Los Pinos Peak

I think I prefer the odd goals that I conjure up, over training for long distance endurance races.  A 50k or 50 miler not only tries my body, but more so, they try my soul.  During these runs (and training for them) I must fight the toughest battle – the battle against myself, against those awful voices that nag, nag, nag.  It’s simply terrible.

On the other hand, a couple months ago, I decided to attempt Mount Everett’s elevation gain every month with my running.  That brought me great enjoyment – a goal that can be achieved in tiny steps.  I did it in February, will probably accomplish the task for March. 

I came up with another goal the last time I ran to Santiago Peak (actually, I kind of stole the idea from Jessica Deline, after she saw the photo of my feet on the peak’s surveyor’s mark).  Consequently, this new adventure consists of collecting peaks in my runs (and taking a photo of my feet on the surveyor's stamp as proof.)

Anyway, as I continue my wind down for Old Goat 50, which is precisely one week away, I feel relaxed.  At the same time, I am terrified.  I am terrified of Old Goat.  I fear the battle.  But, I am relaxed over doing my own thing in running now that “training” has ended – as I did on this cool March morning.

During this morning’s single digit run, I sought out Los Pinos Peak for peak #2.  I parked high up the mountain (in Blue Jay) and  headed up the Main Divide well before the San Juan 50k runners would be making their way up the same truck trail.  I did a run/hike combo and found that I made the exact time as when I did a power hike for the whole 1.5 miles. Hiking power continues to amaze me. 

Traversing the Main Divide:

At the Trabuco/Main Divide fork, there’s another prong to the fork, obscured by vegetation and fallen tree trunks.  That fork belongs to the Los Pinos Trail.  Rather than bushwhack, I hopped some turquoise colored posts and made my way to the trailhead.  Then I commenced to run up and down (mainly up) a gorgeous Los Pinos (The Pines) trail. 

My tortuous Mentally Sensitive repeats did me good today.  I found these mainly-up-rolling-hills amazingly easy (as easy as running trails can get anyway).  The views were immense, my home county obscured with thick clouds.  These are the trails that leave the world behind.

Before I knew it I arrived at the peak, or so I figured.  It appeared as if everything else was downhill from there.  Well, I looked around and thought, “Where can the mark be?”  Surveyor’s plaques are never in the middle of the trail.  And at Santiago Peak, it’s at the top of a pile of rocks.  To my left on Los Pinos trail was a natural looking pile of rocks.  I hopped up on them, glanced around.  Nothing.  And then upon closer look, I found a small circular plaque embedded in a boulder.  Without my glasses, I could barely read it.  And what I could read didn’t make sense.  But surveyor remarks don’t make sense.  I hopped around a bit more and found a larger circular plaque and was able, just at the perfect angle, to make out the words, “Los Pinos Peak.”  I had arrived. 

Los Pinos Peak:

Proof:

Peak Goof-Around Time:

On my way back down Los Pinos, I took an off-shoot that I noticed on the way up.  Since my mileage was less than expected I figured I had a couple miles to spare.  But this single-track trail descended at such a great rate that I feared it would eventually dump me out in the canyon below.  And then what a climb out that would be (surely making this run carry into the double digits)!  And so, I turned around and ran back up to the trail and made my way peacefully back to the Main Divide.  Since this portion will be the last remaining miles of Old Goat, I worked on my footing and form.  My shoes felt unbelievably comfortable.  So much so, I wished that I had trained in them. 

I met the San Juan 50k aid station trucks making their way up the Main Divide.  After stretching, I got into my truck, drove down Long Canyon Road and came upon the front runner of the San Juan 50k, Dean Dobberteen (spelling?).  I’ve seen him many times, usually the front runner.  Anyway, he made that Candy Store run that I’ve been training in TWO HOURS!!!!!  This is basically the same course (actually his was shy a mere two miles) that I finally got in less that 6.5 hours.  Wow.  (I won’t let that throw me.  He is among the best of the best.  I just want to finish, or at least try and finish). 

And such is trail running . . .

Enough of That

Today’s single digit run was a bear.  A real bear!  I began at the top of Mentally Sensitive (the closest steepest trail I know) and “ran” up and down it not three times, but FOUR times.  I had a miserable time of it on the uphills.  I practiced the fancy feet, quick technical running on the downhills. It took complete focus not to fall or trip.  The 4th trip up was brutal. Down right excruciating. 

I think that’s enough of that.  For today anyway.

I cannot wait to lay my head down and sleep.

Single Digits

It’s officially wind down time.  My next several runs will be single-digit-mileage.  Today, I took to an old favorite, an out-and-back to Top of the World in Laguna Beach.  I got some minimal climbing, seemingly endless rolling hills, cool breezes, blue skies and spring flowers in about 6.5 miles.

Though the pressure’s on, the pressure’s off – see if that makes any sense.

Heading to Top of the World:

The distant mountains – less than two weeks, I’m there!

Heading back to the truck:

I have a chance!

This morning I ran my last long run before Old Goat.  And I finally did it.  I ran the first 20ish miles of Old Goat within the cutoff time – by TWO MINUTES.  I managed this despite wardrobe issues (I layered too much on this freezing morning then had to re-pack my pack to fit everything.)  I managed this despite the fact that I dropped my gloves (my son’s gloves) and had run back (uphill) about a quarter mile until I found them.  I also managed this despite the fact that I fell (though it was a long downhill fall, it was a pillowy, soft fall with only a scratch on my shin to tell).  I also managed this despite a throbbing headache for about five miles.  I had to rethink, “Did I hit my head when I fell???”  I even managed this despite having to dig my water stash out and bury it back at the halfway point, wasting 8 minutes there.  And I also managed this despite the fact that I stopped and chatted a few minutes with two fellow lady runners who will be manning an aid station at Old Goat. 

A mantra formed in my mind early on that I repeated again and again.  I told myself, “Loosen up and pick up.”  This helped me to remember to keep my body lose and free of tension, as well as, pick up my pace, and pick up my feet.  There’s no feet shuffling allowed on this route.  Not unless I want to eat dirt.  And I don’t really like the taste of dirt.  Toward the end of my run, I gained a burst of energy when I knew that I might make the cut off time.  My mantra changed to a shorter version, “Relax and kick back.”  Relax of course referred to the loosening up.  And the kick back referred to kicking out the back, as opposed to lunging forward.  Kicking out the back makes it virtually impossible to trip.

Now, I feel as if I have a chance!

Taking off on a cold, cold morning at sunrise:

Fueling on the run:

Up Mental Sensitive (3x)

I didn’t run as much mileage I wanted over the past months.  Time was short.  But then again, if I really wanted it, I would have run at night on the streets after the boys went to bed.  I will revert to one of my favorite sayings:  It is what it is.  As I wind down the training, my lack of mileage is really the least of worries.  My biggest struggle right now is not giving up before the race even starts.  AND . . . and I need to stop sabotaging myself with a bad diet.

With 18 days remaining before Old Goat, I’ve got planned only one more long run.  Today was not that run.  Instead, I decided on a single-digit run up and down Mentally Sensitive three times.  Yes, the trail I find most difficult in Aliso/Wood Canyons, I took on 3 times today. 

The first trip up that grueling trail was easier than the second and third times up.  But the second and third trips up were equally as difficult.  The down hills on the other hand, I enjoyed immensely, using the time to cool off and practice technical downhill running.

Going up!

Blossoms along the way:

Blue Jay to Blue Jay

I drove up the mountain again in the dark this morning.  And this time, I didn’t make the long drive just to check the weather and drive back (like I did last weekend).  My eyelids were heavy, the weather was cold.  And I so, so, so didn’t want to run.  (What’s going on with me???)  I wanted more than anything to drive home and go back to sleep. 

My truck parked in Blue Jay at The Main Divide, I applied sunscreen, Glide.  I briefly considered taking a nap in my truck.  Only the fear of a crazed killer breaking my window and slashing my throat as I slept stopped me.  “Just get out of the car and start marching,” I told myself.  And that I did.  Up the Main Divide, I hiked, I ran, I suffered as the sun rose above the horizon.

Nearly  two miles later, I felt in the groove – just in time for a nice long downhill on Trabuco Trail.  I felt good.  Loose.  I made good time.  I even made better time than usual when it got rocky.  AND IT GOT ROCKY.   Amazingly, I came upon running friend Mark R. on that trail.  I write “amazingly” because out of all the trails, and all the hours in the day, it’s a big coincidence that I’d come upon a friend in these lonely woods. 

Trail running is so fun!

Running down a serene Trabuco Trail: 

Rocks.  And more rocks!:

I wasted twenty, yes TWENTY minutes at the bottom of Trabuco.  I dug out my water stash, refilled my pack.  The weather warming up, I had to peel off layers and somehow find room for them in my pack.  With a full water bladder, I needed to cram my belongings into my pack to fit.  I broke one of the bungee cord tie downs on the backside.  I feared I might bust the zippers too, my pack was so full.  Ended up, I had to take out a water bottle and carry it.  (I drank it on the way up Holy Jim to get rid of the weight.)

On the way up Holy Jim, I was lucky to come upon a California Mountain King Snake.  It was beautifully colored, bright orange, black and white.  But, alas, it moved too fast for me to catch a photo.  I made decent time, not great, but not terrible, running slowly up Holy Jim.  The main thing was, I didn’t suffer much.  I didn’t suffer much because I finally realized how to run Holy Jim.  The secret is: Fully expect another switchback at every single bend, otherwise your heart will break again and again.  In other words, don’t look for the end.  Don’t expect the end.  Just keep going and take in the beauty. 

Warming up on Holy Jim: 

I put my hands on my hips at least once.  And I grabbed a couple tree trunks on my final ascent to Bear springs.  Again, I was amazed this morning.  Bear Springs was actually CROWDED with people taking in the giant shade before a big trek to Santiago Peak.  I had to get a picture.  I stood back from the group, snapped a photo and one of the young women turned and looked at me.  “I know you,” she said.  I started filing through runners in my mind to place her.  Before I could finish she said, “You’re Lauren.  I read your blog!” 

Wow!  Talk about a picker-upper.  I chatted a bit with Maria and her friends (in photo below).  She was so nice and encouraging about my Old Goat training.  She made me feel like I was almost there as far as training, instead of how I’ve been feeling, which is I’m NO WHERE CLOSE.

Bear Springs:

I took off rested on The Main Divide back toward Blue Jay, noticing cougar tracks in far too many places.  They were small tracks, but much too big for a bobcat.  They probably belonged to a juvenile.  I’ve seen cougar tracks on occasion, especially on Harding Truck Trail, but never on this trail. 

The remainder of this 21 mile run was a grueling, yet joyful, up and down, up and down rocky truck trail.  I ran up on snow several times, using the opportunity to fill my cap with it so that I could keep my head cool.

Looking toward the Pacific Ocean (at Indian Truck Trail intersection):

I’m so relieved that I got out and ran instead of napping in my truck.

Great gain today (6,344’):