The Hills are Alive

The only way right now to get heat training in the coastal hills of The O.C. is to run in the afternoon.  So I hit the dirt at Aliso/Wood Canyons at 3:30 PM today, Sunday.  And it was HOT.

It doesn’t look hot . . .

But it was HOT!  There were lots of runners in these hills.  Streams of bikers flew down hills.  Hikers hiked these hills clothed from head to toe in this weather – lots of them using hiking sticks.  The hills were alive with people, something I rarely see on my morning runs.

This guy is good!  (Cholla Trail)

Though it was hot, I caught a breeze here and there.  And not only that, I could bare the heat!  Sure, this wasn’t Texas heat.  But it was still HOT, and I was not miserable.  I enjoyed my run.   My body temperature never increased more than a half degree.  I don’t want to speak too soon, but I do believe I’m getting my hill training back, and I am getting there with the heat training.  Wonderful.

Top of the World, Pacific Ocean behind me

I needed something a little different running back to the car.  A good 90% of the time I run this park, I run down Cholla.  Today, I decided to run down Lynx Trail, a much neglected trail by myself.  It was rocky, it was hot with very little shade, and it was lovely.

A pose before running down Lynx

Lynx Trail

Ending up run on Wood Canyon Trail

6.34 miles run today (10.20 km)

California Girl (Ah well, lady)

I’m back.  Back in California, that is.  My home.  Texas was a pleasure.  And there are a lot of wonderful things about the state.  But I am a California girl – born and raised.  This is where I’m gonna stay, even if the economy here wants to push me out. 

I planned on returning to the trails the day after we landed in California.  But surprisingly, with only 2 hours time difference, I had to deal with jet-lag.  That prevented my routine for just a day. This morning, I was pounding the dirt at 6:30 AM. 

Just a couple of observations to jot down about my first run back.  As a special delight, I came upon twelve (12!) bunnies in the first half mile.   Also, I learned that it’s much easier to heat train in really hot weather, as opposed to wearing warmer clothing.  The trails were rather humid this morning.  And I could only take wearing the long sleeves until about 2 miles in.  That’s when I flung off my shirt drenched in sweat and tied it around my waist.  The hills were tough, especially Meadows Trail (the steepest climb on the profile below).  Lastly, so happy I was to run my trails, I snapped, snapped, snapped the camera away.

This is just a little of what I experienced:

Climbing Meadows

Summer bouquet running ridge to Top of the World

The Pacific Ocean in background (a wonderful trail marker if needed)

Posing at Top of the World before running Westridge

Exotic bloom

Climbing Wood Creek Trail (Wood Canyon in background)

Fallen tree on Wood Creek Trail

Wood Creek Trail

Heading back on Wood Canyon Trail

Ferret sticks his head above ground

Miles run this morning:  12.10 (19.47km)

Elevation Profile:  (route:  Aliso Creek Trail, Wood Canyon, Meadows, Top of the World, Park Avenue Nature Trail,  Westridge, Cholla, Wood Canyon, Wood Creek, Wood Canyon, Aliso Creek)

Aching to Run

I haven’t run since Friday!  And though my ankle still slightly aches, I ached more to run trails today.  Being the end of the school year, field-trips, open houses, play dates etc., life has been hectic – not to mention, tomorrow is my last day of school (work), and I’ve had seniors literally racing against the clock to graduate.  Two boys finished this evening who I thought weren’t going to pull it off.  I am so dang happy for them.

ANYWAY, in between all this, I finally fit in a short run today.  The weather was extremely overcast.  And I felt strong.  I guess a rest does me good.  I simply let my mind go and took it all in.  Today’s run cleansed me more than a run has in a long time.  When before I ran this morning I felt a little hopeless, afterward, I saw lots of opportunity and hope.

At the base of Cholla Trail

West Ridge Trail, which is the ridge that goes up to Top of the World has 3 off-shoots.  Two are not named, the last is Park Avenue Nature Trail.  I took all 3 for the elevation, though it shortened the mileage a bit on this out-and-back to Top of the World.  I love the difficulty, some of it technical, not to mention the single-track of these off-shoots (I think I made up that word – I also call them “C trails” because they’re kind of shaped like C’s, beginning and ending on West Ridge).

Running one of these “C Trails”

Snake Food

Goofing off with a pose to show off Laguna Coast Wilderness Park across the canyon

Spring Bouquet along West Ridge

Miles logged this morning:  6.09

Elevation profile of today’s out-and-back

ps.  The RAT is back!  It’s been seen running around our backyard (in broad daylight) like he’s the new puppy.  I don’t go in the backyard anymore.

I’m NOT running the Turkey Trot Trail Run

Every year I think might not run the local Turkey Trot.  It has been such a pain for many reasons.  First off, they lost my registration TWICE last year.  They do not start the runners in waves (though there are more than 10,000 runners) and most importantly, the whole race is on pavement. 

But I’ve run the Turkey Trot for many years.  It was my first race.  It was the one that really set me on my way with running.  I can walk to the race from my house even (big, big plus). The Turkey Trot holds a lot of nostalgia for me.  And I have been known to be very nostalgic.

Well, this year, I went and did it.  That is didn’t do it.  I did not run the Turkey Trot.  Instead, I ran with a friend on dirt, beautiful soft DIRT (& some rock : ).  And it was lovely.

When we arrived to Aliso/Woods Canyons the air was FREEZING.  That is literally.  The wood post fence we climbed over had a layer of ice along it.  Though I wore long sleeves, I wasn’t prepared – I wore shorts, didn’t have gloves or a beanie.  So I wore my scarf tied over my head like my great-grandmother, Babcia used to.

After turning onto Wood Canyon which was still in the shade, we took a little detour onto Cave Rock Trail so we could get up on that rock into the sun.  That didn’t really help warmth-wise.  But the view of Wood Canyon from atop that rock was spectacular, green hills, blue skies with a bright sun beaming down promising to warm us up soon, very soon. 

I had the bright idea to shortem the trip to the top by not running up Mathis.  Instead we ran through that shady magical Oak Grove Trail and UP Car Wreck Trail.  There was no running for me on the steepest parts of Car Wreck.  Even hiking it was a chore.  But it surely warmed me up.

So let it be known, running up Car Wreck is not actually a short cut. : )

A “runnable” portion of Car Wreck Trail

Sheila and Me at the top of Car Wreck, finally warm

Reaching the top of Mathis (via Car Wreck) was such a chore that the uphills remaining were pleasurable to run.  We ran on up to Top of the World, and from there across over to Meadows, which we took down to Wood Canyon and back to the ranger station beneath gorgeous skies.  Truly a run to be thankful for on a day that I am glad to remember all the things that I am so thankful for.  Happy Thanksgiving!!

Top of the World

Miles logged Thanksgiving morning:  9.25

Elevation Profile:

Sit on This

First an update on the Piriformis muscle situation.  Great improvement with switching my sleep position.  But I was still waking in pain.  Have been also doing stretches and foam rolling, and I am good all day long (mostly) – that is until I sit or run.  Also, nighttime has not been great.  Then in my desperate stumblings on the internet I came across the suggestion of using a tennis ball.  So, two nights ago, I sat on a brand new tennis ball (3 for $2!!) and OUCH, OUCH, OUCH.  The next morning, I am happy to report that I did not need to roll myself out of bed.  I did not need to hold onto the mattress as I walked out of the room.  Instead, I jumped right out of bed, WITH NO PAIN AT ALL.

You can be sure that I’m continuing this sitting on a tennis ball, rolling it over that muscle to help loosen it up, every time I think of it.  Of course, I have to take some hassling from our oldest son.  He thinks it’s absolutely ridiculous to sit on a tennis ball. : )  Just wait til he’s in his mid forties with Piriformis syndrome!

Now, back to running – trail running that is.  If I wanted to get in 3 trail runs this week, I had to run today.  And I wanted to, I wanted to!  So, I took off through Canyon Vistas Park, expecting the outhouse to be empty at Aliso/Wood Canyons’ entrance.  No such luck.  And for the first time in a long time, I ran off into the brush and . . . fade out . . .

The trails were empty, I mean EMPTY this morning.  The trails were also pretty eroded from the past days’ rains.  Deep crevices lead the way along with rock exposed from the dirt being washed away.

A changing Prickly Pear on Cholla Trail

I did not feel so strong on this run.  I tried to keep my pace up, but I couldn’t keep it as fast as my last run.  That’s all right though – the morning was lovely.  Lovely and strange.  Everything looked so different to me – the erosion, the brush now greener and growing onto the trails.  As I ran along West Ridge, a helicopter flew between me and the Laguna Coastal Hills at an elevation lower than I was running! 

Looking down on Laguna Canyon Road and Laguna’s Coastal Hills

The glutes began stabbing as I ran along West Ridge.  I popped 3 ibuprofen right away.  No way I was going to stop this run at this point.  I’m not gonna lie.  West Ridge was tough.  I blamed a day a Disneyland yesterday.  But who knows, it could have been anything.  I feel a little “out of sorts” in my training right now. 

Anyway, at Top of the World, I stretched that glute muscle.  And then I decided to take a little detour on the way back.  Instead of running straight down West Ridge, I took Park Avenue Nature Trail – another one of those trails I’ve neglected at this park.  Very quickly, I came upon a fork in the road.  I took the right which wound me up on top of a plateau with a lovely 360 degree view of Saddleback Mountains, Laguna Beach and all of Aliso Viejo.  But there was no way down to West Ridge.  So I ran that fork in the road back down to the turn off and took the left trail instead.  And what I saw beneath me on the hillsides was a whole other system of trails, seemingly leading down to Laguna Canyon Road.  More trails to discover!!!! 

Well, I ran a while when it seemed like I should be back to West Ridge.  But the trail cutting across was not West Ridge.  It was a whole other ridge trail that I’ve never seen before.  How could I have never seen it before?  It amazes me how geographical angles can obscure entire trail systems.

Park Avenue Nature Trail

I eventually made it back to West Ridge.  From there I (leisurely) ran back to Cholla Trail.  And even Cholla Trail, I didn’t take too quickly.  But I did see another person – a mountain biker riding, not walking, his bike up its steep eroded terrain. 

Miles run this morning: 6.5

Elevation Profile:

Shoot for the Stars

“We are all of us in the gutter,  but some of us are looking at the stars”  / The Pretenders (Message of Love), which basically quotes Oscar Wilde (Lady Windermere's Fan)

The forecast says rain, rain, rain.  So with little time to spare, I got the boys dropped off to school, ran one errand, got a ticket (yes, a traffic ticket!) and headed off for a trail run before the waters descended upon us (which by the way, they haven’t yet).

Altering my sleep positions have helped with the glute pain, so I changed my running plans this morning.  I ran through Canyon Vistas Park, a familiar route, but instead of starting the climb right away up Cholla Trail, I took a downhill route into Wood Canyon.

Today’s Elevation Profile 

A slight drizzle fell from gray skies.  Dozens of mountain bikers made their way on the trails as I made my way down Wood Canyon.   It was dark, cold and lovely.  Scouring the sidelines for acorns, I stopped here and there to collect them on special request from our youngest son.   About a mile and a quarter in, I took a right onto Coyote Run Trail.

Entry to Coyote Run Trail

I did not meet another soul on Coyote Run Trail.  Turning down the tunes to make sure I’d hear oncoming bikes (or other troubles), I concentrated on keeping my pace strong (remember my goal – Calico!)  I felt strong winding through that short stint, but a little anxious knowing what lay ahead – RockIt Trail. 

Rockit Trail

 

I felt amazingly well running up Rockit.  It is after all, only a mile and a quarter (yes, about 2.5 times longer than Cholla Trail, but much, much shorter than Holy Jim or say . . . BULLDOG).  I think . . . I don’t want to speak (rather, write)  prematurely, but I may be through my recovery period. (That is recovery from Saddleback).

I met one hiker just as I headed up Rockit.  Otherwise, I had that trail all to my (happily) lonely self.  What a joy!  I think it was Rockit that finally freed me today.  Though that freedom was short (I had to re-enter the “real” world eventually), it was well worth the sweat and not tears, but salt that ran down my face.

