First Run For 2012

I am not going to look back on 2011 like I usually do in the new year blog entry.  Though I really enjoy reading other blog entries that do this.  If I look back, I fear that I will turn into a pillar of salt.

I am also not going to look forward.  Nor am I going to make a New Year’s Resolution.  To make one would simply be stating exactly what I’m going to do for about a day . . . then quit.

Instead, I’m going to roll into the new year with a motto, “Do Better,” and I’m just going to keep on keeping in the moment.  That is not to say that I’m not going to plan or look to the future.  Nor is it to say that I will never look back.  It’s just that the moment is the easiest place to be for me.  And I like easy.  If you are a returning visitor you may think, “I’ve seen your elevation profiles – you don’t like easy!”  Believe me, I do.  I love EASY.  And those huge elevation profiles, they are what help get me back to easy.

Late this morning, I ran my first run in 2012 (my 13th consecutive day running).  And believe it or not, it was an easy run down to the beach, even though sweat ran like a running faucet.  That always happens on a recovery run.  I consider today’s run a “recovery” run. 

The day was warm and droves of people made their way down to the beaches.  This is what we do in coastal Southern California on New Year’s Day.  Sorry. 

I flew down the steps, actually jumping some onto the landings.  Really.  I realize it doesn’t look like I can do that, but I did.  I ran along the sand enjoying the surf as it pounded in.  I only saw one other runner.  But I saw lots of surfers and beach-goers this warm winter day of 2012.  Joyful.

The Strands, looking toward The Headlands:

I jumped onto the rock base of The Headland cliffs and spent some time with the sea creatures in the tide pools.  And I enjoyed the waves crashing upon the rocks.  I didn’t contemplate a thing.  I have MUCH on my mind, which is exactly why I didn’t contemplate a single thing.  I didn’t want to “go there.”  Instead I reveled in the the colors: greens, blues,  and browns.  With my back to the waves, I took some photos and then I was off, running along the dry sand to the steps back out of the beach. 

I ran The Headland Trails, which were crowded with walkers.  All the lookout points were taken.  However, I was able to get a few good shots in before heading out to the highway where I ran back home (without jay-walking, or rather jay-running).  The restaurants were more crowded than I’ve ever seen, with late breakfast-goers probably after a wild night of New Year’s Eve Parties.  The overall town seemed to be in a happy, yet somber mood.

Looking at a lone sail boat from The Headlands:

An odd pose on The Headlands (when I stood, the camera cut off my head):

View of the marina as I ran back to the highway:

4.75 miles run today. (7.64 km)

New Year’s Eve Silverado Loop

I’m not sure that I can adequately write about my last run of 2011.  So I will probably let “the pictures tell the story.”  I will write that this run was fantastic.  It was difficult, quite difficult for me.  But I loved every second of it. 

I will also say that running friends are really something special.  We go through so much together.  It’s as if we escape all the harsh realities together and go to a place to share an awesomeness beauty together.  And we just “BE.”   That’s the way that I see it anyway.

In a nutshell, we began on a cold morning up Maple Springs Road.  My friend Jeremy had to turn back early.  But I’m really grateful for the time he was able to put in running with us all, especially on New Year’s Eve.  Three other friends, Kelly, Michael and Rob joined in on this spectacular run as well.  And I met a new running friend, Kurt, who also ran with us today.

At the top of Maple Springs run we continued up and down an excruciating rolling ridge.  Kelly remembered and pointed out the exact spot I began to see stars when I ran this very same loop 2 years ago.  I looked ahead at the large ascent approaching, and I thought “OH MY!!!”  This time though, I ran the whole thing.  Don’t get me wrong.  I didn’t sprint it.  I ran it more at a snail’s pace.  But I ran it.

Some scenes from today’s EPIC run:

Kurt, Rob, Michael, Kelly, Me, Jeremy ready to take off up Maple Springs:

Kelly, Michael & Jeremy as we began this run on asphalt:

Group photos at “Four Corners.”

Running the Main Divide I look at Maple Springs in almost disbelief that we ran that thing:

Rob & Kelly look out over Riverside County from the Main Divide:

Rob’s new pet; he runs this snake back to the cars:

Running the Main Divide, will the Silverado Motorway EVER get here?

Silverado Motorway at last!

