Pavement out of Necessity

Less than a week after I wrote that I wouldn’t run pavement again for a while, there I was, 7:30 AM, running the roads in my hometown.  Why would I do such a treacherous thing?  (Well, not actually that treacherous).

First off, I am cramped for time.  If I want to put in the mileage, I can’t spend too much time driving there.  (The nearest trails I know off adds thirty minutes driving time – round trip)

I took off running out the door this morning, headed down Highway One.  Then I headed inland for some paved hills.  As I ran that first big climb I realized that I left my handheld at home (of course, I had packed enough calories for a long trail run, phone and camera in my belt).  Though the skies were gray and misty, I didn’t want to regret the missing fluids thing later, so I circled in back home at about mile four to pick up my handheld, which by the way was in the house – not on the front porch as I had hoped.

Middle son and husband were waking momentarily when I barged back in the house.  They suggested I go back to bed.  I could have been kinder in my response.  I mean, come on!  This was a weekend morning.  What else was I supposed to be doing??? 

And so on again and off again, I was off to continue my weekend run. 

A Spider in its web on the road!

After running the condemned bike trail I made my way down to our northern beaches. I ran beneath the highway to meet waves pounding against the shore.  Their roar was louder than a train.  Then I ran the length of three beaches at a bank (about 2 miles total), and hopped up onto the rocks for some look at sea creatures.  The tide high, I stepped down into the rock crevices to snap some photos when a wave hit me.  My legs drenched, I took off again across those beaches, my shoes and socks soaked and filled with sand.

Me just meeting the shore (about 6.5 miles in)

 

The first time my feet hit TRAIL this morning (onward to Monarch Beach)

 

Where Many Have Traveled

 

After running the beaches, I headed up that big paved hill home, feeling pretty good.  I stopped once to empty my shoes of sand.  Miles run this morning:  13.19

Elevation Profile – looks scarier than it actually was.  Notice, I’m at about sea level and climb only to 350 at the highest point.  Not too tough at all.

Ok, I'll Play : )

Reading Stuart's blog today, I got this:

LET'S PLAY Feud!!!


YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO USE MY ANSWERS!!!!!!

Copy and paste message to a new post.

Erase my answers and fill in your answers.


1 .Name something you use in the shower? shampoo

2.Name something a football player wears under his uniform? jock strap

3.Name something people hate to find on their windshield? a crack

4.Name something a man might buy before a date? mints

5.What is another word for blemish? pimple

6. Something you cook in the microwave? pop corn

7.Name a piece of furniture people need help moving? a piano

8.Name a reason a younger man might like an older woman? maturity (less drama)

9.Name something a dog does that embarrasses its owner? sniff a visitor's crotch

10.Name a kind of test you cannot study for?  parenthood

11.Name something a boy scout gets a badge for? tying knots

12.Name a phrase with the word home in it? Home, home on the range where the deer and the buffalo roam . . .

13.Name a sport where players lose teeth? Ultimate Fighting

14.Name something a teacher can do to ruin a student's day? Tell him/her that they should drop out.

15.What is a way you can tell someone has been crying? puffy eyes

16.Name a bird you wouldn't want to eat? a canary

17.Name something someone would wear with a hole in it? jeans

18.Name something that gets smaller the more you use it? soap

Wanna play answer below, post on your blog and/or link back…just have some fun.

Mathis Who?

Minimal time and the sun blaring, I opted for a shorter loop at Aliso/Wood Canyons today.  “Shorter” meaning, shorter than the big outer loop.  I thought, heck, if I cut off Wood Canyon Trail after only about a mile and run up to West Ridge via Mathis, I’ll make this trip 2 1/2 miles shorter than the “big loop.”   I thought my idea so grand, that I made another decision.  Why not cut Wood Canyon Trail even shorter and take a detour trip along Dripping Cave Trail?  It will add a lot more difficulty, but will shorten the loop a tad too.

Brilliant. : )

Sightings Board at the Ranger Station (notice sightings are getting crowded by “lost” stuff)

Dripping Cave Trail

Arriving to Dripping Cave AKA. Robber’s Cave

Taking a step back so you can see the cave (infamous because robbers hid out here during the “Old West”. ) Their markings (holes in the walls where they hung their things) are still evident.

 

After Robber’s Cave the climb begins on Dripping Cave Trail 

And then finally it's down, down, down with a few tricky steps toward Mathis Trail.

Running through brush canopy to end Dripping Cave & come out on Mathis Trail

Mathis who? 

Mathis is no friend of mine.  Mathis tugs and weighs down your legs, he gives you no shade, disturbs your breathing.  Mathis hurls mountain bikers at you.  Mathis pours salt all over your face to drip down into your eyes.  Mathis drenches you, but does NOT cool you off.  No . . . no, Mathis was no friend of mine today.  He gave me a hell of a time.  But I did not quit, and ran the whole way (at a tortoise’s pace :) 

On the good side, as difficult as running Mathis was, it made reaching West Ridge and ultimately Top of the World, even that more triumphant.

I ran across Top of the World to enter the park again for a run down Meadows Trail.  And there in front of me, a shepherd attempted to get hundreds of goats into a newly fenced-off area.  His job was tougher than my “fun.”  He’d get them all going in one direction, toward the fenced area.  Then suddenly, one or two goats at the back of the pack would turn around and run.  And then it was all over.  All the goats, like dominoes, turned and ran in the opposite direction as well.  The shepherd, wearing long pants, ran quickly from the front of the pack, to the back, to herd them all again in the right direction.  He was yelling something that I couldn’t make out and headed them back toward the pen.  Then he’d run off to the front of the pack, when suddenly, one or two goats would turn around and run in the opposite direction.  And yes, again, all the other adorable kids followed suit.  I stood watching, amazed, as this happened again and again.  Poor shepherd.  How or when would this difficult feat end? 

Finally I couldn’t wait any longer to find out.  I took off running down Meadows, rushed again, to make it in time to stretch, get gas and pick up our kindergartner. 

I made it.

Goat Crossing at Top of the World

 

Posing at Top of the World, about to descend on Meadows over Laguna Beach and a socked in Pacific Ocean, as goats make their master run about in this heat (to my right)

View from top of Meadows Trail looking toward Aliso Viejo and Santa Ana Mountains

 Elevation Profile  (Miles run:  9.34)

I Like Dirt So Much Better Than Pavement

I decided the big loop at Aliso Wood Canyons wasn’t the best choice today for an in-between-drop-off-and-pick-up-boys-from-school-run, so I decided to have some fun running through Canyon Vistas Park, up Cholla Trail, up and down West Ridge to Top of the World.  

I didn’t hit the trails until 10 AM, and I can finally say, summer is officially here in The O.C.  It was HOT.  Yet, it was beautiful (though I did forget, rather, couldn’t find my hat).  Despite the heat, running is back to “everything is beautiful” even on the dry, shade-less coastal ridges.  I’m feeling stronger with my emphasis on cross training and lower mileage now.  Though this trail run is never “easy”, I ran it with confidence.  It was certainly FUN today.

I noticed hawks, several of them here and there along the ridge, swooping down into the brush.  Beautiful birds.  Lots of mountain bikers were out too (I finally decided to stop calling them cyclists – they are mountain bikers, a different breed than those who ride on the road.  Just like with runners though, I’m sure there’s some who crossover : )  Me though, right now I feel like I probably won’t run pavement again)

The trail is so delightful, so, so very challenging.  I would have never thought that this buckle-shoe, dress girl would ever get a kick out of running, much less running on dirt.  (Tonight, by the way, was my first day back teaching, and yes, I did wear a skirt, blouse and black pumps with a silver buckle across the front!)

In the beginning, I didn’t appreciate West Ridge – it’s quite exposed and not very technical.  It’s a fire road, I suppose.  Now, though, especially today, I really enjoyed its ups and downs.  West Ridge is a lovely trail.  It is after all the one that leads to Top of the World.  And to me, Top of the World is one of God’s churches.

Miles run today: 6.11

Elevation profile:

West Ridge – Featured Trail of the Day Video

Thud on Pavement

With the household still asleep, I had a little time to squeeze in a run this morning.  I couldn’t run far because this morning would be the first time in a long time that the whole family was going to church together. 

Last thing I did was put a pair of sunglasses on top of my head before I headed out the door.  What I saw was this:  gray, cool skies, heavy-laden with moisture.  As I ran down the hill toward Highway 1, I thought to myself that I probably wouldn’t even need the water in my handheld.

I’m still on a low mileage plan as I recover mentally and physically from a summer of hard training.  This does not equate to less dedication to fitness – on the contrary.  I’m cross training harder now, made possible by running less miles.  The plan:  get stronger, not necessarily faster, but stronger.  (Faster is good too, but I can concentrate more on that when I’m stronger).

So, last minute this morning, as I ran down the highway, I changed direction.  Instead of turning inland for paved hills, I ran to the beach for some beauty. Sure I still ran the pavement.  And my body still went THUD as it pounded against the cement.  Coming off the trails, I can really feel the pavement now, how it doesn’t give, how my body takes so much impact. 

On the beauty-side, waves pounded, I mean POUNDED against the shore.  Pelicans dove head first into the wharf waters.  Campers shuffled their slippered feet across the campground with cigarettes or cups of coffee in their hands as little children in their pajamas ran circles around camp, eager for a day at the beach.  Runners were out in abundance, especially at the marina, some running solo, others in small groups.  And I did get one hill in today – a nice big one back up to Highway One. 

5.07 miles ran this morning.  And I did drink from my handheld. : )  Plenty.

9-11 Run through Laguna Coast

The weather was cool and cloudy for a peaceful run on this day of remembrance.  Three runners met early this morning at Ridge Park for a lovely run through the Laguna Coast. 

 The Serious Pose (Me, Sheila, Marcus)

The Silly Pose (I don’t really know how to do silly – I’ll work on it)

We took off down Bommer Ridge, then up Bommer Ridge to Old Emerald Trail.  I felt stronger than I have in a while.  So glad to again to have my groove back.  Sheila called the route as we made our way down Old Emerald Trail.  I’m so unfamiliar with this park that I could easily get turned around.  I pretty much know just one thing:  down, down, down is the Pacific Ocean.  But as far as which way is the direction back to the cars, besides up, I couldn’t tell ya on a cloudy, misty morning like today.

The views were enormous, and even when the sun did come out, it paid us little attention, then disappeared.  Soon my sunglasses were back upon my head as we continued down that delightful single-track, Old Emerald.  I don’t think I’ve ever run down Old Emerald Trail – seems I would have recognized it.  You can be sure I’m going back. 

Speaking of going back, from the bottom of Old Emerald Trail, we began our run back.  We ran up Old Emerald Falls Trail (which I have run down a couple times) and then ran Fence Line.  Last time I ran Fence Line, I was pretty miserable with an infected toe and aching hip.  Today: Different story.  What a difference a day makes (or rather many days).  From Fence Line we caught Bommer Ridge Trail which we ran back to the top as a couple dozen hikers made their way down into the misty, cool park.

Most likely Old Emerald Trail

 

 

 

 

6.88 Miles Run today : )  Great Company, No aching hip, No heat exhaustion and Relative Ease!  That makes for a great run.