (I capitalize it in reverence to The Heat’s mighty force!)

You can drink all the fluids you want but it will not save you from the heat. Fluids help, and lack of them (and electrolytes) greatly hinder (and also kill you). What you really need, in addition to fluids when you’re out in the heat, is to cool down. Heat raises your body temperature and unless you cool it down you are going to get sick and then eventually, you are going to have heatstroke and die. It’s tough to fight back from heat exhaustion. But here’s the trick: Do Not Ever Get There. Work with the heat -- don’t ever let it overwhelm you. I learned that I need to cool down if I get too hot because once my body temperature gets too high, there’s no recovering: I am heat sick.  A lot of people confuse “cooling down” with hydrating. Yes, hydration can aid in cooling me down, but it’s just not that efficient. What I need is shade. I need to stop and get in the shade. Assuming I haven’t reached the point of no return (for me body temp above 101F) I’ll cool down in just a few minutes and then I’m good to go. The tiniest bit of shade will do, the shade of a small trash can will do. And if there is no shade (shame on me for being out in the heat with no available shade!), but if that happens, merely stopping to rest can help cool me down, sitting helps too (along with drinking fluids of course as well).

So, there you have it. I have set the record straight on my Meltdown on The Main Divide. I do need to add that I didn’t come up with the phrase “Meltdown on The Main Divide.” Some time after my August 2013 heat sickness, I stumbled across a mountain biking website that had a thread going called “Meltdown on The Main Divide.” When I began to read, I realized that the mountain bikers were talking about me and what had happened that day. In preparing to write this post I did an online search and darn it, I wasn’t unable to find the thread.

Keep cool out there!

The Road to Calico

I want to run Calico Trail Run again. I love this race, and I miss it. It's been a few years -- 2015 was the last year I ran Calico 30k. I had come a long way. It destroyed me the first time I ran it in 2007. Going in, I felt fairly confident with the distance. It was the terrain that caught me off guard. Oh the troubles I encountered that first year! This race taught me the meaning of technical terrain. I crossed the finish line with bloody arms and legs having wiped out on the rocks in a bluish-pink canyon. At home, my husband used tweezers to dig out the pebbles embedded in my arm from my fall. I was wiped out for days. Calico 30k basically chewed me up and spit me out. I never realized how much I would love something like that. I was smitten.   

IF I can do it, Calico 2020 will be my 8th year. It is going to be a tough road to Calico. I'm not starting from scratch, but I'm definitely far away both mentally and physically to run this race well. The time to beat, well, that would be my best time which is 4:30 (from 2012, the only year I placed in my age group).

MY TRAINING PLAN is twofold. In the midst of teaching at two schools and directing a race in December, it has to be twofold, otherwise, there's a slim chance I'll be able to run Calico come January 2020.

FIRST PRONG of my attack (but not necessarily most the important): I need to get in good physical shape. I have a long way to go in building strength and endurance. I'll accomplish this by running, hiking, calisthenics, and some weights. I may even get back to the gym. 

SECOND PRONG, which is crucial to my success: I need to get in good mental shape. This entails proper sleep, proper food and completely cutting out all sugar. Fasting will be a huge part of this prong. I have been using it frequently, since I decided to run Calico again a few weeks ago.

I've further divided my plan into 3 phases, each lasting a little over a month. 

Phase 1: Getting Started 

Phase 2: Building

Phase 3: Maintaining

Currently, I am about 2 weeks into Phase 1. I have been running short distances on the road, as well as, hiking trails. I started slowly with calisthenics (planks only). And right now, I'm using The Big Loop at Aliso which is about 12 miles with 1,565' of elevation gain as my way to measure progress. (Love that loop!). I'm hiking all of it, but with a goal to increase my speed, I will add some running soon. About a week ago (10/27) I hiked The Big Loop in 4:37. This was an enjoyable hike; I didn't kill myself doing it. I'm in the "Getting Started" phase which is extremely important to my success. It's all about getting into a routine and doing it nice and easy with mental clarity so that I don't injure myself. Two prong attack, I believe that is key.

