Holy Jim / Main Divide / Trabuco Loop

I got to return to the Santa Ana Mountains today, early, early in the morning.  I woke at 4AM to meet running partner Tom B. (at 5:30 AM),  and we drove through a dark canyon to take off running at sunrise up Holy Jim Trail – my favorite trail.

Holy Jim really wasn’t so bad.  I love the switch-back aspect.  And I was still fresh.  The really tough part of today’s loop was running portions of The Main Divide.  It’s exposed and features a few good climbs, one in particular (you can probably pick it out on the elevation chart below).  But The Main Divide is a road, which made for relatively danger-free running.  We had something else to constantly deal with though on The Main Divide -- most of it, those nasty little Gnats swarmed us, several flying up my nose.  I even spit out a few when I finally told myself, “keep your mouth shut.”   

I was very ready for the shade of Trabuco Trail.  What we weren’t so keen on was the rocky, so very rocky portions about half way down.  With the heat and fatigue, I ran carefully to avoid a mishap.  Don’t want to fall on this single track – I might find myself sliding down the side of a steep slope (I’ve done that before). 

Reaching the creek was absolute heaven.  It was shady and lush, a truly beautiful sight. I took that ice cold water and drenched my hair and handkerchief.   Had the creek not been so thin, I probably would have lay right down in it.  I wasn’t exactly delirious.  But I was feeling the heat, I’ll tell ya!  I remember running back to the creek in search of my sunglasses when I realized they were on my face.

I’m very lucky and happy to have a running partner to accompany me on today’s run.  It’s difficult to get people to run up there, not only is the terrain difficult, but the time needed to complete the loop puts a huge dent into your day.  Thanks Tom!  (And a big thanks to Jeremy and Hank too who accompanied me last time).  I’m too chicken to run these mountains alone. 

Today’s run totaled 17.85 miles, a little shorter than I estimated.  But that’s just fine with me.  Those last couple miles running in were extremely difficult.  And hot!

+4,726’ / – 4,683’

Early enough in the morn’ that I’m still wearing long sleeves.

Tom crosses creek as the climbing up Holy Jim begins.

Some of the lush beauty of Holy Jim, before the sweat really begins to flow.

It’s growing warm as we zig-zag up the mountain. 

Nearing the top of Holy Jim?

I’m kinda hoping.  But no such luck.

Actually there’s still more uphill running before we reach the top.

Still climbing . . .

Now we’re almost there!

Running along Main Divide,  view ahead of other side of mountain.

Looking over the other side, as gnats accompany us on this trip.

Meeting up with two bikers making the Holy Jim/Main Divide/Trabuco loop.

View from The Main Divide.

Lake Elsinore

Running down Trabuco Trail.

Tom leads the way down this rocky terrain.

Fallen trees across Trabuco Trail.

After watering down at the creek, a quick pose.  I’m beat!

Finishing off the last few miles, in and out of shade.

Nature Loop Trail

I went for another evening run today.  I find it very difficult, strenuous to run in the afternoon or evening.  And this evening it was hot.  I wore minimalist shoes which are still so extremely comfortable.  It’s not actually like I’m running barefoot.  But it’s like I’m not wearing shoes (and my neuroma knows it too!  I came in from today’s run limping.) 

As I ran Coyote Run Trail, I saw something dark to my side run and leap through the brush.  I thought “Oh crap,” because I feared I was running alongside an extra active bobcat.  I’m not usually fearful of bobcats.  But I usually see them in the morning when they are a bit lackadaisical.  So, I abruptly stopped in the single-track trail.  Not ten feet away stood a wide-eyed deer chewing on a wad of grass.  A few feet from her another deer bent down to chomp the vegetation.  My presence didn’t phase these beauties a bit.  As I ran onward, I saw the third deer, the smallest one, the one that had been leaping through the grass when it spooked me. 

Off Coyote Run Trail I ran the last remaining trail at Aliso/Wood Canyons Park that I had not yet run.  I put off Nature Loop Trail because it seemed that every time I ran past it, time was fleeting.  I finally took that right turn and climbed up to the ridgeline trail, and as of this evening, I have conquered every single marked trail in these canyons. 

Who would have thought?  And I had lots and lots of fun doing it (not to mention some disappointments, some falls and injuries), but mostly an awesome time.

View from Nature Loop Trail

A pause before coming off Nature Loop Trail

The Trail

Miles run today:  5.13 (The loop:  Canyon Vistas Park, Wood Canyon to Wood Creek Trail, back to Wood Canyon Trail, Coyote Run Trail, Nature Loop Trail, Mathis Trail, Wood Canyon Trail back to Canyon Vistas Park)

Tagged!

Giraffy of 365 Days of Awesome tagged me with:

She’s so nice.  This means though that I must give you random facts about me.  LOL. 

Since I didn’t run today, I AM READY.  Random facts about this trail running blogger (that is me) are:

1)  I love shoes – all kinds of shoes:  running shoes, boots, sandals, heels, you name it.  I haven’t been buying shoes since I’m poor now, but I still have plenty to keep me content (I had to clean out my closet anyway). 

2)  I have a library (now my husband’s office) that holds hundreds upon hundreds of books:  These are some of my most favorite books in the whole wide world (and also part of my library that has over-flowed into my bedroom):

3)  I am the oldest of 5 children (& I am 21 years older than the youngest – we all have the same parents).

This is from a long, long time ago!

4)  I am an unpublished novelist.  I write mainly historical fiction (and short stories for the fun of it.) 

5)  I have published short (very short) articles on the internet re: misc. things like software programs, Health Savings Accounts and weight training.

6)  The following instruments are in my home:  accordion, mandolin, violin, guitars (3), an electric piano, a baby grand piano that takes up a good portion of our living room,  a recorder and at least 3 harmonicas.

7)  My other passions are WWII history and Russian history.  I don’t care much about pre-historic history.

8)  If I were to live my life again and could do anything I wanted, I would be a dancer.

9)  I have voted in every election since I was able to vote, and lastly,

10) I DO NOT watch the news.

I hope that you found these random facts semi-interesting.  Now, it’s my turn to tag.  I know this lady is super busy, and she might not see this tag, but if she does, I tag you Running Green Girl with the Amazing blogger Award (don’t forget the random facts) because you are are so optimistic and supportive to so many athletes. 

Time Well Spent

I woke at 4:30 AM today in order to hit the dirt at 6:00 AM for a 19 mile run. Only a few minutes late to the trails at Aliso/Wood Canyons, the sun already shined down brightly.  I didn’t think about the entire run in order to avoid the anxiety that brings.  Instead, I just enjoyed where I was – the present.  The weather grew warmer and warmer as I ran, with some cool breezes until it ended up darn right HOT.  It was extremely difficult to finish up this run.  But that’s what enjoy about it (in the END).  I also enjoyed the solitude and the absolute beauty.     

I dreamt of one thing running in on the second 9.5 mile lap – getting home, filling the bath with cold water and then dumping the entire box of ice from the freezer into the water before getting in.  Instead, I returned home and  I was freezing (not literally of course).  After emptying my shoes of their dirt, I cuddled on the couch beneath two flannel blankets and drifted off to sleep.  And I didn’t dream of anything.   I was in a post-run peaceful state. 

Branches covered with light-green lichen on Wood Canyon Trail.

THE rock on Cave Rock Trail.

I love this rock!

Running down Cave Rock Trail to exit back onto Wood Canyon Trail.

Climbing Meadows with a view of Saddleback Mountains.

Reaching the top of Meadows the first time.

Running Top of the World.

Running Top of the World neighborhoods to pick up the park again, I pass this little fella.

An empty Top of the World.

Reaching top of Meadows Trail for a second time – had a tough, TOUGH time of it, (scarf is still kind of wet from creek water, and I’m gulping my prize for reaching the top – coconut water).

Elevation Profile:

So There!

This evening I ran 3 miles.  THREE miles.

Normal People

When I arrived home from this morning’s run my husband said, shaking his head jokingly, “When I saw your new [minimalist] shoes here, I knew you weren’t going for a short run.” 

“I only ran twelve miles.” 

He laughed.  So did my oldest son.  “Why can’t you be like a normal person and run a three mile short run?” 

“Ya!”  piped in sonny boy.  “Mom’s short run is ten to twenty miles!!”

Now, that’s NOT true.  Twenty miles is a long run.  And I CAN run three miles, but I’m not sure that makes me “normal.”  Just most of the time, I don’t want to run three miles.  If I’m going to get into the truck and drive twenty minutes to the closest trails, I’m not going to run three miles.  Sure, if I wanted to run out my door, which I do occasionally, I’d run three miles.  That would be just fine with me (assuming I already got in 25+ miles for the week). 

Maybe I’m not “normal.”

Does anyone recall that song with the line “If loving you is wrong, I don’t wanna be right . . .?”  I don’t remember who originally sang it, but in Junior High I bought Rod Stewart’s album, Footloose and Fancy Free, and I played that song again and again.   

Funny, those words are kind of how I feel about trails.

This morning, I ran the big loop at Aliso/Wood Canyons, but ran it counter-clockwise.  I rarely do that.  Usually I run up Meadows Trail in a clockwise loop,  which is much steeper climbing, but the major climbing is pretty much over after Meadows.  Counter-clockwise, I run a continuous gradual climb for quite some time (see elevation profile below) and then I get to fly (I mean run) down Meadows. 

The park was crowded with a multitude of people this cool August morning.  I was “Miss Chatty Cathy” chatting with anyone who would talk to me.  Talking with the ranger first, I learned that what I thought was a ferret a few weeks ago was actually a long-tailed weasel (which is related to the ferret).  I also talked to several hikers from a local hiking club making their way through Wood Creek Trail.  I said a few words to some of the Mater Dei High School cross country team as every single one of them ran past me.  And I even stopped on West Ridge for a bit to chat with an adult student that took, I believe two of the Photoshop classes that I teach. 

Normal people?  These teen cross country runners did at least a 9 mile out-and-back.

Wood Creek Trail entrance

A view on Wood Creek Trail that I seldom see since I almost always run it in the opposite direction.

Dainty flowers along West Ridge Trail

Looks like a party at Top of the World

Running Top of the World toward Meadows Trail (Looking down on Laguna Beach city and Pacific Ocean)

Ready to descend on Meadows Trail 

12.05 miles (19.39 km) run this morning

Elevation Profile: +1,702’/-1723’