Feels Like Cheating

I wondered how on Earth I was going to get in ten miles today after a run like yesterday’s.  I woke late this morning sore and a bit groggy.  I've made too many training plan adjustments, so I KNEW I would run ten miles today, no matter how much it hurt.  BUT I wasn’t rushing out the door to do it.  Instead, I washed dishes, floors, clothes, did grocery shopping, made breakfasts, lunches, checked up on my students on-line.  I emptied trash, fed our dog, washed more dishes, organized my running gear.  One might think I was doing everything I could to avoid THE RUN. 

To save on gas, time away from the family and more realistically miserable muggy heat, I decided to run out my front door late this afternoon for today’s run.  The sun shined down strongly, but with the cool ocean breeze, I found the heat pleasantly bearable.  Not only that, I ran on pavement, mostly flat pavement, and I felt strong.  So strong, it felt like I was cheating.  I’m not claiming that today was one of those effortless runs.  No; my calves were tight at the onset.  And I sweated buckets running through the beach campground with their bar-b-que’s and campfires roaring.  But it was certainly no mountain run.  I didn’t run fast, but I found relative ease keeping a decent pace for the entire run.  That just doesn’t happen on mountain runs (a decent pace the entire run, that is).  No way!! 

That’s okay.  I needed a run like today.  But I felt strong for only about the first 4 1/2 miles.  My energy began petering out at about mile five.  That’s way too early for me.  More proof that I needed a run that felt like I was cheating today. 

How I run down flights of stairs – eyes glued to the steps so that I don’t trip:

The boardwalk at Capo:

Running with no gear on my back, no pepper spray . . . the glory of road running:

The marina:

In Way Over My Head

I set my phone alarm last night for 4:30 AM.  As I tossed and turned trying to sleep while the whole house was awake, I made a decision.  My decision was, no Bulldog 50k this year.  This is not the year of redemption for my (so far) only DNF.  This is the year of Twin Peaks, and I’m doing all I can just to finish that 50 miler. I don’t think a preoccupation on Bulldog is the best for me.  

Today’s training plan dictated 22 miles.  Being the middle of summer here in the U.S.,  I’m finding difficulty training for a big fall race, being that it’s so dang hot.  It’s especially difficult when that race is set in the mountains. 

22 miles the plan said, 22 miles I ran.  And after all the heat and torture that I went through, I’d have to say that the best thing that came out of today’s training is that I didn’t die.  Seriously!  And oh ya, I didn’t fall.  Oh, and I didn’t get heat stroke.  Most of all, this run showed me that I’ve got A LONG WAY TO GO and that I have once again bitten off more than I can chew.

So, how do I run a 22 mile suffer-fest in the local mountains on a scorcher of a day without turning around and walking/crawling back to the car?

First off, I left early (but still not early enough).  Secondly, I broke the run into parts.  Without parts I could have never done this run. 

Before “The Parts” / Holy Jim Parking Lot:

About 5:45 AM, coating myself with sunscreen, then putting on a warmer shirt (ha, ha).

Ready to go (the lot is empty except for my truck).

Part 1: Holy Jim Trail (from lot to top, Bear Springs, 5 miles):

The run through the forest was muggy, lots of gnats.  In order to keep the gnats out of my eyes, I wore sunglasses, which meant I pretty much ran in the dark during the first 1.5 miles or so.

Going up on this giant switch-back, back and forth, back and forth.

Part 2: The Main Divide to Santiago Peak (approx. 2.5 miles):

Though only a short distance, this portion was excruciating, especially after the Holy Jim trip.  Besides the steep terrain, I got gnats, biting (horse?) flies and mostly exposed trail (meaning SUN and more SUN).

Running with my training friends THE GNATS.  They’re with me, so that in October when they’re gone, it will seem easier.

A view from Santiago Peak, above the clouds:

Trying for a different kind of pose (okay, you can laugh – I had to think quick!)

Part 3:  Santiago Peak, Main Divide, Upper Holy Jim to Main Divide over to Indian Truck Trail (approx. 5 miles):

Running back to the towers at Santiago (“Talking”) Peak.

Running Upper Holy Jim had lots of tricky and rocky terrain, but at last some shade!  I concentrated so hard on the rocks and not tripping, that once I turned a corner and nearly screamed when I suddenly came upon father and son hikers resting upon some boulders.

Back on the Main Divide, the heat was beginning to wear me down.

Part 4: Indian Truck Trail (In it’s entirety this trail is 6.5 miles one-way, I ran 1.25 down, 1.25 back up today):

Though this part was also short, I found it very difficult.  Even my downhill pace was SLOW.  Really.  I ran through an oven on this trail.  And I also saw the only two runners I would see on this long run.

Heading back up Indian Truck Trail posing before Lilium pardalinum (Panther Lily):

Part 5: Indian Truck Trail to West Horsethief (approx. 3 miles):

These approximate 3 miles were very slow.  However, I was only fooled once by a “false summit.”  Good news, I’m getting to know this mainly uphill portion of The Main Divide.

Part 6: Down West Horsethief, Trabuco Trail back to Holy Jim parking lot (approx. 5 miles):

West Horsethief at last!!  From here it was downhill, a very steep and rocky downhill for the first mile or so.  Then an in and out of shade (forest/desert/forest/desert, etc) for the remainder of the run back to the Holy Jim lot.

West Horsethief comes to an end.

Trabuco, wonderful Trabuco!

I did not gain much confidence on this run.  Rarely did I feel strong.  Mostly I felt doomed when it comes to Twin Peaks.  I tried not to think of that too much though.  I mainly thought, “one foot in front of the other.”   Forget what I said above about the best thing that came out of this run.  The best thing that came out of this run was that I did it. 

Hot Like a Mutha

I would not say that my training is going great.  However, becoming a runner at a relatively late age, I should know that progress comes slowly.  And I should use that patience I learned as a runner to not get so down on myself for not improving quicker, and not adhering precisely to “The Plan.”  I will admit this:  I finish up my runs stronger than I ever have.  I also warm up on the run a tad bit quicker too.  That’s good news to me. 

I set my alarm to ring out at 5:30 AM this morning.  I woke, made a two-cup-pot of coffee.  My gear was already in a pile by the big chair.  Then I looked for a blanket, curled up on the couch and fell back asleep.  Thank goodness I had the family on my side re: running this morning.  I was able to get out the door by 9:30 AM.  (I had planned to be back before everyone woke)  Who am I kidding?  They practically pushed me out the door.

My feet finally hit dirt around 9:50 AM.  The skies were dark and cloudy.  But it was HOT AND MUGGY.  Sweat poured off my forehead early on in my run.  The air was so thick, I found nasal breathing difficult at times, especially climbing Mentally Sensitive Trail.  It was hot like a mutha, as we used to say where I grew up.  I grew up inland (but still in California), where temperatures routinely rose to 3 digit Fahrenheit.  “Hot like a mutha,” stood for something more profane that I won’t spell out here.  Let me just say, I found great difficulty keeping up my pace with clothing drenched in sweat and the air so dang thick.

At one point in today’s ten mile run, rain came down, and that did little to ease the heat.  Though, I did get some breezes here and there.  

Back at home, closer to the shore, the weather was downright cold for summertime.  Later it rained even harder.  LOL.

Aliso Canyon’s blooms:

Top of the World to you!

Mathis bloom:

Never ceases to amaze me how downright filthy I get running a few trails:

This morning’s profile:

From above:

Incidental Heat Training

Tuesday I made the mistake of driving home after work to change clothes for my run.  I never made it back out the door.  I was simply too tired, and felt badly the whole day over not following my training plan.  Another voice said into my ear, “You’re tired, that means rest!”  And so I napped. 

Today (Wednesday) I dressed for my run before leaving work.  My feet hit the dirt at 12:30 pm, possibly the hottest part of the day.  Unsure what route to run at Aliso/Wood Canyons I aimed for around ten miles.  That’s what my training plan said for today – ten miles. 

As I ran through Aliso Canyon I asked myself whether I wanted misery at the beginning or at the end of my run.  I decided for misery before pleasure.  LOL.  Therefore, I ran into Wood Canyon, where the heat gets trapped and it feels like running through an oven.  I saw a trail friend going in the opposite direction.  He told me it was so dang hot, he turned around at Top of the World and ran straight back, throwing out a longer plan.

I am here to testify that the run was pretty miserable running through Wood Canyon, and it didn’t get any better when I hopped onto Coyote Run Trail (though I got some shade running Coyote).  I also saw a deer racing down a slope halt in his tracks when he noticed me.  I stopped for a better look.  He stood in the forest like a statue, not moving an inch.  And so I ran on, suffering.  Actually, it was miserable running up Rockit Trail too.  Why?  IT WAS DANG HOT!

Coyote Run Trail:

Rockit Trail:

Running the ridgeline (West Ridge) I received the benefit of empty trails and an occasional, lovely breeze during this incidental heat training run.  Top of the World was empty also.  But in Alta Laguna  park I saw some hikers packing up their car after a heat-stroke kind of hike. 

I felt good running along Top of the World.  Though I worried a bit because I didn’t take the time to refill fluids at the park.  Today’s run was one of those that I grew stronger as the miles passed.  And I made the right choice not refilling.  I had plenty of fluids.  And I actually found another crazy person, a hiker going up Meadows as I ran down. 

I finished up Meadows at a much fast pace than I started.  And I finished off Aliso Creek Trail much, much stronger for the heat.  I heard a few rattlers in the brush as I ran by.  And I saw one garter snake.  It practically floated over the grass.  Amazing. 

About to descend upon Meadows: 

The Incidental Heat Training Profile: