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

Car Wreck Trail

I’ve heard about a wrecked car in those hills at Aliso Woods.  A few runners have told me they once came upon it but haven’t been able to find it since.  The wreck wasn’t on an official trail; I knew that.  I’ve run every inch of trail in that wilderness park.  I should say every inch of “legal” trail.  And I’ve never seen a car wreck.

I figured there was no car wreck, or it got cleared long ago.

Today, I found myths do come to light sometimes. 

I don’t know how I missed it, but sometime in August of this year, Aliso Wood Canyons had their grand opening of Car Wreck Trail.  I must have been thinking about upcoming Bulldog, or moping around after Bulldog.

A couple weeks ago, I ran into the ranger station, excitedly exclaiming “Where is this new trail?”  The ranger pointed it out on the map, surprising me with the fact that it started (or ended) off of Mathis Trail.  Some day soon, I promised myself, I’m running that trail.  One of the guys working with the ranger said, “Up is the better way to run it.  Much easier to do that than run down it, the trail’s that steep.”  I chuckled to myself and thought, “psycho!”

SO, I took off running through Canyon Vistas Park late this morning.  I ran up Cholla, not so sure where I was running except for the fact I was running to the Top of the World.  That’s just me.  Gotta do it, because it’s so difficult.  On the way up Cholla, a mountain biker walking his bike up ahead heard my pounding and turned around to look at me.  He stopped, pulled over, allowing me to pass (I could feel his pain).  As I ran past him, he said “Just put me out of my misery now!”

I laughed and said, “I keep thinking it’s only a half mile, it’s only a half mile,” Cholla that is.  Then I looked back and uttered one more thing:  “The longest half mile there is!.”

West Ridge was empty and foggy.  A delight to run, though I’m not at top notch ability right now.  The run is also more challenging in the fog, because I can’t see Top of the World.  Therefore, I’m never quite sure exactly where I am in the run.  As many times as I’ve run West Ridge, in a good fog, I still can’t make out exactly where I am.  Strange.

How West Ridge Looked this Morning (Nice & Cool & Lonely : )

At Top of the World, I looked at my watch and decided, heck, why not search out Car Wreck Trail today?  I think I’ve got the time.  I had a little over an hour to make it back to the car in time to stretch and pick up my kindergartner from school. 

I took the West Ridge down hill at a good pace, then turned off on Mathis, surprised Car Wreck Trail wasn’t right there.  I’d guess I ran about a quarter mile before finding the marker.  A mountain biker came up behind me.  I let him pass, then posed for a self-portrait before the steep descent.

Posing in Front of the Brand New Sign

Car Wreck Trail is lovely.  Mostly a single track, it’s quite technical, lots of rocky terrain.  And yes, it is a bit steep.  But it’s not the steepest trail I’ve ever run down.  I won’t tell the whole story here, because I’ve got pictures below.  But quickly – Car Wreck has twists and turns, plenty of shade, and yes indeed, a car wreck.  At just one point I did stoop down and jump down over the terrain because I felt I might wipe out running it. 

Car Wreck dumps out onto Oak Grove Trail which in turn dumps back out onto Mathis Trail (the flat part).  I ran Mathis to Wood Canyon Trail, which I ran all the way back to the car.  I tripped once, on a flat portion and lurched forward pretty hard.  But I kept my self upright, and didn’t lose a single step.  Thank you planks.  : )

Some of the terrain on Car Wreck

Car Wreck Trail:

The Car Wreck

 

Toward End of Car Wreck Trail, Heading onward to Oak Grove Trail

One Last Snap of the Camera, Coming Off of Mathis Trail

7.51 miles run today

Elevation Profile

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

I don’t think I’m cut out for the heat : (

Friday morning I woke from a race dream.  As usual (in dreamland) I was running late picking up my bib, where I learned that this was a nude trail/mud run.  (Where I’d put my bib, I have no recollection).  Reluctantly, I stripped down and ran off late to the Start Line, apprehensive about my nudity.  While I was running I noticed not everyone ran this race nude, in fact, very few runners were naked.  Some, especially the women, ran in shorts but with no shirts, and some runners were fully clothed.  Then someone told me, “No!  It’s Clothing Optional’.”  I was not happy.