Group shot running down Silverado Motorway:

Keeping the fluids flowing:

Rob and Michael take off on the steep, rocky, switch-back:

Silverado Motorway – about 2 1/2 miles, it seemed much shorter than 2 years ago:

Back at Maple Springs, a shot of my salt stained shirt:

Acting goofy back at the lot:

Miles run:  16.77 (26.99 km):

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Santiago Oaks

I set out early this morning for some trails I’ve never run.  I met friends Sheila and Kelly in a shopping center parking lot at the base of the mountains and we took off on the streets for some trail running in the foothills.  I felt surprisingly well for this being my tenth consecutive day running.  And we took some pretty good climbs together. 

We ran a trail called Bumblebee that lead to gorgeous views of The O.C.  The weather was perfect, our loop rolling and joyful. ( I could see Santiago Peak off in the distance and longed for it.)

We got in some fire road, some gravel, some single track, some switchback and cliff trails.  Running up Anaheim Hills Trail we met a couple of hikers who mentioned that they renamed that trail “Dirty Rotten Filthy Hill,” and their friend called it “Cardiac Hill.”  That really cracked me up because I’m a trail re-namer too.  (I’ve renamed Mentally Sensitive to “Psycho-Path,” and I’ve named a portion of West Ridge, “Good Girls Don’t.”)

In all, we three women ran 8.33 miles on this Thursday morning (13.41 km).  Lovely, lovely run.  And here’s the best thing as we approach the end of the year:  with over 1,600 miles logged, I am UNINJURED.  I have so many things to credit for this fact, which I’ll save for another entry.  I will write that part of the non-injury stuff comes from my cross-training at the gym.  But alas, 2011 is an end of an era for me.  My gym membership runs out in a few days.  And I won’t be renewing.  Though I am a fairly new runner (meaning I started in middle-age), I have pretty much always been a gym member.  I don’t even feel like going back now knowing that I won’t be renewing.  But at the same time, I feel like I need to go back, knowing that in a few days I won’t have a choice. Yet, I have learned much over the past few years, so I’m confident I can keep up the non-injury streak without a gym membership.   

Scenes from a run though Santiago Oaks:

Enjoy

I scratched original plans to visit the gym today and put in just about 2 to 3 miles of speed work after my workout.  I really didn’t feel like spending my time in a crowded gym. I wanted to be alone Instead on day 9 of my running streak.   I decided on a nice little out-and-back in my favorite wilderness park, Aliso/Wood Canyons. 

I took off with the melancholy blues.  But as I made my struggle up Cholla, I began to lighten-up and enjoy the moment.  Enjoy the sweat dropping off the ends of my hair.  Enjoy the rocky terrain.  Enjoy the blue skies.  Enjoy that I wasn’t alone, though I was, as the park was crowded with hikers, runners and bikers.  Others were out there struggling up and down these hills.  Who were these people?  I didn’t know a single one of them, yet it was sort of like we all knew each other.  We didn’t talk.  A simple head nod or smile did the trick to convey – “Yup, I’m crazy too.”  Nah.  I think it more conveyed, “Yup.  I understand.”

Running up Cholla, biker cycling down:

Heading up Cholla, the world seems to transform:

View of Saddleback Mountains from Park Avenue Nature Trail:

Prickly Pear bloom (the first I’ve seen this season):

6.35 miles run on day 9:

On The Eighth Day

Well there, that’s done.  I broke my longest streak, by running 8 consecutive days.  On the 8th day of my running streak I met three friends (Kelly, Sheila and Michael) at Aliso/Wood Canyons on a cold, frosty morning.  And we ran through Aliso Canyon, shivering.

On the 8th day, I ran with my friends up Meadows Trail and we were warm before we even reached the top:

Top of Meadows:

On the 8th day, I ran with my 3 running friends to the Top of the World.  Then we ran down a steep, steep, technical trail called Car Wreck Trail, which if you are returning, you’ve seen more than once on this blog:

And there we posed in front of the graffiti-ridden wrecked car:

On the 8th day, we ran Car Wreck, to Oak Grove, and ran a short distance on Mathis where we took a fun detour with a nice climb to Dripping Cave Trail.    We meandered about the cave and took another group photo before running through a shady grove of trees back into Wood Canyon:

On the 8th day of my running streak, Michael found ice on Dripping Cave Trail, and somehow it was almost like finding diamonds:

And we were off to run the final stretch:

On the 8th day I got to see the blue heron that I usually see, and I caught another picture of it in flight, this time as Michael ran straight at it so that it would take off:

On the 8th day of Streaking into the New Year, I ran 9.35 miles.  That’s a little over 15 kilometers:

Then on the 8th day of my running streak, my Uncle Norman died, the older and only brother of my mother.  We are in mourning.  And in mourning, as in happiness, I want to get back out on the trail and run. 

You were a good man on Earth Uncle Norman.  I am happy and proud to have been a part of your life: