My Old Friend Mathis

Building up my long run, I cut Tuesday's run short and went for a small loop at Aliso/Wood Canyons Wilderness Park.  Of course I ran to Top of the World, because I want those hills.  The skies were gray which meant cool and misty weather.  Perfecto.  The park was virtually empty -- of people that is.  Squirrels and rabbits scampered about the trails.  And coyotes yelped off of Aliso Creek Trail as well as Wood Canyon.

I ran up a trail that I haven't taken in a long time -- Mathis Canyon Trail.  I remember the first time I ran, crawled, make that, kinda hiked up Mathis Trail.  It was my first trail run in Aliso/Woods, I believe my second trail run, period just about two years ago.  I thought Mathis would never end. 

Today, I thoroughly enjoyed my morning loop.  I picked up my speed down Meadows Trail, took it faster than last time.  I ran back to the Ranger station feeling strong, with plenty of water still in my pack.

Featured Trail of the Day:

Miles ran this morning: 9.08

It is Done

I tossed and turned all night thinking about my approaching 50k.  Less than a month away I'm feeling that I'm not nearly strong enough to conquer it.  What happened?  How did I get behind on my training AGAIN?  

Injuries, car accidents, visitors, birthdays, illnesses . . . life.  I should account for that next time I set my mind on a big race.

I made it to the gym this morning for some weight training, feeling inadequate, basically in most aspects, especially strength-wise.  I increased the weights by five to ten pounds for each muscle group.  And I wondered how it could be that I'm not getting any stronger, that I can't power up the hills any faster.  Then I suited up and swam some laps.  And I noticed . . . I noticed how very easy it was to swim a mere a 1,700 yards.  I breezed through the laps without resting, just enjoying myself, realizing, hey!  I guess I am a little stronger.  Then I had to go. : (

After chores, I went I did the thing I've been avoiding.  The whole family drove up to the yard, and I cleaned out my "totalled" car.  I wept behind dark sunglasses.  But it didn't go unnoticed.  The boys mainly had a a grand time crawling in and out of the car I've been driving for the past 8 years.  We found a DS game tucked in a tiny crevice.  There was also a movie in the dvd player (Chicken Run).  Then we drove back to the office and I "released" my car.

It is done.  And tomorrow's another day that I will try and power up those hills. : )

Refill Water When You Can, Even If You Don’t Think You Need It ; /

I woke so sleepy that I considered for a moment changing my plans and running tomorrow.  That’s not such an easy thing to do, reschedule things.  It’s like a Dominos effect, changing one thing, changes another, and then another and so on.  So I dragged myself out the door and drove (in my rental that I turn in Monday) to the closest trails – Aliso/Wood Canyons.   

Runners, cyclists, hikers and those heavenly gray clouds were out in abundance by the time I arrived about 7:15 AM.  I parked across the street, at the back of the church parking lot to make sure I got exactly the mileage I planned – 18 miles.  I thought that wasn’t asking too much 18 miles, when I planned it.  (Just don’t think about the whole thing, everything’s going to be just fine : ).

It was one of those mornings that I merely told myself, “GO!” and I planted one foot in front of the other.  “It’s gonna get better,” I told myself.  It always does. 

And it did. 

About a mile and a half in I got some running company, Dylan from my running group.  We had a good chat up Wood Canyon, and then we took Cholla together.  It was a tough run for me.  I lost sight of Dylan about half way up.  (I don’t understand how anyone can take it quickly when it is so, so very difficult for me, even after running it again and again – but someday . . . someday : ) From there Dylan ran back down Cholla and I headed for Top of the World, relieved that I wasn’t running up Cholla again today.

About half way along Westridge, the sun came out, the sunglasses came on.  By the time I reached Top of the World, I knew it was going to be a hot day.  I guzzled from the fountains there, not wanting to take from the reserves on my back.  I still had plenty of water and made the mistake to leave Top of the World without topping off my waterpack.  Note to self:  ALWAYS refill water when I can, even if I don’t think I’ll need it.

Dylan On Westridge About To Make His Descent On Cholla

 

Running Along Westridge, Clouds Thinking About Departing

Top Of The World

 

 Sunglass Come Out Of The Pack

 

I enjoyed myself running Westridge to Cholla.  Having fueled at the top, I felt pretty good.  Going down Cholla, cyclists mainly pushed their bikes up (it was hot, hot, hot by now), some riders even sat to the side with their bikes in the dirt.  One man who was walking his bike laughed at me as I ran down Cholla.  He asked with a wide smile, “Did you lose your bike???”

At the bottom, I chatting with a couple cyclists while I stretched out my hip.  We debated whether it was more difficult to run or bike up Cholla.  They said, “run.”  I said, “I don’t think so, you’ve got the weight of that bike to take up with you – I think biking up Cholla has to be harder.”

Shade along Wood Canyon provided a great relief.  Shade along Coyote Trail did as well.  But then I hit Rockit Trail.  The run was excruciating.  Cyclists raced down the trail in large numbers.  Others sat in the little pieces of shade along the trail.  With the sun beaming down, I needed to rest!  I made picture taking my excuse.  At one point, I even thought about turning around, running back down Rockit and heading home.  That trail beat me up.