So, Friday I got out on the trail in my waking life, late as usual (since the boys went back to school getting out early is tough.)  Thing is, we’re still in the midst of a heat wave, and 10 AM is way too late to begin a trail run. But I had this great idea.  I was going to stay in the canyon and avoid the heat on Friday – forget that oven along the ridge.  I was going to keep cool.  Really cool.

Ha!  I felt overheated the first 1.5 miles in – Aliso Creek Trail which has virtually no shade.  My right glute felt pretty tight and my throat was sore.  But I was determined to make this trail run.  I need to get back into training.  (Wait.  I don’t need to.  I want to – I’m just a little crazy with this “need” thing right now.)

I laid on the picnic table at Wood Canyon Trail to stretch that glute (figure 4 stretch) and I couldn’t even keep a hold of my legs, my hands and legs were so slippery with sweat.  Later, that ibuprofen I took for my throat ended up helping with the glute too.

Wood Canyon, a beauty, but hot as heck

Finally approaching much needed shade on Wood Canyon Trail

Determined to make this run, I put my head down and plowed through it.  And then it started happening again.  I couldn’t cool down.  And I was hydrating all the while (with Nuun tablets too!).  Taking my mind off the heat, I shot an amateur video of Wood Creek Trail (Featured Trail video below), and got to enjoy some cool, breezeless shade for a short while. 

A Baby snake, as I ran onto Wood Creek Trail (probably a gopher snake, its tail covered in dirt I couldn’t see rattles, but his head looks a bit tiny in proportion to his body to be a rattler)

One of 2 tortuous flights of stairs in this wretched heat on Wood Creek Trail

Covered in salt and drenched in sweat, I laid beneath a tree back at my car and stretched a long while.  I arrived at school to pick up my youngest, my back actually cramping from the heat exhaustion.  After a shower, I felt loads better, but the sore throat was growing worse. 

Friday night, we decided to go to our son’s friend’s family restaurant Steer Crazy for some good bbq – a plug for those in The OC looking for some bbq with an ocean view and ocean breeze : )

By late Friday night the sore throat evolved into chills.  Bundled up in four blankets, I went to bed freezing while everyone complained of heat.  All day Saturday (today), I laid around, sleeping, aching, and sweating.  Heat exhaustion twice this week, I think really took a whack at my immunity.  Sadly, so, so sadly, I’ve decided against Sunday’s early morning group trail run (Boo Hoo! Not happy.  But I will be back)

Miles logged Friday:  9.24

Featured Trail of the Day Wood Creek Trail

As a positive note:  my right glute has not given me any problems since Friday’s run.

What’s baking on West Ridge? Me!

Having not run since last Wednesday, I ached to hit the trail.  Literally.  My right glute still bothered me.  But it is much better.  I couldn’t get out until 10 AM this morning which meant warmer, much warmer weather.  We’ve got a bonafide heat-wave here on the coast.

I took a call from a girlfriend running down into the canyon, which always gives me a kick.  I mean, who would have ever thought that I’d be running a trail while talking on the phone?  Not me.  We chatted about the writers’ conference when I reached Cholla Trail, which meant time to say good-bye.  I don’t think there’s a chance I could run up Cholla talking on the phone.  It’s too steep.

I ran Cholla feeling strong, no glute pain whatsoever.  It seemed to only bother me on the downhills and flats.  And then I ran West Ridge up to Top of the World.  Imagine baking a casserole (or cookies) and opening the oven door.  You know that heat that pours out of the oven?  I felt like I was running through that heat all the way up to Top of the World.  It was an oven!  Thankful that I packed fluids on my back, I had a feeling that fluids wasn’t going to make everything better (Calabasas all over again).

