Streak Over

I suppose I should post something, since I know readers are SO EAGER to know whether I continued my streak after day 56.  (Kidding, I know you’re NOT THAT EAGER).

Truth is, day 56 was my last day of this running streak.  And I consider that an improvement in my minor OCD.  I didn’t HAVE TO end it on a number that ends with a 5 or a zero. 

Many things contributed to my decision to end this streak.  These are some that I can remember now.

1. I chaperoned my 4th grader’s field trip in the morning of day 57, thus couldn’t run in the morning, and I am a morning runner.
2. I worked that afternoon/evening, and it was cold and windy when I returned home well, WELL after sunset.
3. I felt there was no real reason to continue this streak since originally I had planned to run through January 1st.  Then I changed it to January 31st.  After that I changed it to 50 days.  At day 56, I simply thought, why?
4. I was beginning to lose the joy of running, thinking that I HAD TO RUN.  I don’t want to HAVE TO RUN.  I just want to run.
5. I felt it was time to move on to other goals:  1) my Tides to Towers run, 2) my absurd 1 mile of burpees, 3) and lastly, training for Twin Peaks 50 Miler (which entails at least 3 50k’s over the next several months).
6. And finally, I want to run for the joy of it, when I feel like it.  Not because I have to.  I feel like I accomplished what I needed to in this streak.  I proved to myself that I could run consecutive days without injury.  And really, that is most important to me.  NON-INJURY.

Thanks so much for following!  And for your encouragement.  I really, really couldn’t have done it without the readers of my blog.

Thanks again

The past few days I have let the body rest.  And I have been working (working as in earning money) – which I dearly need. 

One-Track Mind

Day 46 of my longest running streak (by far):  6.42 easyish out-and-back miles run to Top of the World in Aliso/Wood Canyons.

Running up Cholla Trail:

View of Wood Canyon from Cholla:

Santiago Peak from West Ridge:

Pacific Ocean / Catalina Island view from Park Ave. Nature Trail:

Top of the World:

Santiago Peak from West Ridge:

Running back down Cholla Trail:

After 42 Consecutive Days . . .

After 42 consecutive days of running, I am not injured.  That is a hoot because I have often read that people over forty should not run every day, else risk injury.  It’s also a hoot  because prior to 2011 I was Ms. Injury.  Keep in mind that I have been working on my form, actually changed it back in early 2011.  And I’m still working on perfecting it.  I also stretch after every run.  I never stretch before I run.  I foam roll every day, and do some hip and glute exercises every day. 

After 42 consecutive days of running, my legs feel heavier, as in tighter and stronger, like they are harder with more muscle.  I occasionally have felt little aches along right IT band (always the right).  But have been able to “iron” them out over night (so far!).

After 42 consecutive days of running, I am tired.  I nap more often; sometimes twice a day.  I also consume way more calories than normal, and as such am fearful of the scale.

Today, I put in a nice and easy 5.09 miles running at the beach – very little running on the sand.  I ran mostly on asphalt and sidewalk all the way to where the sidewalk ends.  Then I turned around and ran home.

Surf & sand and a thousand birds

And this guy takes the lead . . .

“Where the sidewalk ends.”

Day 40: Maple Springs to Santiago Peak Out-and-Back

(Before I forget, day 39 of Streaking into the New Year I did run.  I ran a whopping 1.03 miles around my neighborhood in anticipation of my 40’th day running the “streak.”)

I held on tightly to my steering wheel this morning while driving through Santiago Canyon, as the wind wanted to blow my truck across the lanes.  It was still dark when I set out running up Maple Springs for day 40 of Streaking into the New Year.  No reason to fear running trails in the dark today though, as I had some great company: Kelly P., Kurt R., Ed H., and two new running friends, Judi and Matt W.  Our destination:  Santiago Peak

Rarely do I think of a run as a whole.  I break it down.  Otherwise, I’m not sure I could do it.  And at day 40, I must admit, I am fatiguing.

Today’s run consisted of 3 parts going up (and the same on the return).  Part one was the longest, 7.5 miles up Maple Springs Road to “4 Corners.”  Part two was the shortest, about 1.5 miles up the Main Divide to Modjeska Peak for exhilarating views.  Part three was a tough approximate 3 miles to Santiago Peak – the summit of Saddleback Mountains. 

Maple Springs Road:

The Ladies on Maples Springs Road:

The wind continued to blow strongly from the start of our run – even through the dark, protected canyon.  As we climbed higher, exposure increased and that wind did not let up.  It got stronger.  And it blew mostly front on.  Still I enjoyed the strong winds, even though they were cold.  The views were spectacular.  Plus, I came prepared to keep warm.  But I over packed on the water which I suppose is never a bad thing.  However, when you’re as fatigued as I was, running up a mountain with fluids that I would never drink, was not a good thing.  I should have stashed some water for a future run.  What was I thinking?

Nearing “4 Corners” with views of the San Gabriel Mountains:

Though the gate at Maple Springs road was closed, we saw some dirt bikers, even some cars, some cyclists, but no other runners.  We three ladies took up the rear, while the men ran up ahead.  Because I break my runs down I didn’t fret about making it to the top.  (In my heart I longed for the peak though).   Because I didn’t think of this run with as a whole, I felt pretty strong when we finished up Maple Springs, arriving at “Four Corners.”

The wind was FIERCE at “Four Corners.”  Kurt and Matt were waiting when we arrived.  Wearing short sleeves, they were so cold, I believe their teeth were probably chattering.  After some photo ops, they took off while we ladies quickly grabbed things from our pack, etc., and headed up behind them for the next leg, 1.5 miles to Modjeska Peak. 

From Modjeska Peak, Santiago Peak looked a “stone’s throw away.”  Well, not that close.  But a lot closer than it felt running it.  Leg three, the run to Santiago Peak was approximately 3 miles.  And I have to say I ran it nowhere near my best 5k time.  Most of it was uphill, but there was a little downhill in the beginning that I knew would stab at me on the return. 

The wind died down pretty much completely on the third leg.  That is until about 3 minutes in, when someone said (and I won’t say who – LOL), “At least the wind has died down.”  Probably no more than a minute passed before the wind picked up again.  And if I’m not mistaken, it blew even harder just to show us that it was in control – not us!

We could see the towers on Santiago Peak for a while, yet we never seemed to get closer.  Finally, we crept up on the peak enough that we couldn’t see the towers anymore.  And then at last.  At. Last!  We turned a corner for a beautiful site:  the towers of Santiago Peak.  Kurt and Matt were wandering around.  Ed had ran onward to Holy Jim so that he could make his run a thirty-miler. 

Group Shot at Santiago Peak (minus Ed): Kelly, Me, Kurt, Matt, Judi:

A motorcyclist took the picture above.  Afterward, he told us an interesting Santiago Peak story.  Not too long ago, he rode up there and took a nap (took a nap!!  I used to do things like that in my youth, but I’m a scaredy-cat now, so that’s a NEVER to me).  Anyway, when he woke, he got on his motorcycle and drove a bit and there before him was a beautiful, golden reddish-brown mountain lion.  He revved his bike and the cat didn’t even change his gait, it just sort of meandered down the road.  Yikes! 

Needless to say, this gentleman (I didn’t catch his name) doesn’t take naps up there anymore.

So, the views were awe-inspiring from Santiago Peak.  We could see the Pacific Ocean and Catalina Island, all of Orange County, Long Beach Beach, Los Angeles, and if I’m not mistaken some of the beaches in San Diego County.   But heck!  It was cold and windy up there.  Matt found us a wonderful little refuge – a small spot vacant of the wind.  Of course we all crammed in there after the peak group photo for a snack break.  It was just small spot, but it was cozy and warm.  As soon as I stepped out of it to set up my camera, my hat flew off my head and threatened to fly off the peak.  I walked down just a tad to stomp on it before it flew away further and surprisingly to everyone, saved my cap.

Our Refuge from the Wind:

Heading back to the Main Divide from The Peak:

Good-bye Sweet Towers of Santiago Peak.  Hope to see you again soon!

Well!  I seriously thought it would be easy-going for the return trip.  But we had that slight incline to climb back to Modjeska Peak.  And the rocky Main Divide back to Maple Springs lasted FOREVER.  I was so extremely fatigued that the downhill was a big effort – an effort to keep myself upright and not fall flat on my face.  Still, the run was fun.  I would do it again, any day, even as fatigued as I am/was.  And it’s always such a great pleasure meeting and running with trail runners I haven’t yet had the honor to meet.

