Six Deer!

5:40 AM as I drove away from my home the skies were black.  What happened to the sun?  Times are a changing again.  Not too long ago, 6:00 AM runs gave us light skies.

The 3rd runner of today’s group run was running late, she text’d me for us to go ahead without her.  I was hoping we’d meet up on the trail.  We never did.  Sheila and I ran those lovely trails that parallel Wood Canyon together, chatting along the way, enjoying the cool, wet air.  We both love that cool morning air to run in. 

This morning’s run was a heck of a lot easier for me than that 3.25 mile run at Disney.  And it was very nice for a change to stay on the lower trails, rather than huff and puff to the top.  We ran Wood Canyon Trail, then hopped onto Dripping Cave Trail.  From there we hit Mathis and ran down to connect to Coyote Run until it lead us back out onto Wood Canyon.  We ran Wood Canyon to the end.  On the way back, we ran Wood Creek Trail, a beauty of a trail, rarely traveled when I ran straight through a fully developed spider web. Wood Creek dumped us out on Wood Canyon.  And that’s were we saw them – six, yes six, lovely deer grazing in the grass.  That is the most deer I’ve ever seen on the trail at once.  Absolutely amazing.  Part of what trail running is all about!

Dripping Cave

Dripping Cave Trail – an eerie fairy tale

Coyote Run Trail

Wood Creek Trail

More Wood Creek – look at all that leaf litter, sheer delight!

More Delight on Wood Canyon Trail

 

Count ‘Em, 6, SIX Deer!

The Crazy Runners who Hit the Trail in the Dark this Sunday Morning

9.91 miles logged today : )

The Beauty of Spider webs and Oceans of Clouds

I set out this morning for a shortish run, but I wanted hills.  I’m sure you can guess, I was running somewhere in Aliso/Woods.  When I took off running through Canyon Vistas Park, the fog was so thick, visibility was low, low, low.  Big, slow drops of moisture dropped down upon me. 

At the bottom of Cholla, my left glute felt tight, so I laid down on the bench there and stretched it out.  While I was at it, I aligned my pelvis and looking up, noticed an beautiful spider web right above my head.

I ran up  Cholla in a mist, as fast as I could, noticing webs everywhere.  I ran in the same white mist a while on West Ridge, stopping to take photos of webs here and there.  And then concentrating on powering up hills, I almost missed the beauty encasing me! 

There I was running above an ocean of clouds.  A literal sea of clouds!  Can you believe, so involved with powering up my run, I nearly missed it?  Talk about not stopping to smell the roses.  The sun shined brightly on the ridge, while peaks from nearby hills poked out from the clouds like islands in the sky. 

Running on West Ridge (looking back at Saddleback Mountains)

 Me, Sweating in the Sun, in background a Sea of Clouds

 

In all, I logged 6.11 miles this morning on an out-and-back to Top of the World.  It was a good run.  Finally again, a run where everything was beautiful. 

Short Run at Disney

For a final mini-vacation before summer we took the family to the Disneyland Hotel (great discounts for annual passholders).  We pretty much spent all day in the Never-Never-land pool.  Needless to say, I was wiped out when I woke at 6:30 AM today.  My family thought I was pretty ridiculous to get up and run on a one day vacation. 

That’s my name – call me ridiculous : )

But, but, but . . . I didn’t run the day before, and it was time to run.  I only put in a few miles anyway.  They were tranquil but so, so hard.  That chlorine and sun and calories and sleeping in a strange place really wiped me out!

So, as the resort prepared for the Disney Half Marathon (setting up Start Line, Porta Potties, tents, etc), I ran through a downright empty Downtown Disney. 

You Never See Downtown Disney this Empty!  Never.

I have to say these 3.25 miles were about the hardest I’ve run in a long, long time.  It was like I wasn’t a runner at all.  Still I’m glad I went ahead and put in a little time. 

Scenes from the “Trail”

Colorful Roses at the Empty Wedding Gazebo

Even the ground is Interesting at Disney

And then we had breakfast at Goofy’s kitchen – the most expensive breakfast you can imagine, not unmatched by the most caloric breakfast you’ll ever eat!  I’m afraid those 3.25 miles didn’t put a dent in breakfast : )

No Place I’d Rather Be

I set my alarm for 6:30 and every time I hit the snooze button, my five-year-old (who had snuck into our bed) complained that I was waking him up.  After complain #3, I decided it was time to make a go at it, and so up I went and got ready for a run.  Thing is, I didn’t want to run.  Motivation, love for running is down right now.   But I forced myself this week, because I know that I’ll want to run again, and when I do, I don’t want to be out of shape.

I wasn’t sure where to run.  It would have been easier to just run out of the door and down to the marina.  But I wanted to go to Top of the World.  I didn’t want to run to the Top of the World, I just wanted to be there.  I wanted to stand up there, take it all in.  I sat on the couch for an hour before I got moving.

I still wasn’t sure how long I would run, what trails I’d take, but I knew I was going to the top.  I packed for a long run just in case and set out under lovely blue skies.  Up Cholla I ran, amazingly passing 6 cyclists (one had stopped to the rest, another was walking his bike : )  I simply stayed in the moment, placing one foot in front of the other, not a single thing on my mind. Then I ran West Ridge to Top of the World.  And I stood there and took it all in.  I felt tranquil, glad to have run to the top, even though I would have much rather slept the morning away.  Now taking in Laguna Beach and the Pacific Ocean and behind me the Santa Ana Mountains, well, there was no other place I’d rather be at that moment.

Top of the World

Concentrating on getting a good picture at the top without falling backward down the slope, I forgot to smile : )

Heading back, I ran West Ridge for a while.  Then I decided on a detour and ran down Rock It.  Lovely Rock It.  I came across a guy running up Rock It barefoot.  All the way down I noticed his barefoot tracks in the dirt as well as plenty of bobcat tracks. 

Bottom of Rock It, I hopped onto Coyote Run Trail and ran it Wood Canyon.  And then I ran back through Canyon Vistas park, content that I had made this morning’s run.

Entering Rock It Trail

Colorful even in the heat of Summer (Rock It)

 

The Fun Stuff (Focus, focus . . . )

Still running DOWN?? Rock It : )

Some Shade on this 1.25 mile trail (still Rock It)

Coyote Run Trail

Miles run:  7.73

Post Bulldog

The day of and the day after Bulldog DNF I felt nauseous.  I slept the first day pretty quickly.  When I woke, I found myself crying. 

Wednesday was my first day back to physical therapy.  And good news:  I have been released.  My physical therapist wasn't thrilled about my choices post Bulldog.  "Why not 10 miles instead of 18?"  he asked about Monday on the gym cycle.  And then about Tuesday, 6 miles is not a short run, how about 3 miles?  That's just about what my husband said too.

LOL.

And so after the gym on Thursday (About 6 miles on the elliptical and weights and core workouts), I went for a three mile run today, Friday.  Or so I thought.  I should say, that I aimed for a 3 mile run, but I cheated and eeked out a 3.7 mile run.

I'm such a cheater.

I gasped, nearly crying as I ran down PCH past our vet.  I still cry at the loss of my Daisy Dog, especially after my DNF at Bulldog. 

So much, too much this year.

Regardless, after 3 hours in the dentist's chair, today's 3.7 mile run was refreshing.  The skies were misty with clouds and a cool breeze blew through my pulled-back hair. 

I'm still a little tiffed, but it's not just all Bulldog.  It's pretty much life.  And unlike usual, running has been unable to erase the crap.

Nice N' Easy Slopes Today:

Back in the Saddle

All day Saturday after the race as well as Sunday, I felt nauseated.  I had no appetite, though I forced myself to eat.  I also took naps.  Sunday, my limbs were stiff, stiff, stiff, so I was sure to walk about doing chores and such.  Sitting was not a good thing – it was like I turned to stone when I sat.

Monday, I went to the gym, rode 18 miles on the bike, did weights and core work.  My muscles felt much looser. 

Tuesday, I felt it was time to get back out there and run.  I took off running out my front door in the evening.  The weather was humid, though I had a nice cool breeze blowing.  At first, I ran angrily, like I had a grudge against my body.  I tried to run fast, but I was still just so tired.  About half way in, I finally began to relax.  I told myself to ENJOY.  Sweating profusely, I did finally enjoy myself and I ran the big hill home (Golden Lantern) fairly easily.  Still, I was more fatigued than I would have normally been after only six miles.

A beauty of a night Tuesday.

Miles logged: 6.38

Running on the island, full moon’s reflection glistening across the harbor mouth – can’t beat that!