Back-to-Back-to-Back

This morning I was back to Aliso/Wood Canyons for my back-to-back-to-back run.  Yes, that’s three days in a row.  Seems like I’m starting to feel like my old self.  I’m sleeping better. I feel more rested in the morning.  Definitely good reasons to force this groove on!

The skies were gray when I first set out through Aliso Canyon.  A couple runners traversed the trails, as did some hikers.  When a hiker up a ways stopped in her tracks, I thought for sure she had come across a rattle snake.  But she pointed out a coyote standing in the golden swaying grass.  I told her that coyotes are usually timid around us humans (as I recalled the one who chased my friend Hank!).  Then I ran past the coyote, as the young lady gasped, obviously thinking I was crazy.  I turned back and told her that I had pepper spray to make her feel better.  I knew the animal would turn off and run away as soon as I got within 30 feet of him.  And that he did. 

I also saw three or four deer through the trees on Coyote Run.  I climbed the exasperating Mentally Sensitive.  I admired the deep blue sea and I did some bushwhacking.  What a wonderful, cool morning on the trails!

Back-to-Back

I can’t recall the last time I ran back-to-back days – that is BEFORE TODAY.    With my mood lately, you’d think I would have used the heavily drizzling weather to zonk the back-to-back notion.  But I headed out anyway, arches taped, shins rolled.  And I took off running into Wood Canyon beneath gray, lovely wet skies. 

I came upon no other runners on my way to Top of the World.  But after running up Cholla Trail I came upon several small hiking groups making their way along the ridge.  They were bundled up, looking cuddly and warm.  And I wore shorts.  My long sleeve provided little warmth, however, I warmed up pretty quickly myself running the ridge’s rolling hills.

I ran today simply for the sake of running.  I’m merely getting back my groove, no pace pressure, no mileage requirements.  I do admit though, I’m still hoping to make Mt. Everest’s elevation this month.  It’ll be a tough task, one that will require that I keep my onward momentum going.

Though I was cold and debated doing a 1.5 mile out, then back, I have to call this morning’s run a success.  My shins felt great.  I enjoyed myself.  And best of all, I got my first back-to-back in a long, long time.

Miles run: 6.47

Meadows / Rock It Lollipop Loops

I just love those lollipop loops.  Wrote it before, I’ll write it again:  I’m a loopy girl. 

With limited time this morning, I thought I’d squeeze in a double digit run on my journey out of the rut. 

The sun was hot, the breeze was cool.  Bluish squished lizards decorated the single tracks.  How does that happen? I thought.  I’ve never stepped on a lizard in my life.  I don’t think I could if I tried – not unless I hosed it down with water first.  Then I remembered the bikes.  Yes . . .  the lovely bikes. 

My shins ached for the first 1.5 miles.  Stretching didn’t help the pain.  Only when I began running uphill did the shins feel good.  Then they felt fine the remainder of the run. 

It felt good to run solo in the lonely wilderness.  I relished the time alone.  This morning I got 11.59 miles of alone time.  Then it was back off to the grind, already looking forward to tomorrow’s run.   

Running up Meadows’ switchbacks:

My “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright Bridge,” on Meadows.  Once I cross this bridge the switchbacks stretch out, and the ascent lessens some, and I feel much better about running the entire thing.

Top of Meadows:

But there’s still a tad more to climb:

Running down Rock It:

Coyote Run:

Crossing over Mathis Trail to meet up with Wood Canyon:

Mentally Sensitive / Meadows Lollipop Loop

I went for a “short” lollipop loop trail run late this morning.  It was a doozy!

I put the word “short” in quotes, because distance perception is relative.  For quite some time, 7 miles was my long run.  I would hate to insult anyone by calling a 7 mile run a short run, when it really isn’t “short.”  It’s only “short” compared to what I’m used to over the past few years.  But 7 miles is by no means “short.”  Drive the distance, and you’ll see for sure.  Then add to the 7 miles a climb up a trail called Mentally Sensitive and a run down a switchback called Meadows, and you’ve got one doozy of a run! 

The weather was warm late this morning, 84 F degrees!  Sweating it out beneath a hot sun brought back some delightfully miserable memories of mountain training during the summer (Woot!  Looking forward to that.  Time to get ready!!)

Running a deceitful Meadows Trail: 

My calves were tight again, and my shins ached for approximately the first 1 1/2 miles.  Time to google “shin splints,” though I don’t know how I would get shin splints since I’m running so little lately. 

Climbing Mentally Sensitive was pure hellish fun.  Seriously.  I stopped to rest TWICE. . . on a 7 mile run!  I made it to the top though.  And I still felt accomplished. 

Going up . . .

Finally at the top, overlooking the grand Pacific:

Going down . . .

Rut Update

The thing I hate about digging myself out of a rut is digging my myself out of a rut. The second thing I hate about digging myself out of a rut is that no one else can do it for me. I have to do it myself. Being that I am quite the procrastinator, I have been only half-assed trying to dig myself out of this rut. I feel like blah, like doing nothing. Instead of running (like I planned) after dropping our boys off at school, I returned home and slept on the couch until 11:30 AM!!!  Then I merely sat and surfed the net an hour before heading off to work.  (Oh, I did wash some dishes by hand).

Now, it’s not like if I didn’t run I didn’t have anything to do. I have LOTS to do. I just don’t feel like doing anything.   This is not my “normal.”  Though I am a procrastinator, I am definitely a doer.  So, what the heck? 

That’s my rut update.  My current goal is not to run such and such miles.  It’s simply to get out of this rut.  I’ve got to climb through that hole to the sunshine on the other side.

Wish me luck. 

Image courtesy of satit_srihin at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Sorry, but I can’t contain myself . . .

Our middle son home sick from school yesterday, it seemed I heard about the Boston Marathon bombing as it happened.  I wasn’t watching the news.  I don’t watch the news because I don’t appreciate sensationalism.  I learned of the terrorist act through the running community – though we are large, we are small and word travels quickly.

I felt that I couldn’t write today’s blog entry without mentioning the tragedy.  What can be said that hasn’t already been said?  I can write nothing that can ease any pain or make any sense of yesterday’s event.  The bombing was a terrible, cowardly act.  It preoccupied my thoughts during my entire run this morning.  I clenched my teeth.  I cracked my jaw.  And this is what I thought:  I know it’s popular to feel disdain for my country.  But we are among the greatest countries in the world.  We are not a perfect nation.  But we strive to be better.  Sure we are a materialistic society, sure we have problems.  None of those problems however are as evil as a terrorist act hurled upon innocent children and civilians.  Attack us from inside or out, and we grow stronger, make no mistake about that.  This is our nature.  Darkness may strike some blows, but it will never win against the light!

My heart goes out to the suffering families and those friends and families of the deceased.  I dedicated this run to you, those who died, those who suffer, and those who helped others during yesterday’s attack at the Boston Marathon’s finish line.

Flowers for the wounded and dead:

A tranquil path:

More flowers in remembrance:

I felt like I shouldn’t be smiling.  Though terrorists can cause tears and despair, they can’t wipe out the smiles that eventually return:

The mustard seed:

4-15-13: