Local Run

Originally I planned on an early morning solo 14 mile, out-and-back trail run.  My alarm set for 5:30, I didn’t make it.  I was wiped out and decided to sleep in.  I slept until 7:30.  And then I sat around some with my middle son, oh a couple of hours, before deciding, I wasn’t gonna make a trail run, because I was on a time-schedule (today I was taking the boys out to grandpa & grandma’s for a swim day with cousins – Yes, I was gonna travel the road of The Accident)

Instead, I laced up my road shoes and headed out the door for a nice hilly run around the top of town, knowing I’d return home sooner this way.  Then I made my way down the bike path to the northern beaches (Monarch Beach).

Lots of runners out this morning.  Something I noticed beneath these gray skies, that these runners are much different than the runners I meet up with on the trail.  Not one of the fifty, sixty, heck maybe 70 of the runners, smiled or even made eye contact with me today.  Finally, as I ran the boardwalk along The Strands, a walker smiled wide.  I returned the smile, relieved.

It seems out on the trail, almost every smiles.  Certainly everyone makes eye contact.  Perhaps because it’s much rarer to come across another runner on the trails I run, so we acknowledge each other.  Who knows.

After running all 3 beaches (Monarch, Salt Creek and Dana Strands), I began my descent up out of Salt Creek with my accident injury starting to flare up (xray results come Monday or Tuesday).  Still, even with the ache, I was happy to make the difficult climb up Stonehill (which really isn’t that difficult compared to some trail hills), and made it back home thrilled to get in a couple hours on the road. 

I called my son out of the house, and we finished this run off with one lap (about 1/2 mile around the neighborhood).  He’s 8 years old and we have plans of running a 5k together this Thanksgiving : )

Miles logged this morning:  11.24

The Only Trail on this Run – Coming into Monarch Beach

Creek Flowing into the Ocean / Ocean Flowing into the Creek

Running at Salt Creek Beach / Around the Bluff is The Strands

Murals Leaving Salt Creek Beach

Technorati Tags: ten plus miles,Monarch Beach,Salt Creek Beach,Dana Strands,The Strands,Road run

Harding Hustle – A Volunteer’s Report

I woke at 3 AM and am so tired as I write this blog entry.  So, I’ll try & make this brief.  Today, I volunteered for the Harding Hustle, an out-and-back up Harding Truck Trail (approx. 30k) trail race.  I caught the shuttle (school bus) at 4:40 AM and helped with the pre-race things, bibs, late registrants etc.  Saw some people I knew.  And met some people I only “knew” by their blogs.  One of the volunteers was Catra (Dirt Diva).  I also met for the first time, bloggers Billy (L.A. Runner), Glenn (Running Fat Guy – who wasn’t by the way, fat) and Greg (I Run, Therefore . . . I’m Thirsty) (Wait, I met Greg at Twin Peaks briefly).

Harding Hustle Shuttle

Volunteers:  Andy, Catra and wife of runner (sorry, can’t remember everyone’s names : (

Runners:  Unknown, Dave, Morgan

Race Director, Jessica Deline gives race directions

They’re Off!

And then it was quiet. Really quiet.   I got a massage while waiting for the first numbers to start coming in over the radio.  It was a chilly morning.  I walked a bit up Harding Truck Trail to catch a bit it in photos.  After the numbers rolled on in from the turnaround, we knew about when the front runners would start coming in.  So, I took another little walk up Harding Truck Trail for a look.  There was not a runner in sight.  About to give up and turn around, I saw a flash of red coming around the corner.  There he was, the first place runner, flying down truck trail.  He was amazing. 

After that the runners began dwindling in, and I wished I could have watched every single one of them cross the finish line – it was that exciting.  I called out times for the volunteer recording them.  I handed out medals. But I had to climb on the first bus back (about 9:45) and get home.

So dead-dog-tired (and I didn’t even run!), I walked in through the front door, said, “Good morning, I love you,” and then me and my husband said “good-night,” at the exact same time.  My youngest boy roared with laughter at that as I walked straight to my room, crawled beneath the covers and tried to sleep.  I got about an hour of sleep in.  And now I must sign off, because I can barely even think.

Fun, fun day though. 

Harding Truck Trail

Flowers Along the Trail

On my little walk along Harding during the quiet time

First Place (I believe, just a little over 2 hours!!)

Finisher Medals

More Runners Cross the Finish Line

Resting Up (notice massage tables in background, they fill up by the time I leave)

Technorati Tags: Harding Hustle

Cool Evening Summer Runs

If you read this blog occasionally you know that I am a morning runner.  Not today.  With the boys home from school, and me working some mornings, I need to fit in runs when I can.  And when I could today, was tonight.  This evening I ran my short run down at the marina. Restaurant lights glistened on the ocean waters which were gently rippling against a cool breeze.  Diners who had too much to drink walked zig-zaggedly  along the walkways.  A man, seemingly older than myself, taller, and quite "manly" looking walked about in a denim mini skirt while two of those diners feeling free and easy, giggled loudly behind him.  Roller bladers without gear whizzed by as I ran off of the island toward the cliffs where sadly too many people around here dive off to end it all.  Waves crashed violently, yet beautifully against the rocks there.  Young children screamed in delight as they tried to outrun the spray.

I went back and forth between taking in the ocean's supremacy, the breeze, the music, to thinking about all the things I have to do.  I refuse to think about all the things I need to do when I run, because it can overwhelm me.  When "the list" popped in my head tonight, I took my imaginary bat and hit it out of the ballpark.  Success.

Wonderful run tonight.  Total miles 5.25. 

Clockwise on the Big Loop in Aliso / Wood Cyns

I dreamt a crazy dream, of pouring rain, flooded trails, quicksand and powers from another world snatching the best and brightest people, mostly children from Earth.  I stood off to the side of the flood hollering to children not to step on the sandbars as they escaped the “aliens” and the flood.  I remember “they” took all the children from one school as they received their Perfect Attendance Awards.  And I knew for some reason, “they” wanted these children not because they were the smartest, but because of their perseverance to attend every single day of school.

I really dreamt this.

ANYWAY, this morning the air was heavy-laden with moisture.  The streets were wet, the skies gray, large drips fell from tree leaves.  After driving my wrecked car back to the shop, I picked up my rental and headed off to Aliso / Wood Canyons for another big loop run – this time clockwise.  That meant running UP Meadows Trail (Oh my!).  But it also meant getting the hardest climbing done with first.  And that’s a good thing. : )

Running Meadow’s flat portion, approaching the climb (I can’t even see Top of the World) 

I found running UP Meadows extremely difficult.  Visibility was maybe a tenth of a mile – seriously.  That’s kind of neat and all, but on a climb like Meadows, I found it mentally difficult, because I wasn’t ever quite sure how much longer I had to run before reaching the top.  And another thing – the dirt was wet, which didn’t exactly make mud.  It made clay.  Nothing like running a single track, switchback for a mile long incline with Frankenstein feet.  That’s how much clay clung to my shoes.  My feet were heavy (more so than usual).

I stopped once to remove the mud/clay from my shoes.  But it wasn’t ten seconds later that clay covered them again.  So I gave up on the removal plan and just kept on running to the top. 

Soaking wet, not from rain, but from sweat and the moisture in the air, I reached Top of the World triumphantly.  Not sprinting, not beaming with a smile, but victorious. 

Frankenstein Feet

 Top of the World (Ocean behind me – Really!)

I found this run much less stressful, more enjoyable than my counter-clockwise run last Tuesday.  Perhaps I was more rested today.  Perhaps it was the better mood.  Or maybe it was just the plain fact that I ran the hardest, steepest climb first.  I finished up at the ranger station feeling pretty good, thinking I did have a chance to get myself in shape enough for Bulldog (Malibu Creek 50k) by the end of August.

Heading down Westridge on my way to Cholla Trail

 Homeward bound / Wood Canyon, on a fairytale trail

Miles logged this morning:  11.65

Technorati Tags: Trail Running,Cholla Trail,Westridge,Wood Canyon,Aliso and Wood Canyons,Top of the World