Joy filled me when I reached the top, one, because a breeze blew way up there, not a cool breeze, but a breeze nonetheless, and two, I always feel joyous reaching a summit.

I took off back down West Ridge.  White butterflies fluttered about the trail.  Dragonflies with bluish green wings flew about at eye level.  The sun still scorching, I couldn’t wait until I started the big downhill.  Then suddenly, a fast, zig-zag flying bug flew directly into my sunglasses.  I felt its wings flutter between my eyes and the inside of my glasses and then it was off.  What the heck was that?   It was bigger than a bee, a fly also.  It was not a butterfly, because though butterflies do fly in a zig-zag manner, they flutter.  They don’t zoom. 

A couple minutes later, another bug, about the same size flew into my hand.  It hit, and before I could see the thing, it was gone.  That’s when I thought the creatures that crashed into my glasses and hand were probably grasshoppers.  (Second guess:  a dragonfly, but I don’t recall seeing them fly at hand level.)  Mystery. : )

I ran down Rock It trail with much concentration.  All I wanted was shade. I yearned for shade.  Even a nice long downhill like Rock It trail didn’t provide much relief from the heat.  No shade, and not a single leaf moved from a breeze.  Finally at the bottom of Rock It, where I caught Coyote Run Trail, I stopped in the shade of a gigantic, sort of weeping tree.  I had to.  I was burning up, seeing orange blotches before my eyes.  After cooling off a bit, I ran onto Coyote Run for lots of shade, then back up onto Wood Canyon trail, running uphill, in and out of shade, so, so, eager to stop and cool down.  I tripped hard once on a root.  But caught myself before the fall (thanks to a stronger core!)

I need to get out earlier during this heat wave.  It took a couple hours to cool down after today’s run.  Still, I was glad to make it. 

View from Rock It Trail (parallel to Wood Cyn.  Aliso Cyn in the distance)

Lovely, lovely shade on Wood Canyon Trail

Miles logged today:  7.75

Elevation Profile

It’s not just the same ole’ thing, it’s one of my favorite places

Tuesday, my usual run day, I woke with terrible lower back pain.  Not spasms, just pure pain, mainly on the right side.  I thought, “Oh no, the auto accident injury has returned.”  I racked my brain what I could have done to injure my back.  Monday I swam, and I’ve only ever slightly injured my shoulder swimming – and that was once, a long, long time ago.  Swimming’s just not an injury sport for me.  I did some weights also and core work too, but nothing different than I’ve ever done.

Didn’t matter so much how I did it; the pain was killer.  And when I walked off the back porch, that pain radiated down into my right leg.  So painful this was I grew nauseated.  Ibuprofen did nothing.  I stopped after taking FIVE (over about five hours) and went for the ice instead.  Ice pretty much did nothing.  Needless to say, I didn’t run Tuesday, I didn’t do much of anything, except what I had to do.  In between drop offs and pick ups, I napped on the couch, a heating pad wrapped around my back.

By Tuesday night (I taught one class), pain was minimal but still present.  I parked so that I didn’t have to take any steps, because any step down continued to shoot pain into my thigh.

So strange.  I went to bed uncomfortable, then finally fell asleep on my back (I am a side sleeper).  I woke throughout the night, anxious wondering if the pain was there.  I wasn’t moving to find out.  6:00 am, I finally got up and NOTHING.  Absolutely no pain in my back WHATSOEVER.  I was bewildered.  I certainly didn’t twist and turn to test it out.  There was, I noticed, some tightness in my right glute.

Anyway, I’ll cut to the chase – I fit in a run on a Wednesday (another rarity – change is good).  I did run my favorite park to Top of the World, and since I ran it a little faster than usual, I ran back down via Rock It.  I felt strong, just a slight ache, not even ache, more like a tiny discomfort in my right hip, I concentrated on the rock trail, picking up my pace some.  As customary these days, I hugged the side of the trail of this popular mountain biking portion, when WHAM!  I smacked head-on directly into a branch.  I didn’t even see it because of the dang hat on my head.  It whacked me good on the forehead, but not good enough to throw me to the ground. 

Talk about adventure!  I’ll tell you, there’s ALWAYS an adventure, whether good or bad, it’s there.  At the bottom of Rock It, I ran a lovely, shady Coyote Run Trail, then wood Canyon for, I’m serious when I say this, a fantastic run in Aliso/Wood Canyons.

At Top of the World (Via Cholla & West Ridge)

Heading back down West Ridge, toward Rock It

Rock It Trail

 

One of my favorite places in Aliso/Woods (on Rock It after running into branch)

Miles run today:  7.69

Mathis Who?

Minimal time and the sun blaring, I opted for a shorter loop at Aliso/Wood Canyons today.  “Shorter” meaning, shorter than the big outer loop.  I thought, heck, if I cut off Wood Canyon Trail after only about a mile and run up to West Ridge via Mathis, I’ll make this trip 2 1/2 miles shorter than the “big loop.”   I thought my idea so grand, that I made another decision.  Why not cut Wood Canyon Trail even shorter and take a detour trip along Dripping Cave Trail?  It will add a lot more difficulty, but will shorten the loop a tad too.

Brilliant. : )

Sightings Board at the Ranger Station (notice sightings are getting crowded by “lost” stuff)

Dripping Cave Trail

Arriving to Dripping Cave AKA. Robber’s Cave

Taking a step back so you can see the cave (infamous because robbers hid out here during the “Old West”. ) Their markings (holes in the walls where they hung their things) are still evident.

 

After Robber’s Cave the climb begins on Dripping Cave Trail 

And then finally it's down, down, down with a few tricky steps toward Mathis Trail.

Running through brush canopy to end Dripping Cave & come out on Mathis Trail

Mathis who? 

Mathis is no friend of mine.  Mathis tugs and weighs down your legs, he gives you no shade, disturbs your breathing.  Mathis hurls mountain bikers at you.  Mathis pours salt all over your face to drip down into your eyes.  Mathis drenches you, but does NOT cool you off.  No . . . no, Mathis was no friend of mine today.  He gave me a hell of a time.  But I did not quit, and ran the whole way (at a tortoise’s pace :) 

On the good side, as difficult as running Mathis was, it made reaching West Ridge and ultimately Top of the World, even that more triumphant.

I ran across Top of the World to enter the park again for a run down Meadows Trail.  And there in front of me, a shepherd attempted to get hundreds of goats into a newly fenced-off area.  His job was tougher than my “fun.”  He’d get them all going in one direction, toward the fenced area.  Then suddenly, one or two goats at the back of the pack would turn around and run.  And then it was all over.  All the goats, like dominoes, turned and ran in the opposite direction as well.  The shepherd, wearing long pants, ran quickly from the front of the pack, to the back, to herd them all again in the right direction.  He was yelling something that I couldn’t make out and headed them back toward the pen.  Then he’d run off to the front of the pack, when suddenly, one or two goats would turn around and run in the opposite direction.  And yes, again, all the other adorable kids followed suit.  I stood watching, amazed, as this happened again and again.  Poor shepherd.  How or when would this difficult feat end? 

Finally I couldn’t wait any longer to find out.  I took off running down Meadows, rushed again, to make it in time to stretch, get gas and pick up our kindergartner. 

I made it.

Goat Crossing at Top of the World

 

Posing at Top of the World, about to descend on Meadows over Laguna Beach and a socked in Pacific Ocean, as goats make their master run about in this heat (to my right)

View from top of Meadows Trail looking toward Aliso Viejo and Santa Ana Mountains

 Elevation Profile  (Miles run:  9.34)