Rockit meets West Ridge which I ran up and down, mainly up, up, up to Top of the World.  After stretching my troubled glute muscles, I raced, I mean, raced back up and down West Ridge (mainly down, but there’s some good ups).  I concentrated on form, but mainly pace, amazing myself at times with an eight minute pace (that is a rarity on trails!).  Even more amazing, I conquered the twelve minute pace on the moderate hills.  (I still owe you Tom for the garmin!!).  Increasing my pace is the only way I’m going to meet my Calico goal.  To break through that bottom 25%, I’ve got to beat my Calico 30k time by about 30 minutes.  To place in my age group, I’ve got to beat my time by ONE HOUR.  My goal is the latter.  As the saying goes, “Aim for the stars, and maybe you’ll reach the sky.”

Miles logged this morning:  7.61

Acorns I collected (quite difficult to get a focused pic).  Baby boy was quite happy though : )  He really liked the yellow ones (who knew acorns were so colorful).

I Just Wanted To See If I Could Do It

Today, I thought was a good day to get back out there and run.  Then again, I thought, maybe I should rest one more day.  Maybe I wasn’t ready.  Avoiding additional injury after all is my number one goal.  But I just couldn’t stand it.  I had to know.  I wanted to see if I could do it.

I took off with painful glutes (which I believe I have self-diagnosed the problem, more for a later post), beneath breezy skies.  The weather was cool, almost cold.  Despite the glutes I felt comfortable.  I ran up Cholla Trail focusing on form.  Form, form, form – column straight, no bending at the waist and mid-foot strike as much as possible.  It gets pretty steep on Cholla, so keeping that mid-foot strike is not always doable.

Before I left, my husband said, “stay off uneven ground,” and I laughed, like that’s possible on the trails (but we suspect it’s part of my glute problems – uneven ground, that is).  I did keep my eye on the trail and attempted to stay on even ground.  Much of the time that was not possible.

But I did have fun.  Lots of fun.  And I sweated loads too, like I always do in the recovery period. 

The rolling hills of West Ridge were pretty empty.  I saw 2 runners, and half a dozen or so hikers.  Top of the World was EMPTY, a peaceful, tranquil and windy experience.  I needed that.

Top of the World:

At the top, enjoying the wind, acting just a tad SILLY:

After stretching at the top, I headed back the same way I came.  And I focused on keeping my pace up on the uphills.  I could do it.  Though I felt like I could put in more miles, I kept it to a minimum.  Besides – I had to work this evening and had still lots of chores and pick-ups to do.

Miles logged this morning: 6.24

Elevation gain:  Approx. 1,200 ft.

Yup; I was there.

Despite my complaining, and maybe it was stupid, (I was hoping the antibiotics would protect me) but I grabbed me some of that fortitude this afternoon and headed out for a trail run.  I just had to do it.  It wasn’t that a short hilly run was gonna suddenly train me for the following weekend.  I just needed the release, the escape.

I took 4 ibuprofen, 2 Sudafed, packed my hydro pack with plenty of water (let me tell ya I drank it all), and ran down Canyon Vistas park with my shoulder reeking of Icy Hot, and a pain jabbing my RIGHT glute.  (It switched sides – go figure :)

At the bottom of Cholla Trail I asked a mountain biker if he would grab the Icy Hot out of my pack.  He kindly obliged, then I hid behind a sign, and COATED that glute.  I powered up Cholla best that I could.  Passed a biker resting at the side along the way.

I focused on relaxing and not compensating by changing my gate.  Mid-foot strike (especially on the uphills), straight core, and most importantly I concentrated on relaxing.  Toward the end of West Ridge I found myself running alongside three male runners who were just at my pace – they had actually passed a ways back, but I caught them on the uphills.  Conversation with one of the gentlemen took my mind off the tough end of West Ridge.

 Me at Top of the World, Pacific Ocean/Laguna Beach in background (look!  My ipod matches my shirt)

I can’t express what a relief I felt to stand at the Top of the World.  The breeze was cool, the people smiling.  By then my arm felt no pain, my glute minimal pain.  The ocean was dark, the skies bright.  And I have to say that just standing there gave me a boost – a mental boost (I don’t think it did so much for me physically). 

After running into Alta Laguna Park and stocking up on toilet paper to blow my nose, I ran back up to West Ridge with gusto.  I stretched and took a few snap shots, then ran, not that swiftly, back up and down, up and down West Ridge to Cholla, and back to the car.  I arrived home to greet my parents who stopped by for a short visit.  Then I spent a pleasant evening feeling just fine, my with my youngest son’s friend and parents.  And we gathered entirely too much candy trick or treating on this Halloween night. 

Photo of a beetle (stink bug) as it crosses beneath me during glute/hamstring stretch at Top of the World

Elevation Profile

Miles logged on this Halloween:  6.24

Come Hell or High Water

First, sickness kept me from the trail.  Then rain.  I was going to run today “come hell or high water.”  Hmmmm.  Not exactly sure what that means.  For me, it meant, I’m running NO MATTER WHAT.  I need to get away, unwind from loads of stress.

And so I woke with back spasms!  **#%%##!!!!!

They were so bad, horrific is more the word.  I cried from the pain.  They attacked about every 15 minutes, literally throwing me to the ground.

Hmmmph!  I am so sick of troubles with running – injuries, heat exhaustion.  It’s time to end.

I started with the ibuprofen at 7:00 AM.  By the last school drop after 9:00, I had taken a total of five, and felt spasms no longer.

Like I said, I was running no matter what.  Still, I lied to myself as I drove to Canyon Vistas Park.  I thought that I’d just check it out, if there was no pain whatsoever, I’d run, little pain, I’d take a long, long walk, lots of pain, I’d just lay down in the park for a few hours and enjoy the the cool breeze.  But really, deep down, I knew that I was running.

I took off through Canyon Vistas Park walking, because I didn’t want to pound the pavement.  As soon as I hit dirt I began my run.  Slow, very slow to start, I ran down Wood Canyon, through shady groves, fearful of returning pain.  I tried to wipe those thoughts from my mind and think of nothing.  Instead, thousands of thoughts dashed in and out of my brain.  Relax, don’t resist, I told myself and ran all of Wood Canyon Trail completely pain free!

The Glory of a Cool Breeze and SHADE on Wood Cyn Trail

Feeling good, I decided (actually I had decided yesterday) to run up Meadows Trail.  Virtually empty, I began the climb with a mountain biker who whizzed off ahead.  Far in the distance I could see two hikers with walking sticks about half way up Meadows.  I wondered to myself whether I could catch them.  Then I just put my mind on nothing and began running that steep, mile-long switchback up to the ridge. 

Eventually, I noticed the hikers pretty dang close.  I thought to myself (again), well I hope I don’t pass them because then I’ll have to talk.  After this morning’s attack on my back, I wasn’t in much of a talking mood.

Looking Back on Aliso Canyon as I make the climb up Meadows Trail

About three-quarters up Meadows’ climb (probably more) I came upon the two hikers.  One of the men said, “You’re not gonna shame us and run past us.” 

I smiled and laughed.

The other man said, “You better not be able to talk.” 

He really said that.  I had to laugh, having thought that I didn’t want to pass them earlier because I didn’t want to talk.  And so I began talking, like I was going to go into a long drawn out conversation.  Then I laughed and said, “just kiddin’, I can hardly breath.”

I was exaggerating.  I could breath, and pretty well.  I was just breathing pretty dang hard.  I met the men (Phil and Eugene) on the ridge too.  They wanted to go down another way, so I mapped out about 4.5 miles for them, taking Mathis back down to Wood Canyon.  I don’t know if they decided on that route, because I had to rush off to make it in time to pick up my youngest son.  I still felt good and pain free, just a little tired. 

Rock Sculpture @ top of Meadows Trail

Me (@ Top of the World / Meadows side)

Goats at Top of the World

After running through the residential neighborhood, I ran West Ridge much faster than I usually do.  Time was extremely low – even my fastest pace probably wouldn’t make it in time.  I pounded Cholla Trail then ran back up to my car.  I was late.  No time to stretch, I jumped into the car and raced off to the school.  I hit every single red light and was late arriving to pick up our son.  Fortunately, this was the one day his class was let out late.  My little one was none the wiser.  My oldest however, who stayed home sick today,  was aghast that I ran nearly ten miles after all that pain this morning.

I thought that I was “home free” from the spasms.  And I was so glad to have finally hit the trail.  THEN, after picking up middle boy, the pain attacked again.  Needless to say, I’m researching back spasms tonight.

Miles run today:  9.68

Today’s Elevation Profile