When I rolled (it felt like rolled, but it was actually “ran”) on into the trail head, my feet hurt.  We were all fatigued.  But we were smiling.  Smiling wide.

What a glorious, glorious, windy day up a mountain.

Judi and Kelly running down The Main Divide, “4 Corners” bound:

24.56 miles run (39.53 km) – The profile:

All of the Above

Day 37 of Streaking into the New Year I had the notion of doing a scouting run.  I set out on the pavement headed toward a local bike trail to see if it would eventually lead to Aliso/Wood Canyons Park.  Oh, about 3 blocks into this run, I thought to myself, “That’s quite enough of that!”  I felt extremely fatigued, both mentally and physically.  I can usually handle physically because I often get over it.  But MENTALLY fatigued so early???  Nope.  I didn’t have the power to revive the mind, so I set out for the minimum required for this “streaking” game.  I ran the bluffs above the harbor, then down to the harbor (but not into the harbor), and back home, ending up running more than the minimum (3.08 miles/4.99 km) and feeling better for it

Day 38 of Streaking into the New Year I got myself a FULL TANK of gas.  I didn’t want to behave extremely wasteful, so I drove to the closest trails for some dirt.  Who am I kidding?  I would have chosen Aliso/Wood Canyons today regardless of my gas situation.   And keeping with my nature that I “don’t know when to stop,” and “like to torture myself” (though I don’t) and that I’m “a bit off, if not darn right crazy,” I was drawn again toward Mentally Sensitive.  Perhaps it was the day that one of the rangers chuckled and said, “No one’s running up that trail,” that set me off to run Mentally Sensitive as much as possible.  Maybe it’s that fact that this trail straightens out the brain in a jiffy.  Of course it could be the gorgeous views it supplies.  And it could be that the trail is EMPTY.  Maybe it’s because I like slipping backward occasionally.  Or perhaps it’s simply because I like to say that “I did it.” 

Actually I think . . . No, I know, it’s ALL OF THE ABOVE. 

Running trails.  LOVE IT.

My run today:

Back in one of my many favorite places – Entrance to Meadows Trail.  I had to think up a newish pose since I click so many pictures here (the more I look at this pose the more critical I am of it and think I won’t do it again – note to self, need to come up with better poses.)

Struggling up Mentally Sensitive (but loving it), though I was a little disappointed over the physical fatigue that hit very early on.  (I kinda look like an old lady here, limping along – just my initial thought.  Still I put the picture in.) ps.  I wasn’t actually limping.

Perhaps half way up Mentally Sensitive – See, I’m still smiling.  (Do you think maybe my favorite color is blue?  Blue shoes, blue shorts, blue shirt LOL).

Top of Mentally Sensitive, running toward top of Meadows and onward to Top of the World – of course, I must snap a picture of Saddleback Mountains (Modjeska Peak is the highest point on left, Santiago Peak is highest point on right):

Top of Meadows looking down onto Laguna Beach and Pacific Ocean (notice Catalina Island if you look closely):

Top of the World.  The PRIZE!

Running down Rockit with a view of Wood Canyon.  Three to four miles remain of this run:

Approaching “The Final Stretch.”  Running Coyote Run Trail, which hits Mathis for a creek crossing.  Then I was back onto Wood Canyon Trail for a little over 2 1/2 miles to the finish.    I was tired:

I ran a 12.01 mile loop today (19.33 km) with this elevation profile: 

On The Trail Again

On the 24th day of my running streak, I made it back to the trails for a nice, relaxing, “smallish” loop through Aliso/Wood Canyons that included a stop at Top of the World.  After a day back on the trails, I felt like I was never going to leave them again.  But, alas, I realize if I’m going to continue this streak, the road I must return.

I’m feeling pretty good after 24 days of running.  My calves are no longer tight when I take off.  I’m not increasing my speed much.  And the sweat pours fast and quickly.  Also, I must foam roll every day to get rid of an IT Band that so wants to flare-up.  Overall, I am happy to report that body is taking consecutive day running very well.

Scenes from today’s trail run:

Taking off into Wood Canyon for a run up Cholla Trail to the ridge:

View from the ridge (West Ridge):

Coyote Run (a lovely single track detour back to Wood Canyon Trail):

Miles run: 7.76 (12.49 km):

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)