Our dog died yesterday. She was with us for nearly 14 years. She was a member of our family. This is her house. This is her backyard. We all loved her. It will be a while before thinking of her brings mainly smiles. Right now thinking of her only brings tears.
In memory of Daisy Dog, the Miertschins’ best friend: We miss you Daisy. There is a huge void in our lives right now. We expect to hear you walking across the floor. We expect to hear you bark out for your dinner. We love you.
Daisy 
Physical therapy update: First, I don’t think I ever really posted details of the car accident and how I got injured. Father’s Day, I was at a dead stop, and heard the accident happening behind me. I wasn’t sure if we had been hit, because everything happened slow motion and I was confused by the crash sounds. Anyway, I twisted around to my right to check on my boys in the back seat. At that moment we got slammed. It was that twist that did me in. My whole right side was sore pretty much immediately. It seems that the impact realigned my pelvis, where one side was higher than the other. Neck, shoulder and side pain went away in a matter of days. But that lower back, pelvis/hip pain did not. So, back to the update on the physical therapy. When I went in yesterday, my PT said that my pelvis was perfectly straight. How it is that all those stretches, massages and exercises made it straight again, I do not know. So – good news!! (My boys by the way thankfully – no injuries!)
This morning I went for a single loop, clockwise at Aliso Wood Canyons park. That meant running UP Meadows Trail. Tom met me at the ranger station and we ran up Meadows together. It was tough! My hip felt it before we even made the climb (I think it probably wasn’t the best idea to run up Meadows the day after physical therapy).
The sun really shined down on us as made that seemingly never-ending switch-back climb. Arriving at the top we could not even see the Pacific due to thick fog. A rainbow-like arch hovered about the fog and above that, blue skies.
Tom ran back down Meadows Trail for a six mile out and back. I continued onward for a little less than twelve miles. After a short downhill then uphill asphalt run, I hopped onto the trail that runs behind the houses at Top of the World. The trail makes a “V” – first a steep down, then a steep up. Two cyclists made their way down the other end of the “V” as I ran up it. Then suddenly, one of the cyclists ate it. His bike crashed to the rock trail, making such a noise, I thought his bike would be shattered to pieces for sure (but it did not appear so). Even though it wasn’t my accident, it seemed to happen in slow motion, just about fifteen feet away. The poor guy flew to the ground, I gasped, relieved that his face didn’t smash into the rock. He jumped up quickly.
“Oh my gosh!!!” I said. “Are you alright?”
He didn’t answer, he didn’t even look at me. Instead, I could tell he was pissed. I knew that look – it’s how I have felt when I’ve fallen on the trail – like, damn it, I can’t believe I did that!
His friend behind him said, “Seriously, are you ok?” No answer. I continued running on past the two and didn’t say a word further.
I got into my groove as I ran through the neighborhoods, arriving at Westridge a short time later. I felt happy, relieved to have Meadows over with. It was all basically down hill from here (except for minor climbs on Westridge).
About to descend upon Westridge
Westridge, just after passing Mathis
Miles logged this morning: 11.65 Despite my hip, it seemed like a cinch compared to Saturday’s 21 mile run.
In order to get my run-two-loops-back-to-back mindset, I woke early this Saturday morning, and headed for Aliso Wood Canyons for a back-to-back counter-clockwise big loop.
I joined Tom and Liz who were running an out-and-back on Wood Canyon Trail. What a delight to have company for the first 4.5 miles of my run today – I knew the next four hours or so after we departed were going to be lonely. I don’t mind lonely sometimes. In fact, a lot of times I like lonely. But too much lonely can get lonely : )
Raring to Go! Me, Tom & Liz
We departed at Cholla. I ran up, trying out Tom’s Garmin, while he and Liz headed back through the magical Wood Canyon – downhill : ) It seemed like I ran Cholla stronger and faster than I ever had, then I looked down at the garmin, amazed at how much my pace had dropped from running on Wood Canyon Trail. I decided after that not to look at my pace running up hill.
Still cloudy on Westridge, the air was plump with moisture. Cyclists road the ridge in hoards. Hikers in groups of twenty, maybe more made their way along the ridge as well.
Running Westridge, Top of the World not even visible in the mist
After a quick pit-stop at Top of the World, I chatted briefly with two runners, one who just ran a half marathon through Napa Valley vineyards. Though I was aiming for a five hour run, I didn’t worry too much about chatting a bit. I mean, life is more important than running, right? With a bottle full of water and two dissolved Nuun tablets I took off, running the streets to enter the park again, run down Meadows and complete my first loop in a little longer time than expected. I was okay with that, so happy I was to make that left back onto Wood Canyon, and begin my second loop without stopping.
Gray skies, misty air, I ran Wood Canyon at only a slightly slower pace than the first time around. I waved Hi to fellow runner Matt as he passed in the opposite direction. Several cross country high school runners passed in the opposite direction as well, on what I figured was an out and back up Wood Canyon, because they carried no water.
Running up Cholla was tougher the second time around, and I began to really feel it in my hip. Westridge was a joyful as usual – I love that rolling hill type of trail. Though Westridge does have two very difficult stints, they are toward the end, and relatively short.
I ran into the park as I did on my first loop, as I wanted to check my hydration level (if you know what I mean). After some off and on shoelace issues, I was off again running through the neighborhoods to re-enter the park near Meadows Trail.
Top of the World for the 2nd time – the sun now gracing us with its appearance (Not sure where I’m at here, possibly near Meadows, I think I’m looking toward Aliso Canyon . . . actually I HAVE NO IDEA, strange)
At Meadows for second time, about to descend (I am drenched!)
I ran down Meadows as several cyclists made their way up and down that difficult switch-back. Sure I was tired, but delighted that I wasn’t drop-dead tired. I took the first half of Aliso Creek Trail at a slow pace, rather clumsily, but then picked it up for the second half, pushing it to finish strong. I never tripped. I also didn’t kick my ankles once – now, that’s an improvement.
Miles logged this morning: 21
Elevation Profile (thanks to Tom – I’m new at this, so I had to work on this shot a bit before getting it right, and it isn’t quite right visually. If you know the trails there, Wood Canyon isn’t quite as steep as it seems in this graph – approximately miles 2 thru 4 and 11 thru 13).
Low on time, I elected local roads, hilly roads for my short run today. After throwing on my Disney half marathon race shirt (my first big race) I ran one five mile loop utilizing two of the biggest hills in this resort 
Then, because I wanted to run against traffic, I ran the side of PCH without a sidewalk – in the midst of rush hour. Just a bit nerve wracking, I kept a close eye on those cars racing by, ready to dive into the bushes if one made even the slightest swerve.
Road Running! It’s not so much for me any more. Hardly anyone ever smiles. I came across 3 or 4 runners (on the flat parts), all of them wearing frowns, or at least SERIOUSLY thinking (let’s just say that, they were deep in thought – they weren’t unhappy, because they were running! – or maybe I’m just too silly-hearted – but anyone who knows me, knows that’s not true!)
Well, then this silly-hearted woman ran up Selva away from the ocean. At the top I turned around and snapped a photo with my phone to commemorate the day that running up Selva was no big deal.
Miles logged this evening: 5.25
Top of Selva, looking back at the Pacific
