GOAL!

We had a break in the rain today and my local trains opened up here in the coastal hills of Southern California.  Oddly, I decided on my timed loop.  This loop in Aliso/Wood Canyons:

I didn’t feel like running a time looped, besides the fact that I was a little paranoid about rattlers.  If you’ve been following, you might recall that my goal is to run this loop in two hours (also that I had a rattler encounter my last timed loop.)  My best time has been two hours, two minutes.  I made that time once.

I always felt in order to make 2 hours, I had to run to the top of Meadows (5 mile mark) in 1 hour.  Today, I made it in the same ole’ time 1:03.  With just one negative self-talk incident (I thought “I can’t” only once) I decided to attempt make-up time running the ridge through the neighborhoods at Top of the World.  I felt I could do it since it’s relatively “easy” running (compared to the trails I’ve been racing in 2011).

Top of Meadows

I made West Ridge with 35 minutes to spare (pretty good, but not the best I’ve done).  Then as I started running West Ridge (pictured below), I saw a runner that I usually see on the trails in this park.   I caught up with her, then on the downhill, flew past her.  I thought she was long gone, when on the next uphill, she was at my heels.  What the heck!

If I didn’t know better, she didn’t like me catching her and passing so quickly on the downhill.  I left her in the dust again on the next downhill.  Then wouldn’t you know it!  As I topped the next hill SHE PASSED ME.  Well, IT. WAS. ON. 

Neither of us spoke, as we raced along West Ridge.  We actually ran side-by-side quite a few times.  Other times we ran single-file just a few feet separating us.  I’d pass her on the downhills.  She’d catch me on the uphills.  She got out a good distance at one point.  But at the end, when we parted ways (she continued on West Ridge, I ran down Cholla).  She was just a few feet in front.

I glanced at the garmin as I rounded the corner onto Cholla Trail.  NINE minutes.  I had nine minutes to make it to the finish line.  I had a chance, though slight it might have been.  Utterly fatigued, I took very small, quick steps as I sped down Cholla.  Rounding the next corner onto Wood Canyon, the rest of the trip was uphill.  I had five minutes.  And I wanted to collapse.  I could not let this chance pass.  I had to try.  I actually hiked, fast hiked a small portion of the uphill, and with two minutes to spare, I sprinted in.

Goal!  I made it.  I ran my loop in two hours.  It seemed like the world was spinning a little, and I wanted to vomit.  I stopped for a second, only to catch my breath, then turned the corner and walked a bit for a cool down. 

Thank you un-named runner.  You don’t know how much you helped me today.

After Picture (after my cool down and I’m still red-faced)

The Great Silverado Footrace

Today was my third year running the Great Silverado Footrace, put on by Race Director, Chay Peterson.  First off, before I write another word, let me show you this:

Notice that first hill.  Now, Chay is not an evil woman.  In fact, she’s very nice.  So why’d she do it???  Perhaps it was to wake us up.  Or maybe it was to make the rest of the run seem “easy.”  No, I think it was for the challenge.  Someone yelled from behind as we made that climb, '”Mankind is so stupid!.”  We all laughed.  I’m sure inside we all knew the truth, the truth that John F. Kennedy once told this nation, “ . . . we do it not because it is easy, but because it is hard . . .”

Despite that first hill (though now that it’s over, it wasn’t that difficult), I had lots of fun.  The race is split into two parts.  The first loop being the longest, my garmin showed: 9.83 total miles with +3,763 elevation gain.  That’s a heck of a lot of elevation gain for less than ten miles!

Anyone who likes a true adventure and the toughest terrain should try this race.  I crawled, I bushwhacked.  I slipped and landed on my butt.  I fell.  A branch whacked my eyeball.  I took off my gloves for a minute, slipped and gashed my hand.  Some downhills were so steep, I placed my foot beneath my upper thigh and slid down on my bottom.  I took in awesome scenery spotted with spring flowers.  I laughed.  I joked.  I climbed up a rope.  I tore my clothes, shredded my socks.  And I said a few cuss words. 

Best of all, I raced.  I didn’t plan on racing.  I merely planned on finishing both loops.  But it seemed that one runner targeted me, and then there were three of us running side by side.  And I was so dang tired, I thought to myself, “Heck, just let them take it”.  Then I thought to myself, “No way!  You can run for hours Lauren, maybe they can’t!”  And so on the next uphill, I didn’t slow and lost the two who had been at my heals for at least an hour. I didn’t see them again for the remainder of the race.

Chay Gives Race Directions (she’s the leprechaun)

Racers (& Sweeps) load up in trucks & head out to Start Line

That First Big Climb

I accomplished my goal this year and completed both loops of The Great Silverado Footrace.  It was hard, and it hurt at times.  I have some ugly bruises and cuts.  I had to throw away my socks.  But I am fine.  And I am dang proud.  Proud that I finished both loops, and the vast majority of the second loop completely by myself. 

If I can, I will be back for a 4th year.  Maybe I’ll see you there too!

The Movie 

Fun, fun, fun in Silverado Canyon

Pavement Slapping My Feet

Okay, I’m back.  Sick two days, I decided (except for some exercises) to take three days off from running, because I’m so fearful of a relapse.  A relapse of what?  Fever, Chills, etc. . . Not fun.

Time is fleeting (well, isn’t it always?)  That should be my slogan.  Actually it is my slogan.  (Well . . . actually, it’s a line from the Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Time Warp  -- parenthesis are mine : ) 

Time is fleeting
Madness takes its toll...
But listen closely...
Not for very much longer...
I've got to keep control. (Ya!  When’s that gonna happen?)
I remember doing the Time Warp. (When was this, I’d like to know ???)
Drinking those moments when
The blackness would hit me.
And the void would be calling.
Let's do the Time Warp again.
Let's do the Time Warp again. (Ok, I have to put my 2 cents in here – who the heck wants to do the time warp – not me!!)
It's just a jump to the left.
And then a step to the right.
With your hand on your hips.
You bring your knees in tight. (Ya!  ya!!)
But it's the pelvic thrust (Yes, yes, I can do the pelvic thrust! ).
They really drive you insane.
Let's do the Time Warp again.
It's so dreamy
Oh, fantasy free me
So you can't see me
No not at all.
In another dimension
With voyeuristic intention.
Well secluded I see all...
With a bit of a mind flip...
You're into a time slip...
And nothing can ever be the same. (True! True!!!!)
You're spaced out on sensation.
Like you're under sedation. (Interesting!)
Let's do the Time Warp again.
Let's do the Time Warp again.
Well, I was walking down the street
Just having a think
When a snake of a guy
Gave me an evil wink. (I know him!!)
Well it shook me up
It took me by surprise
He had a pick-up truck (Yup, know that pick-up truck!)
And the devil's eyes
He stared at me
And I felt a change
Time meant nothing
Never would again.
Let's do the Time Warp again.

Okay  . . . Where was I???  Heck!  Lemme think!   Oh yes,  back to my running!  As I said, with time so fleeting, I couldn’t fit in trails, so I took a local paved run down to the beaches and marina.  I felt well recovered from the 50k, except for my recent sickness.  Actually, when I set off, I felt exuberant.  I carried nothing on my back, nothing in my hands.   I planned to drink at fountains only.  Overall, I have this to report:  the garmin was a burden.  I noticed too often how slowly I ran.  And I felt tired.  I don’t think I was ready to run after this illness.  But still, I pushed through.  I witnessed ten or so seals swimming in a circle in the wharf.  And the wind blew in my face nearly the entire run.

I have to say, it felt like that cement SLAPPED at my feet.  They (my feet) actually ached when I returned home.  I felt like I have truly trained my feet to run on dirt.  I like dirt.  This girly girl likes dirt.  Go figure. 

Such is life.

Crossing Pedestrian Bridge On Way To Beaches – Notice Green Shirt – Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!!! : )))  Corn Beef & Hash Tonight!!

Relic From The Past (Shame For The Chain Link Behind)

Beached Yacht On San Juan Creek Diverted (Doheny Beach in Background)

Wonderful Rustic Pier At Far End Of Marina Just Before My Turnaround

My feet ached more than ever after this paved fun.  I felt light-headed, a bit nauseous.  Perhaps I shouldn’t have run today.  But I really felt it was time.  It was time.  I can’t go too many days (especially when not injured).

As a side note, I talked to one of my student’s mother’s tonight. Ends up, she ran professionally for South Africa for many years.  And she’s a wonderful woman to talk with to boot!  (I love writing “to boot!”).  Can’t wait to pick her brain.  (That’s 3 S. African’s I met in person recently, 2 students and one mother) what a pleasure they all are, even though, the boy (a senior) claims I “hate” him – I actually don’t.  I want him to succeed.  I really enjoy all my students.  I want them all to succeed.  Oddly, in college, I kinda despised idealists.  And here I am an idealist for every single one of my students – Go!  I say!  I really do like you, and it wouldn’t matter if I didn’t.  What really matters is, if you do!   : )  You Can Succeed!!  (But be patient!!!)

Miles logged this morning:  9.3

Sneaking Exercises

Monday:  Sick.  I woke with soaking clothes from sweating through the night.  Definitely bummed, because I planned on another lackadaisical run.  Cancelled that.  If there’s anything I learned (which ain’t much!), that is don’t run with a fever or sore throat.  And I had both.