The Big Loop

Arroyo Trabuco My Good Friend

Arroyo Trabuco 14 mi. / Friday 12/14

I downloaded the Mapmyrun on my phone and took to Arroyo Trabuco Trail Friday, December 14 (yes, I am 10 days late -- so I will make this quick). Not really mourning my Garmin anymore (it really was a pain in the ass). I recall it was a dark day, both physically and mentally. The skies were gray, and I was feeling down for reasons I’ll leave out. Best thing ever to do when down, hit the trails, especially after recent rains.The creek was full, so much so, that I found it difficult to cross without at least dipping my foot in the water. There were several creek crossings. There were also lots of people, and they all made some kind of contact -- a nod, eye contact, even short talks (big contrast to my local trails). I met one man (Ahmad) who told me about the video clips he saw of mountain lions on this trail. We had a good ten minute discussion as he showed me one of the cameras on the trail that I had never even noticed. In the end, I was growing somewhat fatigued, and even had to run some to keep to my time schedule. I believe that I probably ran about 6 of the 14+ miles. At the last creek crossing, I didn’t have energy or focus to cross it without getting my feet wet. So, mid-way, I simply stepped down into the middle of the creek and walked across it, drenching my shoes completely.

Hurt so Good

For me the toughest thing to conquer is the mountains. I mean the toughest thing out of all the physical challenges I put myself through (not talking about the mental challenges here). There’s the gym workouts, runs-hikes in the coastal hills, and occasionally the same in the desert, oh and also, runs down at my beaches (which are completely flat). Now, I’m not claiming that runs down at the beach, like my last 4 mile run (not blogged), aren’t difficult. They are difficult. All of these physical challenges are difficult to some degree. But the mountains -- they kick my butt.

With all the rain that we’ve been having, I thought that I’d check out Chiquito Falls on Sunday to see if it was flowing. Originally, I had planned to go up Maple Springs Road on Sunday (my go-to favorite), but I wasn’t really in the mood for the 1 hour plus drive. So, I opted for the 30 minute commute to the San Juan Loop trailhead (which is across the street from the Ortega Oaks Candy Store on Ortega Highway). I was happy to see the parking lot was crowded because I’m not so accustomed to the mountains like I used to be. The way I see it, the more people, the safer. Ends up, I did not see many people on the trail at all though. And Chiquito falls was but a trickle. But the trip was worth it still.

I really had forgotten what a difficult climb I would encounter going up Chiquito Trail. My memory just remembered the beauty, not the pain. And oh was it beautiful. The pain, well it wasn’t so bad at the moment. Still in a fasting state, I considered breaking my fast at one point with the emergency almonds in my pack. But as usual of late, I quickly rebounded for a strong return. I felt it later that day in my legs. And even the next day, my legs were sore, especially my calves. They hurt so good. Really! I haven’t had a workout like that in ages. (But I did NOT nap when I got home! In the five weeks eating a ketogenic diet, I have only napped once. Huge improvement!)  In all the trip was 9.13 miles with 1,609’ of elevation gain.

Here are some of my favorite pics from that rugged, yet beautiful trip:

High Energy!

Saturday (2/24) was ten days since switching to a ketogenic diet. My energy is still sky high, and mental focus so much improved that it really is kind of freakish. In addition, my appetite is oddly suppressed, like no other appetite suppressant that I’ve tried. Just think, if someone would have concocted a pill to do all this -- get rid of the brain fog, give tons of energy, and act as the best ever appetite suppressant to boot, I would have taken that pill. I would have taken that pill because I have been raised in a culture where we are always looking for that magic solution, one that works without even trying. I have never found such a pill. Instead, I stumbled upon something called a ketogenic diet.

Who knows if these are all temporary side effects. I’m hoping not of course. For now, I enjoy experimenting with the high fat/low carb diet effects. Since now when I wake in the morning, I am awake, I have more time in the day. Seriously, I experience no grogginess upon waking. I also no longer nap. I have been a napping girl for years. YEARS. I stopped napping the day I switched my diet.

So, on Saturday (2/24), I decided to run-hike a loop in Crystal Cove/Laguna Wilderness that has been a struggle for me over the past few years. I chose this loop because 1) It’s relatively close by and I had limited time due to the fact that I needed to get my two youngest boys to their music lessons, and 2) I wanted to see if my newfound energy would affect the misery level of this run. The route: From Ridge Park in Newport Beach: No-Name Ridge to No Dogs to the Pacific Ocean (all pretty much down hill). For the climb out: El Moro Canyon to Slow & Easy to Boomer Ridge back to truck.

I got out of the house fairly early (about 7:10 am). The temperature read 38F in Dana Point. It had warmed up a bit by the time I arrived to Ridge Park in Newport Coast. The streets were already lined with cars dumping out cyclists, runners and hikers onto the trails. The mood was definitely festive! I hit the dirt on an empty stomach being that I am also intermittent fasting, which basically means that I fast for 16 hours before eating (this by the way is simple because much of the 16 hours is done while I’m sleeping!). Anyway, I have never put in a grueling run or hike without some sort of fuel. I packed calories (almonds) just in case my body began breaking down.

The results: I ran down to the Pacific Ocean with very good energy. I didn’t miss the gloves that I accidentally left at home, as I warmed up pretty quickly. The ocean was beautiful with a crisp horizon line. I lingered there with the sand beneath my shoes for a bit, not looking forward to the climb out. I will not deny that the climb out was tough. But the thing that I noticed was that after the really hellish parts, I rebounded very quickly. Pretty much as soon as I hit flat ground. I never once needed to sit at the side of the trail to rest (that’s how bad it had gotten for me!).  And I never felt the need for fuel. But I did drink up, more so than I usually do.

 

The trip was 9.75 miles long with 1,284’ of elevation gain. I had more energy than I’ve had in years. I rebounded quickly. I did not need fuel. And I did not nap all day. I promised myself at least a month of ketogenic dieting. Today as I write this, I am on day 14, and as it stands now, the benefits of ketogenic eating are too great to go back. (5 pounds down also)

Link to my shaky video diary of the run: My More Energy Run

Maple Springs–a Slice of Heaven

I left my home under darkness Saturday morning – FINALLY, I hit the trails early in the morning. This I have to thank to Sheila and Robert who met me at the Maple Springs trailhead and accompanied me for the first three miles of this out-and-back.  (I remember fondly back when I was a true morning person – now I’m neither – not a night or morning person, just a tired person).

There were many creek crossings along the way to the dirt road that makes its way up to Four Corners. I gingerly made my way across hoping from rock to rock, following Sheila’s lead (who by the way has amazing grace and balance). And though it’s only a minimal climb those first three miles, I was feeling it when my friends had to turn back. And it was kinda sad to see them go, but at the same time, I knew that I would relish the alone time.

I didn’t do much running on the way up Maple Springs Road. The climb gets quite steep compared to what I’m used to. It was a strenuous hike much of the way. And one filled with handfuls of joyful people making the same trek, both by foot and mountain bike. Our rains turned the mountain sides green, and left behind muddy ground and puddles along the way. The weather was cold too (delight! delight!). Though I found the trek up difficult, I never once regretted my decision of going to Four Corners, nor did I even think once of cutting it short.

I ran all the miles back to my truck, which made my trip a total of 15 miles. Understandably, that last stretch was quite miserable – the bottoms of my feet hurt. Hell, my whole body hurt, as it was difficult focusing and keeping up the core strength so that I did not fall on the way back. I had no strength to hop rocks across the creek. So, I just splashed through the wonderfully cold water. But, oh, did I suffer back at home. Barely able to make it up the front steps, I grabbed some lunch (if my memory serves me correctly, I believe I heated up some frozen fish and rice). Then I soaked in a warm bath for a good long time, which refreshed me some. But by 4:00 PM, I was so wiped out, unable to even do the simplest chores, I fell asleep on the living room coach. I asked my middle son to wake me at 4:30 because I wanted to prepare dinner for the family. At 4:30 when he woke me, I said, “Okay, make it 5:00 instead.” Then at 5:00, I said, “5:30,” and that’s when my husband said, “No, don’t start dinner til 6:00, rest til then.” And that I did. (Elevation gain for that 15 miles was nearly 3,000’ and I’m not used to that anymore . . . but I will be )

For dinner, I prepared tacos.

SST in the Green

I find it very difficult to wake early on the weekends nowadays. But being that I want to get back into shape, and weekends are the only time to run mountain trails, I grudgingly woke at 6:00 am. And then I promptly tapped the phone screen for a nine minute snooze. And then I did it again, and again, and again, and again. I wasn’t out the door until 9:30 am. So much for setting the alarm.

Due to the fact that I got such a late start, I decided on Santiago Truck Trail (STT). The reason this is such a good trail to run on late-start mornings is because it only takes about thirty minutes to drive there – and more importantly, it’s paved the entire way, with no off-roading. To add a special touch – the drive is delightful, with a turn off into Modjeska Canyon and a windy drive through a couple of tree canopy tunnels.

So, I didn’t do what I had planned today. I didn’t beat myself up over it. At least I was out there, and got to wander about in the wilderness. Even saw three runners that I know on STT. And the hills were so lush and green. Absolutely beautiful. I wasted a lot of time pulling the camera out of my pack.

Miles: 7.22, Elevation gain: 1,376’