Shoot for the Stars

“We are all of us in the gutter,  but some of us are looking at the stars”  / The Pretenders (Message of Love), which basically quotes Oscar Wilde (Lady Windermere's Fan)

The forecast says rain, rain, rain.  So with little time to spare, I got the boys dropped off to school, ran one errand, got a ticket (yes, a traffic ticket!) and headed off for a trail run before the waters descended upon us (which by the way, they haven’t yet).

Altering my sleep positions have helped with the glute pain, so I changed my running plans this morning.  I ran through Canyon Vistas Park, a familiar route, but instead of starting the climb right away up Cholla Trail, I took a downhill route into Wood Canyon.

Today’s Elevation Profile 

A slight drizzle fell from gray skies.  Dozens of mountain bikers made their way on the trails as I made my way down Wood Canyon.   It was dark, cold and lovely.  Scouring the sidelines for acorns, I stopped here and there to collect them on special request from our youngest son.   About a mile and a quarter in, I took a right onto Coyote Run Trail.

Entry to Coyote Run Trail

I did not meet another soul on Coyote Run Trail.  Turning down the tunes to make sure I’d hear oncoming bikes (or other troubles), I concentrated on keeping my pace strong (remember my goal – Calico!)  I felt strong winding through that short stint, but a little anxious knowing what lay ahead – RockIt Trail. 

Rockit Trail

 

I felt amazingly well running up Rockit.  It is after all, only a mile and a quarter (yes, about 2.5 times longer than Cholla Trail, but much, much shorter than Holy Jim or say . . . BULLDOG).  I think . . . I don’t want to speak (rather, write)  prematurely, but I may be through my recovery period. (That is recovery from Saddleback).

I met one hiker just as I headed up Rockit.  Otherwise, I had that trail all to my (happily) lonely self.  What a joy!  I think it was Rockit that finally freed me today.  Though that freedom was short (I had to re-enter the “real” world eventually), it was well worth the sweat and not tears, but salt that ran down my face.

Rockit meets West Ridge which I ran up and down, mainly up, up, up to Top of the World.  After stretching my troubled glute muscles, I raced, I mean, raced back up and down West Ridge (mainly down, but there’s some good ups).  I concentrated on form, but mainly pace, amazing myself at times with an eight minute pace (that is a rarity on trails!).  Even more amazing, I conquered the twelve minute pace on the moderate hills.  (I still owe you Tom for the garmin!!).  Increasing my pace is the only way I’m going to meet my Calico goal.  To break through that bottom 25%, I’ve got to beat my Calico 30k time by about 30 minutes.  To place in my age group, I’ve got to beat my time by ONE HOUR.  My goal is the latter.  As the saying goes, “Aim for the stars, and maybe you’ll reach the sky.”

Miles logged this morning:  7.61

Acorns I collected (quite difficult to get a focused pic).  Baby boy was quite happy though : )  He really liked the yellow ones (who knew acorns were so colorful).

Cave Rock

Tuesday I added an event to my calendar, and when I do that, it’s like a domino affect.  Everything had to shift.  And so, I couldn’t run Tuesday (that got moved to Wednesday).  Instead I went to the gym Tuesday, put in an hour plus on the elliptical, stretched, did weights (but no arms!), abs, foam rolled and felt absolutely great afterward.    

But then the night came.  Night time is pretty miserable for me with this piriformis glute issue going on.  It’s when I sit or worst yet, when I lay down to sleep that the pain comes.  (According to my research, it’s because I “shorten” this muscle with my sleep position).  After tossing and turning all night, I woke this morning earlier that usual – I just couldn’t stand the pain of laying down.  After standing for a while, the pain gradually subsided.  I foam rolled, I stretched, and I dropped all three sons off at school, one by one.

On the spur of the moment I decided on a relatively flat run, a 9 mile out-and-back through Wood Canyon at Aliso/Wood Canyons Park.  I packed on the water (I do that nowadays, bring in more water than necessary) and headed down Aliso Canyon, my glutes causing a great deal of pain. 

I should note that my running about 10 miles today was a bit of an inconvenience on the family, having only one car.  This is partly why I chose a flatish :) run.  I figured I’d get the car back home sooner.  Besides that, I consider myself still in recovery from my last marathon.  A “flat” run, I thought, was a good idea, a chance for my body to rest.

 Sightings Board / Notice upper left corner, lost computer!  Does anyone else find this a bit odd? 

Well, I about had it by the end of Aliso Creek Trail.  Now, I’m not one to give up easily (good and bad point about me), so I kept it going and turned onto Wood Canyon Trail.  I stopped at the bench there, got up on the table and stretched the suspect muscles, took two ibuprofen. 

