Will These Socks Work?

I stand now at the start line as my race season begins.  I suppose it’s now the “moments of truth,” as I’ve got a few races planned over the next five weeks.  Time to find out if all my training helped.

I know one thing for sure, I’m going into this year’s season in better shape than last year, and with no repetitive use injuries.  Although, the other day, it seemed I strained one or more of my chest muscles, not by running, but by strength training.  I am happy, so very happy to report a two-day recovery for that strain.

First up, in less than 7 days, I’m set to pace my friend Hank for the last 20 miles of Twin Peaks 50.  There’s not much more I could have done to prepare for this.  Besides training, I’ve memorized the route, I’ve run to the peak as much as I could take the time to do so.  And I ran to the peak from the bottom.  I start mile thirty from the Main Divide which cuts out a MAJOR climb.  Now, I’m just fine tuning – things like, filling the headlamp and flashlight with fresh batteries, washing my stinky hydration pack and deciding on attire (it may get cold).  And since I usually wear thin socks, I decided to run today in the pair I’ve chosen for Twin Peaks.  They are really comfy, warmer socks that I’ve never worn with the shoes that I’ve been training in recently, and also wearing next Sunday.  Today I put the combo together and went out and ran 12 miles of trails.

Yellow!  A good sign, my favorite color

We’ve got a cool down in Southern California.  The skies are blue with white puffy clouds.  The reptiles are lethargic, the rattlers unseen.  Rain is even forecasted for the next couple days (not good for my local trails!  They close them in the rain )  Today however, I didn’t need to worry about that.  My run was tranquil.  I barely needed fluids, though I packed plenty.  I didn’t even take in gels or solids.  I’d call it a very comfortable run.  Most everything was beautiful to my eyes.  Often I couldn’t resist a picture.  At times I escaped the present and the thoughts turned negative, but mostly I just ran.  I didn’t stop because I was tired.  I stopped because I was just plain ole tired of running.  My husband said, “What are you doing?  You still have time to run.”  He knows me.

Some scenes from my “winding down run”:

Off in the distance is where I’m pacing next weekend:

Top of the World (overlooking Laguna Beach/Pacific Ocean):

Running the rolling hills of West Ridge:

It’s all down hill from here:

Sycamore Grove (Wood Canyon):

The final stretch (about 3.5 miles remain):

Miles logged this morning:  12.02:

Oh ya.  The socks were comfy as usual and worked wonderfully!

Running with a Friend

When economic times are bleak, and I can’t even think a day ahead of time without a cloud of anxiety, there’s nothing like taking off the earphones and running with a friend.

It seems like I haven’t run with Sheila in such a long time – I know we missed all of the summer.  It may have even been last winter when we ran together! 

Well, this morning was lovely, blue skies, the sun shining, but it was cool.  We ran to the Top of the World and could actually see the great Pacific.  A large fluffy bobcat crouched down in a meadow as we ran through Wood Canyon.  Birds screeched out it seemed extra loud.  They scurried along the forest floor and flew from tree to tree as acorns fell down upon us.  A whole high school cross country ran by us.  And we even ran on in with two other runners that we’ve never met before.

Lovely way to begin the weekend. 

The view of Santiago Peak from West Ridge at Aliso/Wood Canyons

Quick pose before running onward & upward to Top of the World

Top of the World

Sheila takes a call running down Car Wreck

I got such a kick out of her second call, I snapped another photo.  (No one phones me that early in the morning!!)

Miles run this morning:  7.35

Easily Amused

Yes, I ran yesterday.  But that was a desperation run, a road run.  I’m not saying it wasn’t lovely.  It was.  But I am a trail runner.  Strange this happened.  But I am.  I like watching the beetles stick their heads in the dirt.  I like worrying about tics and snakes.  I like spotting deer and fretting over rocks rolling beneath my feet.  I love scraping against the foliage on single tracks.  I really love hearing the breeze blow through the trees.  I guess you can call me easily amused. 

This morning I delighted in contrasting colors:

I enjoyed meeting others who take in trails.  And was enthralled when I couldn’t see The Top of the World because it was too cloudy:

A loved this little, baby snake:

Before taking off on my run this morning, I stopped by the ranger station to find out more about a new trail opening up.  Turns out it comes off of Meadows Trail and is quite a climb.  The ranger said it’s a great hike.  One of the other county workers that I see often said that he didn’t know about running it.  “But then again,” he said, “You trail runners are crazy.  I see you guys running up Meadows like it’s nothing.  DON’T YOU EVER RUN OUT OF BREATH?”  Thrilled that he called me “crazy”, I chuckled (but I do prefer “psycho.”)  I don’t “run out of breath” anymore.  That’s not to say that I don’t get tired.  Definitely I do and my body moves slower and I may huff and puff on those extremely tough climbs.  But I don’t run out of breath.  Still, I thought his question was cute. 

Onward and upward . . .  

Goats amused me:

Santiago Peak in the far distance amused me:

Spying on Conservation Corps from Wood Creek Trail amused me (look closely in center of picture for several young men and women clearing the creek – may need to click picture for larger view):

Running leaf littered single tracks amused me:

Checking who called while I was running and setting up a photo to catch the moment amused me:

Elevation Profile:

Miles run this morning:  12.14 (19.54 km)

A Quick Visit to the Road

Tuesday, speed training on the treadmill again.  Why?  Not the speed training, but why the dreaded treadmill?  Well, I’m at the gym anyway and this saves time.  But more importantly, when I set the pace on the machine I HAVE TO run it.  I did hook the safety cord on this time, so hopefully I wouldn’t fly off that thing.  I didn’t fly off.  And I increased the pace on my bursts.

Wednesday (today), I spent my trail running time test driving used cars.  Yuk.  Yuk.  Yuk.  This of course did not make me happy.  Especially since I do not yet have a car.  And then weekday afternoons are impossible for trails since I have boys to pick up, dinner to cook, etc.  Eventually, my spirits low, low, low, so low I finally decided I really needed to get in a run.

Yes wonderful readers, just about a half hour before dark, I scrambled around searching the haphazard collection of running shoes beneath my bed for a pair of road shoes.  I found one with no match.  And then aha!  I found two that I was wise enough to tie the laces together. Wearing a white shirt and shorts with reflector dots on them, I put a smile on my face and hit the road. 

My feet felt like they glided along the road.  It is so FLAT.    I don’t mean flat as in no hills.  Even the hills were flat.  It’s a strange sensation to run with no rocks or ruts beneath my feet, no switchbacks, no tree roots. 

One thing I had forgotten about road running are waiting for “walk” lights.  I believe I must have waited FIVE minutes before I could cross at a busy intersection.  All so that I could run up this:

And run across this, over a busy highway (yes I am very easily amused):

And when the sunlight disappeared fully, I delighted, as I always have, in the lights that reflected on the ocean water.  And I relished the cool ocean breeze against my skin.  And I forgot all about looking for a car.

Tuesday’s miles:  2.0

Wednesday’s miles: 7.23