Entrance to Coyote Run Trail

The Hat Comes Out on Rockit

This About Did Me In!

After refueling and a constant source of water I somehow managed to hit Westridge again, which I gleefully took, mainly downhill, back to Cholla.  Running back down Cholla toward the lovely shade in Wood Canyon, I noticed my water running very low. 

With about 4 miles remaining, I ran out of water.  Hot and fatigued, I tried not to think about this situation. I put one foot in front of the other, running with my head looking to the ground.    A little bit of shade remained when I spotted a snake-lizard trying to gobble up an apparently dead garter snake at least ten times its size!  It looked ridiculously hilarious. (I looked very closely at the garter snake and noticed small punctures about the middle of his body – possibly a bird had killed it, then accidentally dropped it?)

What The Heck Is This Lizard Thinking?  

By time all shade disappeared, I felt awful – dragging, weak.  I needed water.  I needed shade.  At the last stream crossing, I bent down to the flowing water.  My calves cramped up, but that water felt so cool and refreshing as I ran my hands through it.  Then I submerged my hat into the creek, wrung it out, put it back on my head and plowed onward.  (At one point, a glorious cool breeze blew through Wood Canyon head-on).

At Aliso Creek Trail, I took the pouch out of my pack, hoping maybe just a drop of water remained.  It was sucked dry.  Upon reaching the ranger station, I literally stumbled up the steps.  The woman ranger gave me the best cup of cold water I ever tasted.  Thank you so much!

Well, I did it.  And I didn’t die.  And it was nice meeting a running friend on the trail – that’s always a pleasant surprise. 

Next time I will refill at Top of the World.

Miles logged today:  18

You Pretty Much Can't Run While Crying

This morning runner went for another evening run, this time before dinner.   The sun was hot.  And as usual on my evening runs (because I'm not an evening runner) I left the house without some, not all, essentials -- those essentials being:  chapstick and gum : )  But I did remember water and music (very important). Oh!  And I remembered my phone, as is evident by the beach pictures below.

I stayed in the moment most of my run, enjoyed the occassional breeze as I ran along the coast.  I circled the campground twice, the front row no-longer flooded.  The surf was loud and rough, kind of roaring.  And then my mind drifted to my car, the fact that it is totalled and that we have to go to the "Totalled" yard to clean out my stuff. ("Totalled" makes it sound worse than it is -- my car is merely 8 years old, and the damage is worth more than the car, therefore it is "totalled.") 

Anyway, my heart began racing as I ran through Doheny beach thinking about my car, and I grew weepy.  I can't face going to see it, but I can't ask my husband to do it for me -- I already ask him for so much.  ANYWAY, it is not good to cry while running.  In fact, you pretty much can't run while crying -- it takes your breath away.  So, I put a stop to that quickly and got back into the moment where I thought about nothing but my surroundings and my form, and I added some sprints in here and there.   

I had planned on ten miles today.  But after running through the wharf, I came across an old high school buddy (and by old, I don't mean HE'S old, because 45 is the new 30, right?).  We chatted some, as it is too much of a gift to pass up when you come across a friend on the run.  Then I ran a little more and powered up the big hill home.

Miles logged this evening: 8.3

I'm gonna miss my car.  We bought it for my baby, just before he was born (my middle boy).  We've driven it to Texas and back again and again.  I planned on driving the car until it died.  I guess it is dead : ( 

Why Do You Run?

I stumbled upon this browsing youtube.



Who knew that I would ever love runners?  (I really always just thought they were crazy, now I LOVE them)

Fitting in Summer Runs

With the boys out of school and myself teaching summer school 2 mornings a week, I find it so hard to fit in runs. Thing is, now is not the time to start slacking. So I did planks and push-ups this morning as I watched my five year old do his sports camp in a local park. Then after the boys' swimming lessons this afternoon, I rushed home to cook dinner so I could get out the door running. Thing is, I made tacos for everyone else and stuft salmon (stuffed with brown rice) for myself. Timing was all wrong. Tacos were ready way before the salmon. So after eating some tacos, I ate my salmon. Then I waited. I can't just run out the door after a dinner like that!

Boy, I don't mean to be too critical of myself. But I'm blowing it! (I neglected to mention above the candy I ate while preparing dinner)

Regardless, I had a lovely run this evening.  Ran out the door and did a beach/wharf/marina run, running up Golden Lantern with ease (thanks to all those trails). 

Here's what I observed:

1)  No need to wear long sleeves like I did, even on these cool summer evenings.  Sure everyone else wore long sleeves down at the marina, but none of them were RUNNING.

2)  High tide had crested the burm at Doheny campground, and the front row campers were flooded out.  Well, not actually flooded OUT.  They weren't leaving.  But there would be no tents hitched there tonight.  Campers would be sleeping in their r.v.'s and hopefully by tomorrow, the six or so inches of sea water will have subsided.

3)  The other campers were just fine and dandy, lighting campfires enough to practically make me gag from smoke inhalation.  (That's not necessarily a complaint, just an observation).

4)  The restaurants were full in the wharf, not usual these days, especially with so many businesses and restaurants closing in town, and

5)  I came across about five other runners.  All of them smiled.

Miles logged this Tuesday evening:  6.17

ps.  Physical Therapy begins tomorrrow