I ran only a half mile more before I finally gave up and turned around.  What the heck?  Listen to my body, right?  I phoned my husband to tell him that he could have the car because I was coming back.  I refrained from crying.  I wanted to cry.  But I was kinda feeling that my spouse wasn’t going to think kindly about me crying because I couldn’t run.  I’ve cried too many times over not being able to run.  And I’ve also cried tears of joy for being able to run.  I’d guess it’s getting old.

The Silver Lining : )

On the way back down Wood Canyon Trail, moping, trying so hard not to go to that pitty party, I passed a trail that I have passed over and over again, Cave Rock Trail.  It is one of the very few trails that I have not explored in this park.  I thought it was just this tiny thing that went around the giant boulder with a small cave in it that you can see from Wood Canyon Trail.

Boy was I wrong.  As soon as I ventured in, I knew that this was my silver lining today.  First off, it was a shady single track that quickly began to ascend (oddly, my glute issue disappears on the uphills).  There were wooden steps built into the slopes, moss alongside the trail, even some acorns to gather for my youngest son.  The trail winded up onto that giant boulder with the cave that I could always see from Wood Canyon.  I ran on top of it for an awesome view of Wood Canyon Trail.  The rock never looked that high from the ground.  I was amazed.

I took this trail (about 1/4 mile) until it dumped me back onto Wood Canyon, and though my glutes still ached (only slightly), I ran it all the way into the ranger station and past for a run totaling 4.5 miles. 

Now, if I didn’t have this glute problem, I may have never ventured onto this trail.  How sad would that have been?  Pretty sad.

One of the very few trails at Aliso/Woods I have not wandered

My Kind of Trail!!

 

Admiring View on the Top Backside of Cave Rock

More of Cave Rock Trail, Naturally Landscaped with Stepping Stones

 

Lots of Rock on Cave Rock (all part of the same rock)

 

Heading off of Cave Rock, back toward Wood Canyon Trail

Crystal Cove

This morning’s run was impromptu.  I knew I was going to run, or at least hoped to.  I popped my last antibiotic, checked my e-mail and tried to get out early.  But that didn’t happen.  I wasn’t out the door til 7AM. 

Just so happens that I have a few state park day passes about to expire, so I set off this morning to a different trail system than I usually run – Crystal Cove.  Normally (and there really isn’t a “normally” for me and Crystal Cove), I start at the top of the hills and run down.  That of course, means climbing out to get back to the car.  Today though, I started at the bottom.  That meant, I got to drive through Laguna Beach.  Lovely Laguna Beach.

I used to drive through Laguna Beach every weekday, many a year ago.  And it was in a complete traffic jam as I made my way to a 40 hour week job in Irvine.  I used to wave at a drifter who had made Laguna Beach his home.  He became known as “The Greeter” as he stood at one of the corners near Main Beach waving at us as we drove by.  He was an old guy, with long hair and a beard, and always a smile.

I remembered him this morning, mainly because he wasn’t there.  But there were at least two sculptures of him along the way, and one painting posted up on a lamp post.  It’s been many years since I drove to that job, so I had to assume “The Greeter” had died. 

Sad.

I also remembered while driving through Laguna Beach this morning, how I used to look out my window longingly driving that same route, flicking the ashes from my cigarette, wishing that I didn’t have to drive to this particular job every day.  I longed so much for a different life.  One of freedom, one where I could wander.  And here I was this morning, three children (& hubby) still sleeping at home, free from cigarettes, free from the 40 hour week, driving to Crystal Cove to run (wander) trails.

Despite everything.  I am lucky. 

I will say one thing though.   The ranger at Crystal Cove wasn’t feeling so lucky this morning.  In fact, I think she hated her job.  I tried to talk nice (I was after all, happy to be there) and ask about the trails.  But she just frowned (practically growled) and pointed to the map on the wall.  After she validated my day pass, I walked out of the station and actually said out loud, but a little beneath my breath, “friendly crowd here.”  I could have sworn that I heard her stand up and hurry up behind me.  And I actually envisioned this angry ranger grabbing the validated day pass from my fingers and snapping, “No Day Pass For You!!”

But she didn’t.  And I didn’t need her.  The mountain bikers and hikers out at Crystal Cove this morning were plenty cheerful and willing to help.  Two bikers gave me a loop just under 10 miles.  And with park map in my pocket, I headed up a 3 mile incline, called “No Name Ridge,” a well groomed, dirt road. 

The trails aren’t marked at Crystal Cove like they are on my regular trails.  I constantly found myself asking people, “Am I still on No Name?”  I was wearing my garmin and carrying my map, so really I wasn’t going to get lost.  I just didn’t want to put in too many miles.

From “No Name” I took a lovely, single track called Ticketron.  That trail basically turned into Deer Canyon which lead me to Fence Line (a trail that I’ve run a couple times.).  Then on Fence Line, or Missing Link, I came across about a dozen or so runners.  And I recognized a few of them, Chris D. and Annie and Steve H. who were the friendly couple working the last aid station at the Saddleback Marathon.  I spoke briefly with Chris and Annie and they assured me that I was on the right track to Moro Ridge.

Moro Ridge was a pleasure, rolling hills, mainly down with a full ocean view.  I ended this run with no glute pain (after beginning with plenty glute nudgings, and NO ibuprofen).

I believe I snapped this photo on No Name

 

Ticketron Trail on way to Deer Canyon Trail

Fence Line Trail looking toward Saddleback : )

 

Me on Moro Ridge headed down to B.F.I (Big F****** Incline, then El Moro Canyon)

Miles logged: 9.09

Gathering Acorns

I woke this morning feeling amazingly well.  It’s been a while.  Still on the antibiotics. But I think this thing is kicked.  Taking my time to get ready, I packed plenty of water, my camera, phone, ipod and sunglasses and headed out the door before 7AM. 

I wore gloves on the trip over, but promptly peeled them off before running down through Canyon Vistas Park.  Pretty much right away, my glutes began stabbing at me.  And while I thought about popping the ibuprofen, I focused instead on relaxing.  Not a single soul rested at the bottom of Cholla, so I took the time to stretch my piriformis muscles (more on that below in my self-diagnosis blurb).

Still in my recovery phase (from Saddleback) I’m taking it pretty easy.  I think I’ll wait another week before amping it up.  But I still ran Cholla Trail in its entirety and tried to keep it strong.  I didn’t meet a single other person going up that steep rocky, semi-switchback trail.

West Ridge was empty too.  At first that is.  The skies were blue, the breeze crisp.  Then I began seeing people.  In fact, I came across twenty-one hikers (one at a time or in small groups), 7 mountain bikers, but just one lonely runner.  I stopped to talk to two women who were looking for the owner of a pair of prescription glasses they found.

At Top of the World, I stretched my piriformis muscles again.  And I met a woman who was looking for a pair of prescription glasses.  I told her about two hikers and she quickly headed off down West Ridge.  I met her again on my way down; she was walking up discouraged for not having found the hikers with her glasses.  A short time later, I came upon the two hikers with the glasses and relayed the story.  And I was off again, this time down Mathis.

Top of the World, Overlooking Laguna Beach & Pacific Ocean

 

Top of the World, Facing Saddleback Mountains, where I ran last Saturday’s Marathon

Mathis was void of runners, hikers and mountain bikers.  Feeling somewhat spooked, I picked up a nice size rock to take with me down Car Wreck Trail, which is pretty desolate anyway.  On a day like today, a weekday morning, I wouldn’t want to be caught defenseless on Car Wreck because it’s kind of out of the way.

I thoroughly enjoyed myself running down Car Wreck Trail.  No glute pain whatsoever.  The weather remained clear and cool, though I did push my sleeves up some.  I turned down my ipod also so that I could concentrate on the trail’s more difficult areas and relish its beauty. 

Nice Technical Aspects on Car Wreck Trail

Posing in front of Wreck (tossing my rock)

Ferns on Car Wreck Trail

 

I chucked my rock when I hit Mathis again, even though the trail was also empty (but at least I was running a main route).  Wood Canyon was empty as well as I set off on a mission to collect acorns for my youngest son.  Oak tree after oak, no acorns, only leaf liter – and lots of it.  Finally, I ran offtrail and into a thick woodsy oak grove.  It was dark and shady in there, cramped with branches.  I scoured the floor that was inches thick of crisp oak leaves, but no acorns.  Then I looked up and focusing through the other side of the grove noticed a lush green meadow.  What the heck!  I have got to go there, I thought to myself, but then chucked that idea, being alone and all.  But before I turned around to head out of the grove and back out onto the trail, I suddenly noticed, not twenty feet away from me – two deer.  They just stood there looking at me.  I had never been that close to deer before (except for at petting zoos, like Japanese Deer Park – remember that place?), and I wondered if they might charge me.  I mean, one was pretty big and all, even the smaller one could knock me over.  Reaching for my camera, I took a step closer.  Crinkle, crinkle, crinkle went the leaves beneath my feet.  And the deer were off like lightening through the grove off into the meadow and gone from sight.

Back on Wood Canyon Trail, I continued my search for acorns.  I found plenty smashed, some even intact, but without caps.  Then finally with about a half mile remaining of this morning’s run, I hit the jackpot.  I found a nice cluster of capped acorns.  I stooped down, collected up a handful of choice selections.  And then I was off again running the trail, as these five cyclists passed me headed back toward Cholla Trail and Canyon Vistas Park.

Heading Back on Wood Canyon Trail

Miles logged this morning:  7.51

My self diagnosis:  All along I had been working on “fixing” the gluteus maximus muscles.  But I was showing no improvement.  I just couldn’t get to physical therapy right now.  So AFTER Saddleback (not before!!) I did some research and I really believe my problem is the piriformis muscle group which is in the same area (the butt).  The symptoms match perfectly.  Piriformis Syndrome is when the muscle tightens or spasms (yup) and also irritates the sciatic nerve, resulting in lower back and thigh pain (double yup). One cause of this “syndrome” is running, in particular, running uneven ground (yup again).  On the good side, in just a few days I’ve seen improvement by doing piriformis stretches and foam rolling that I found on youtube.  I am hopeful.

I Just Wanted To See If I Could Do It

Today, I thought was a good day to get back out there and run.  Then again, I thought, maybe I should rest one more day.  Maybe I wasn’t ready.  Avoiding additional injury after all is my number one goal.  But I just couldn’t stand it.  I had to know.  I wanted to see if I could do it.

I took off with painful glutes (which I believe I have self-diagnosed the problem, more for a later post), beneath breezy skies.  The weather was cool, almost cold.  Despite the glutes I felt comfortable.  I ran up Cholla Trail focusing on form.  Form, form, form – column straight, no bending at the waist and mid-foot strike as much as possible.  It gets pretty steep on Cholla, so keeping that mid-foot strike is not always doable.

Before I left, my husband said, “stay off uneven ground,” and I laughed, like that’s possible on the trails (but we suspect it’s part of my glute problems – uneven ground, that is).  I did keep my eye on the trail and attempted to stay on even ground.  Much of the time that was not possible.

But I did have fun.  Lots of fun.  And I sweated loads too, like I always do in the recovery period. 

The rolling hills of West Ridge were pretty empty.  I saw 2 runners, and half a dozen or so hikers.  Top of the World was EMPTY, a peaceful, tranquil and windy experience.  I needed that.

Top of the World:

At the top, enjoying the wind, acting just a tad SILLY:

After stretching at the top, I headed back the same way I came.  And I focused on keeping my pace up on the uphills.  I could do it.  Though I felt like I could put in more miles, I kept it to a minimum.  Besides – I had to work this evening and had still lots of chores and pick-ups to do.

Miles logged this morning: 6.24

Elevation gain:  Approx. 1,200 ft.

The Aftermath

I was on a high after finishing the Saddleback Marathon.  No injuries.  I didn’t even ache.  As the day progressed I began to feel nauseated.  And my quads began to stiffen.  I couldn’t sit for too long.  I had to walk around.  I took a hot bath.  I did chores.  By the time I went to bed, I ached head-to-toe.  I slept in pain, hardly able to even turn myself over as I slept.  I didn’t have the strength.

The day after the race I had to keep moving.  Though I still felt nauseated, I felt good overall.  But I couldn’t sit for more than probably five minutes without stiffening up.  I foam rolled all of my leg and hip muscles with excruciating pain.

On the 2nd day afterwards (Monday), my cell phone did not register the time change and I accidentally woke at 5 AM instead of 6.  It was this day  that depression hit, and it hit hard.  I sobbed, I felt hopeless.  Postpartum depression?  Nope.  Postsaddleback depression.  I went to the gym, pedaled 17 miles, did some weights, stretched like heck, did some back and ab work then worked those glutes on the roller like mad.  I felt like I had to get in shape, like I was sick and tired of glute issues, etc.  I felt weak.  I felt sad.

When I first started racing (not that long ago), I was a road runner.  At first I finished toward the back of the pack, about the bottom 25%.  I worked my way up into the the top half, occasionally the top third.  That was on the road.  That was when I raced with hundreds, sometimes thousands of runners.  I felt glad about these accomplishments.  Then I started trail racing.  And I plummeted to the back of the pack.  On the long-distance trail races especially, I was coming in way less than the bottom 25%.  But I ALWAYS said, it’s about finishing with me, not about time.  Somehow in my postsaddleback depression, that changed.   And I set my mind to a new goal – break through the bottom 25% barrier at Calico 2011.  I’ve got a few short months.  And I figure the only way to do it, besides train, is to run more bursts up those hills and  to strengthen, strengthen, strengthen through exercise and diet.  AND I CAN’T GET INJURED!

Anyway, back to that day 2, sleep was miserable once again.  I ached from head to toe.  I slept with a heating pad.

On the third day after Saddleback (today), depression only slightly lingered.  I was off to the gym again this time for more intense cardio on the elliptical.  I skipped the weights, did some ab work, stretched and foam rolled like heck again.  (For those unfamiliar with the foam roller – it’s a cylinder piece of hard foam that you lay and roll your muscles over.  It works like a massage, loosening up tight or achy muscles).

So here I am 3 full days past the most difficult trail race in my life, and I am finally recovered.  That is recovered mentally and mostly physically.  Though I still need to move around a lot, I can sit for extended periods without stiffening up.  Progress : )