I was so fortunate that my husband had time to take all the boys to school (all different drop off times).  Sure I stumbled to the kitchen to make their lunches, but he did the hard part.  I slept pretty much all day.  He picked them all up from school.  How do single parents do it????

Monday night the entire family attended our oldest son’s orchestra concert.  Quite a delight.  We returned home late, and I had to work on a science project with middle son (which involved popping popcorn and weighing it against an apple), so I didn’t get the sleep I needed again.

Thankfully, I don’t work Mondays.  That would have layed me out!

Tuesday, I woke sick again, but without a fever.  I managed to drop the first boy off, then childishly requested (meaning, I didn’t straight out ask, instead, I “guilted” hubby into making the remaining drop offs.)  And then . . . AND THEN, I managed to use my unique persuasiveness to get my “better half”  to do the pick-ups and watch the younger boys’ OC Marathon training, which meant:  I got to sneak in some exercises.  I had to work fast.  But I did it.  I got in lots of core work.  And I sweated through a hand-held weight video and rushed in a shower.  No one was the wiser.  Except for you guys.  No one in my family ever reads this blog.

Two days in a row no runs, but at least I got to sneak in some exercises.

Sometimes A Run Doesn’t “Do It”

Today I planned my lackadaisical run instead of a long run.  That is I could run where I wanted, basically run for the joy of it, no pressure, no time constraints.  Thing was . . . I wasn’t feeling much joy.  In fact, I felt downright groggy and depressed.  A run, I thought surely would pull me out.  It usually does.  Especially a lackadaisical run.

The runner I ran in with at the Saddleback Marathon last November told me that he runs up the opposite side of Canyon Vistas to catch a trail that takes him up to the two water towers.  At the top, he catches Five Oaks Trail, the one trail in Aliso/Wood Canyons Park I have not run in its entirety.

That intrigued me and I’ve been wanting to explore ever since.  I couldn’t find the trail though this morning.  Looking back, I should have run up to the neighborhoods and met up with the trail that way.  Instead, I ran down a muddy slope and ran the storm drains until it stopped or masses of fallen trees blocked my passage.  Then I slipped and slid down to the next storm drain, until I finally came out to a road.  And there up, above me, stood the two gigantic water towers high up on a hill.

Making My Way To the Towers

Following several mountain bikers onto the closed trail, I ran up slope thick with mud.  I quickly passed the bikers, as they had to walk their bikes the mud was so slick.  They caught up at the top as I snapped a couple pictures.  Then I watched as they flew down Five Oaks Trail.  I followed behind, taking my time down that steep trail.  My mind was blank.

Five Oaks Trail From Top To Bottom

When I hit Wood Canyon, my run pretty much dragged on.  And I actually felt some anxiety approaching Mathis Trail.  But I ran up it, no problem.  I’m not saying that I took it like a bullet or even ran my fastest pace.  I’m just saying that I ran it peacefully, without stress, enjoying the scenery. 

Flowers Along Mathis Trail

Relief hit when I made it to Top of the World, because that meant I WAS GOING HOME.  Today wasn’t a good day for a run that’s all I can say.  But I did it.  I just didn’t have the umph to push.  And I would have much rather spent the day in bed sleeping.  I should track Day Light Saving Time changes and see if the days are usually this draggy for me.   I can’t deny though, that the my views on this run were a great pleasure to take in.  They weren’t enough to pull me from a gloomy mood though.

From Park Ave. Nature Trail

Mustard Seed Plants Along West Ridge Trail

Miles logged today:  8 miles

Elevation Profile:  +1,589

Do You Do This?

Do you have this sickness?  I must  feel organized, clean everything, even the toilets before I can start on my projects (reading or writing novels, looking for an agent, etc).  I call it a sickness, because it’s a never-ending battle with me. I NEVER feel organized.  Yet, people tell me that I’m the most organized person they know.

I feel happy when I throw away bags of trash.  I feel relieved when I load up the truck with boxes of things to drop at the thrift store.  Clutter.  It actually weighs upon my soul.

Well, on the good side.  I cleaned and organized one more corner of my chaotic, looks-like-a-tornado-hit office today.  That is after 2 hours at the gym, then back home, making breakfasts, then scrubbing the bathroom floors, throwing out old files, washing and folding, and folding and folding clothes . . .

One More Office Corner Organized

 

And then all this organization and cleaning stuff seems so idiotic and unimportant when I think that it can crumble or be washed away in an instant!  Those poor people in Japan.  Their devastation is just too much to take all in.