Double Loop Zombie Run

Waking at 5AM, I hoped to hit the dirt at 6AM.  I drank 2 cups of coffee with sugar substitute and sugar free vanilla creamer.  I put the Glide on thick, slipped on a running shirt with no side seams.  After lathering on the sunscreen, I took my pack which I put together last night and added a baggie of ice with a hankie.  Other things in my pack: 65 fluid ounces of water with 3 Nuun tablets dissolved,  a tube of Nuun tables, salt tablets, ibuprofen, antihistamines (in case of wasp or bee sting), lip balms (2), gels (5), Clifff bar (1), band aids (several), cleansing wipes (for possible wounds), camera, cell phone, a brand new hat, a cross crocheted by my father’s Aunt Consuelo (now deceased), car keys, a thermometer, sunglasses, coconut water, ipod and headphones.  Needless to say, the pack was a little heavy (as usual).

The sun showed its face nowhere when I finally hit the trails at 6:40AM.    I ran through the misty canyon listening to the sounds of nature, birds, crickets and a breeze breathing through the trees.  Bunnies scrambled about the trail.  Except for nature, I ran completely by myself.

Stream Crossing on Wood Canyon Trail (in the midst of summer, the creek still runs, as do I!)

Running Cave Rock Trail (off of Wood Cyn Trail) – a joyful run in cool mist!

Cave Rock Trail, a delightful trail that I neglected for a couple years – I ran it on my first loop this morning (pre-zombie).

Second Loop – sun out, still energized, I opted for some more climbing, taking Wood Creek Trail, then Coyote Run (below):

My running began to waiver when I hit the Meadows climb for a second time.  That’s when I finally pulled out my ice-cold handkerchief.  I poured the melted ice over my head, well, mainly my neck.  And then I began to really suffer running up Meadows.  I passed no one (bikers and hikers by this time were now out on the trails.)  A mountain biker even passed me on the way up Meadows.  This rarely happens.  I’m not saying that I run Meadows so fast that no bikers can pass me.  But it’s such a tough trail that bikers generally have a tougher time than even I.  They have a harder time, I believe because they have the bike’s extra weight to carry with them..

I reached the top of Meadows still running, but utterly fatigued.  The sun now shining down hard, I benefited from a cool breeze only occasionally.  Soon after reaching the top of Meadows I ran out of all fluids.  And I struggled running the neighborhoods on into Alta Laguna Park (What I refer to as “Top of the World”.)  There I refilled my water, spilled it all over the sidewalk and exclaimed a profanity, then refilled again.  Before running off I drank up heavily at the fountain, and felt nauseated.  With only about 3.5 miles remaining, I couldn’t take in any additional calories and even had to stay away from the fluids (for a good while) for fear of vomiting.

I basically just kind of leaned forward and let momentum take me the remainder of this run.  I ran most hills, but hiked 2 short ones on West Ridge, (unbelievably, still fully coherent with a body temperature less than one degree above normal.)  That doesn’t mean that I felt normal.  The nausea settled, and I ran onward, kind of outside of my body, just moving along, one foot in front of the other.

The sun beat down hard.  I heard a rattler in the brush and didn’t even stop to throw rocks into the bushes to try and locate it.  (That’s usually what I do).  Onward . . . onward.  Got to finish this run.  Hikers were out beneath this sun.  But I only came across one runner and also the martial arts guy, A-Rod.  I smiled, and good-morning’d both of them.  We were all sweating.  But I was a zombie.  Maybe they were also, but I couldn’t tell.

Even running down Cholla (a steep downhill) was not easy.  I tripped twice for no apparent reason, except for the fact that zombies apparently do that since they really have no control of their limbs.  I came sooooo close to eating dirt the second time I tripped.  And I really have to thank core-work for not tasting that dirt.  I was able to pull myself upright as my feet, it seemed in slow motion, slipped from beneath me.    

Not Zombie – Yet!  (but posing like one on Coyote Run Trail during second loop)

Second Time Running Up Meadows Trail.  Not Quite Zombie (but turning!)  Fluids will be gone within a 1/2 mile. (Not to worry, refill in 1 1/2 miles)

Total and COMPLETE Zombie (About 2 miles left!)

I believe I bit off a little too much in the midst of summer today.  On the other hand, I made it.  I survived, without heat exhaustion, without injury.  Still, this is not enough to give me confidence to register for Bulldog 50k.  At the end of today’s run, I was convinced for Bulldog 25k.  My plan after today’s 19 mile run, is to run this same route (the double loop) one more time, and then try a triple loop.  After the triple loop, I will decide.  Meanwhile, the clock is ticking . . .

Miles run today:    19 miles (30.58km)

Elevation Profile: +3,105 ft / – 3083 ft (route:  Canyon View Park, Wood Canyon Trail, Cave Rock Trail, Wood Canyon, Meadows Trail, Ridge to Top of the World, Park Avenue Nature View, West Ridge, Cholla, Wood Canyon, Wood Creek Trail, Wood Canyon, Coyote Run Trail, Wood Canyon, Meadows Trail, Ridge to Top of the World, West Ridge, Cholla, Wood Canyon, Canyon View Park.)

Tagged: Q & A Session

I really don’t feel like I’m an expert at anything.  My spouse and some friends claim that I’m an expert at certain things.  I used to teach at an “Assisted Living” facility, a term we use here for retirement home for elderly people who need assistance with everyday living.  Many of my students didn’t remember two minutes ago, but they remembered the past well.  And this is what they told me:  “A jack of all trades is a master of none.” 

I hope that the saying’s not true.  Or rather, I wish that it wasn’t true.  In college, when I was a lot more naïve, I wanted to be a renaissance man, or rather woman. (The proverb I learned in the assisted living facility certainly crushes that!)

So, why am I writing this?  Because I need an intro to the fact that I’ve been tagged.  Tagged by an excellent runner (& blogger), Johann from Run Tall, Walk Tall.  I’ve been tagged to hold a little Q&A session.  You ask, I answer.  Hopefully, I can answer.  I will do my best.  It doesn’t have to be a technical question, just whatever you have the notion to know about this blogger.  Of course, there’s always the possibility that no one will ask.  And I will miss out on all the fun.   So ask away, and I will answer.  This means that I will be the next to tag someone. So watch out!

I looked forward to reading your questions in the comment section.  Thanks!

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)

Group Running

Saturday morning I woke early to join a group run (from OCTR) at El Moro (between Newport Coast and Irvine, overlooking the Pacific Ocean where the waves splash down on the Crystal Cove beaches). 

There were several runners to start as we ran the rolling hills of Bommer Ridge.  Soon we split into distance groups.  I went off with the main group, five runners all female for the planned loop where we ran off onto Moro Ridge then hopped onto the single track Missing Link and then Fence Line back to Bommer Ridge. 

The weather was cool and overcast, the company delightful.  We joked and laughed.  And though I put in 12 miles of some tough hills the day prior, I was able to slowly run up all the hills on this loop.

Back at the trailhead, we chatted and laughed some more.  Then I took off alone down No Name Trail to run approximately 1 1/2 miles more, simply because I like the number 5 better than 3.5 (silly me : ).  I met up with two other runners from the starting group as they made their way into the trailhead. 

Jessica Deline leads the group

Running Missing Link (sorry, I don’t recall names )

Quick self-portrait before heading onto Fence Line Trail

Overlooking the park and the Pacific Ocean

Finishing up Fence Line (one of these days I might remember where I know the front runner in picture from, as her voice was distinctly familiar to me, and we chatted comfortably like we had known each other for a long time).

Miles run Saturday morning:  5.42 (8.72 km)

Elevation Profile:  +604 ft / – 539 ft