Just Maple Springs

I sat in my truck in Silverado Canyon, in the pitch black dark, waiting for the sun to lighten the sky this morning.  I saw a woman hike by with a headlamp and a reflective vest.  Just as the sky lightened, I ventured out of the car and saw a man hiking out from Maple Springs Road.  It’s that hot out here in Southern California.  People are resorting to night hiking.  When I woke at 4AM today, the weather was hot and muggy, and I live at the seashore!  

I took off around 6:15 AM for a run just on Maple Springs road, an out-and-back to a place named “Four Corners,” for fifteen total miles.   Only three miles in, I was dripping sweat down my back.  That’s when two male bikers road up behind me, struggling also with the heat.  They said, “You’re our inspiration.  Can you pull us?”  Not a chance. 

This was one of those “just-put-one-foot-in-front-of-the-other” runs.  Seven and a half miles uphill in this heat was just too much to think about.  If I would have thought about it, I wouldn’t have been able to make the trip.  I took in the awesome scenery, noticed the uncountable deer tracks, and searched the trail for cougar tracks (saw none).  I didn’t see a single other soul for the remainder of my trip up Maple Springs as that hot morning sun bared down upon me.

Maple Springs Road:

Four Corners showed me wonderful views of the San Gabriel Mountains, and on the other side, Orange County and Harding Truck Trail.  I wasn’t going to stick around long for the scenery though.  Four Corners had to be the hot spot of the entire mountain.  Hidden from view, I sat next to the railing as I unpacked some fuel, drank up and refilled my handheld.  The sound of a motorcycle startled me at first – its motor sounded like a large cat purring (ha, ha!).  Well, this guy on the motorcycle raced up Maple Springs and at Four Corners continued up onto a berm and jumped, that is flew high (I mean got some air!) off the end of that thing.  I was amazed.  And impressed.  Too bad I didn’t get a picture. 

Four Corners:

I got little relief for the run back down.  Yes, the trip was downhill, and that was good, but the heat, oh the heat – it slowed my pace more than I realized.  I got some heavenly cloud cover for about a half a mile.  Several motorcyclists rode past me.  Eventually, the two mountain bikers I saw going up raced past me and yelled out “Great job!”  Finally, when I made it to the bottom of the canyon a wonderful cool breeze blew hard into my face.  That lasted for several minutes – enough to get me through those last three miles to my truck. 

Running down Maple Springs:

Maple Springs Road Elevation Profile:

Be the Chick who Loves to Run in Heat

Something has got to give!  Starting a run in extreme heat is much more difficult than beginning early in the morning when it’s cooler, and gradually working myself into the heat.

The heat wave is still on in the western states.  There’s been deaths, fires, and immense tragedies (we lost 19 elite firemen yesterday in one forest fire).  We are fortunate locally.  Historically, we’ve got a few months before fire season.  And the heat deaths have been east of us, or in Nevada and other western states.  For us here in Southern California, it’s just damn HOT. 

If you are a reader, you are familiar with my dilemma.  I am a morning runner.  But my summer job assignment forces me to run afternoons.  And thus, I hit the trails this afternoon at approximately 1:40 PM.

About a mile in, I suffered immensely.  My body felt heavy, my eyes already stung from salt.  I wanted very badly to turn back.  Exasperated, I phoned my husband and asked, “How hot is it right now?” 

This is what he did:  he busted up laughing.

This is what I did:  I hung up on him.

When my husband, my coach called me back, he spoke to me in the way that he knows motivates me.  We have known each other for thirty-two years (gasp!), and he knows a little bit about me.  

“Don’t be a baby who can’t run in the heat,” he said.  “You know what precautions to take.  YOU KNOW HOW TO DO THIS.  Be the chick who loves to run in the heat.”

Just minutes earlier I wanted to fall to the ground in a heap of tears.  Strange how his words, “be the chick . . . “ changed my motivation.  Suddenly, I wanted to learn to be the chick who loves to run in the heat. 

And so I ran. 

And I was MISERABLE.  But, I knew what precautions to take.  I kept hydrated.  I didn’t try to break any personal pace records.  I kept on the lookout for environmental hazards.  I enjoyed the summer beauty.

First thing I did when I reached Top of the World was unpack my bandana.  I drenched it and lay it on my neck.  Then I ran into the city park and guzzled down at the fountain (even though I had a pack on my back).  I washed down my face in the public bathroom, soaked my hat.  Then I drenched my bandana again and draped it over my head for the run back.

I don’t need no stinkin’ air-conditioning: 

I ran a little over 6.5 hilly miles this afternoon.  And I think that was quite enough.  I’m not yet the chick who loves to run in the heat.  But at least, I didn’t turn back.

Summer Trails

No work today.  But I spent the morning getting the children to their places.  Though summer break completely messes with my running, I wouldn’t have it any other way.  The boys need to do things during their break.  I wouldn’t want them sitting home every day.  Alas, this meant that I didn’t get to the trails until 10:30 AM.  Late morning is much better than mid afternoon.   Still, I started off today’s run in the heat.  Thus I suffered somewhat.  But that’s what this is kinda all about (kinda).  I’m just not used to running in 100f degree weather yet.  I will get there.  Some smart planning beforehand would help a tad.

For example, this morning I spent the first three miles running downhill, deep into Wood Canyon.  I even took a detour along the super shady, gorgeous Wood Creek Trail. 

A look into Wood Canyon from Wood Creek Trail:

Wood Creek Trail:

I would have faired better to run this loop in reverse, leaving this shadiest portion for last.  And why the heck did I choose Car Wreck Trail as my route out of the canyon????  This is why:  I must run through Oak Grove Trail which is lush, shady and fairy-tale like, in order to get to Car Wreck.

The beginning of Car Wreck (still shady and like a fairy-tale):

The car wreck on Car Wreck Trail was swarming with visitors – 5 or so hikers, 2 mountain bikers.  I took the opportunity to run down a hidden single-track for a bit, wondering where this wonder would lead.  I eventually turned back when the shade ended.  I didn’t want to take a trail in the sun that I didn’t know.  I will be back though – perhaps in the winter time.

Off the beaten path, looking back toward Car Wreck Trail:

Well, it was about high noon as I made my climb out of the canyon to Top of the World in Laguna Beach.  Frustrated by my slow pace, I remembered that my pace is always slower than usual in extreme heat, especially in the beginnings of heat training.  I let myself “off the hook,” and picked up my pace only when I felt that I could do it without fainting.  When I finally reached Top of the World, I refilled my handheld, then guzzled down at the drinking fountain.  Feeling rather overheated and now waterlogged from the water fountain guzzling, I rushed off to the public bathrooms to wash my face.  I only slightly watered my face because I didn’t want to wash away my sunscreen.  But then salt dripped down and stung my eyes.  I knew that would happen.  What was I thinking?  Then I thoroughly washed my face in cold water.  It felt so darn good, damn the sunscreen.  Afterward, I soaked my hat in a sink of cold water.  Then I headed back to my truck, running along West Ridge, all exposed trail, but completely bearable because the climbs are not so steep.

Climbing out of Car Wreck:

Top of the World:

Looking at Modjeska and Santiago Peaks (where my demons and angels reside):

Low Point in Training

I can’t get my groove lately, and I’m experiencing a momentary lapse of progress in my training.  For a while there, I felt stronger, I ran faster, I finished faster.  I’m guessing about a week and a half ago fatigue hit me like a brick wall.  Suddenly, I feel weak, I’m running slower and finishing even slower.  I won’t even get started on the negative self-talk that’s been whirling around my head.

I kept Friday as scheduled, a rest day.  Today, Saturday, was my scheduled long run.  I woke at 4:30 AM, walked out to the living room and said to myself, “I. JUST. CANNOT. DO. IT.”  Knowing that I will get my groove back, hopefully very soon, I nicely kicked my son off the couch (why was he sleeping on the couch?) and fell back asleep on the couch.  I woke every hour, on the hour after that, when I finally awoke for good at 9:00 AM. 

I decided to swap today’s training with tomorrow’s, and go for a ten mile run this afternoon.  My feet hit dirt around 12:30 PM.  Extremely hot out there, I felt sluggish at the start.  A half mile in, I thought I just can’t do this.  But I trudged on in the blistering heat anyway.  After a mile and a half I decided, heck, just visit some of your favorite nearby places in Wood Canyon, chuck the training, simply run and enjoy the scenery.

And then the pressure was off.  The next mile was still tough.  But after a rest in a naturally air conditioned cave called Dripping Cave, the remaining miles were bearable, and there were even fleeting moments of enjoyment.

Who knows if I’ll get my long run in tomorrow.  I am definitely burned-out.  We shall see. : )  On the good side, I got some more pictures.  LOL.  Thanks for reading!

A Squished Scorpion:

Short-cut up Cave Rock:

Glorious shade on the way to Dripping Cave:

Dripping Cave:

Waiting for my groove (ha, ha) next to Wood Creek:

Running back (yay!) on Aliso Creek Trail:

Miles run this afternoon:  5.38

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)

Lake Mineral Wells

Truth is hubby was extremely nervous dropping me off for my trail run in Lake Mineral Wells State Park.  The plan was, my youngest and middle boys, nephew and sister-in-law along with my husband would dig for fossils about ten miles away, and I would meet them later IN Lake Mineral Wells. 

I felt a little insulted by hubby’s worry, I mean, really, Glen Rose was a fluke for me.  But I needed Glen Rose (Dinosaur Valley).  I learned A LOT.  So, while I still cringe a little when I think about Land of the Lost, I know that the experience did me good.  Still, that embarrassment and worry that my husband suddenly seems to posses about me running trails persists.  I imagined while driving into the ranger station at Lake Mineral Wells my photograph hanging on their wall – “Do not let this woman in your park.”

Their map seemed extremely straight forward – lots of equestrian trails, just ONE single track that I would take to some “primitive” campsites. I even stopped and talked to the ranger about the map.  She was a “tough cookie” with straight forward answers. 

Posing for hubby at trailhead

The trails were serene, shady, gorgeous, HOT, and downright humid.  I took the first half-mile of trail giddy, so delighted I was with the rugged terrain.  Boulders covered with greenish lichen littered the trails.  In some cases the boulders were laid out like a staircase. 

Not a half mile in, this supposed ONE-TRAIL single-track system forked!  Okay, okay, I told myself, “Let’s learn where you’re at!”  So I ran one fork down until I came upon a huge boulder in the trail.  I thought that was a good landmark to turnaround and go back to the other fork.  There the trail climbed up rocky terrain to a series of wood signs with arrows!  Glory, glory!  You can be sure that’s the trail I ran. 

Soon the arrows ended and a web of trails began to branch off of the supposed ONE trail.  You can imagine my thoughts.  I took care to realize my every surroundings.  I memorized my footprint, often stomping into the dirt to refresh my memory what it looked like.  And at forks, I marked them with two horizontal branches (small ones that I broke apart) and then one pointing in the direction that I was running.  I studied the map closely before it deteriorated and counted the number of times I should cross an equestrian trail.

I made it to the “primitive campgrounds” after crossing the appropriate number of equestrian trails, feeling very warm.  My temperature was only 1.1 degrees above normal.  I witnessed 2 White-Tail deer run by at surreal speeds, amazed that they didn’t smack into a tree.  I also crossed two bridges over dry creeks and did not see a single camper in this wilderness campground.  (Though on the way in, I saw a hiker with a hat and towel draped over his head and a backpack on his back).

Crossing bridge into “primitive campground”

I can guess why no one was camped at this “primitive” campground.  It was no where near water, the creeks were dry.  And to hike food, tent, water, etc., would be a terrible burden in this summer heat. 

The campground was a double loop, kind of like rabbit ears.  And at one point on my run out of the campground, I found myself running in an area I didn’t recognize.  Quickly turning around, I fast came upon one of my markers at the side of the trail pointing the direction.  I LOVE IT WHEN A PLAN WORKS.

I ran back to the trailhead feeling good about my direction, noticing many of the landmarks I had committed to memory, except for one portion.  This part of the trail had no lake view (which is an awesome direction marker) so I searched the floor for my footprints going in the other direction and quickly found them.  Off in the distance, two more White-Tail deer ran through the forest at crazy speeds.  And off I ran, all the way to the trailhead, where I ran along the road, across the damn and to the “beach” where my family was swimming after fossil digging.  I was so dang hot, I took my shorts off right on the beach and quickly pulled on a pair of “board shorts”.  Yanking off my pack, hat and garmin I swiftly made it across the burning sand into the lake. 

A lovely, successful run.

Miles logged today:  7.10

Elevation Profile: