Sunday, May 18, 2014

Saturday Mountain Miles - Topanga State Park

Saturday morning, 8:20am: At first, I bound. I am so excited to be out on the trails, an Explorer! with a capital letter and an attached exclamation point of my joy. The initial trail, Los Liones Canyon, is a single track at first. Technical and slowly winding up and up and up. And I bound, and jog, and walk, and shimmy and bound some more. I climb until I have 1 mile behind me.

Then I am hit by The Waffle. You know in the Lion King when Raffiki hits Simba with the stick, and says, "Oh yes, the past can hurt. But from the way I see it, you can either run from it, or... learn from it." If you don't ... here you go! (How's that for a good running song at the end, too!)


For me, 'the past' is the extra waffle I ate for breakfast. It hurts. And in that moment - and the next hour to come - I learn from it. I'm normally light on my run breakfasts - two gluten-free toaster waffles with some almond butter. Maybe 400 cals and not a lot of volume. But before this particular run, I added an extra. Because 17 miles in the mountains was enough to warrant a third. So says my running mathematics. I've never excelled at math. The extra one hit me at mile 1. Like a rock in my gut. And climbing another 1000 feet over the next mile and a half would only magnify its punch exponentially.

I hadn't been on this trail since September, and I'd conveniently forgotten what a slag it is to get up to the Parker Mesa Overlook. It isn't hard because it's steep - there were plenty of hikers taking it on. It's that the trail is steep AND since I'm all dressed to the nines like a trail runner, I have this expectation of myself that I have to power hike it. Like a boss. And so I try to do that, and my heart rate rockets up and skin gets cold and I am the slowest human being to ever walk up this mountain...(the waffle turns into a total brain meltdown at mile 2). But I'm sure as hell not calling it a day this early.

The wise say, 'Never judge a run by it's first mile.' And I'd add, 'Or the first 1,000 feet of climbing.' Through sly, used-car-salesman-like negotiations with my body, my brain keeps me going. I head out to the Overlook and get a nice ocean breeze sliding through the mountain passes. The moment of pause helps me find my breath and step. After a minute of settling in, physically and mentally, I continue on to Trippet Ranch. As soon as I take a few steps in that direction, my brain/body/waffle fight ceases. I'm ready for this run.

Looking south toward Santa Monica, CA


Parker Mesa Overlook


Up and down and up and down ... I sloth along the wide, rocky fire road. I enjoy the walls of mountain in the distance. I breath in nature and sip my water. I calculate the odds of a forest fire, earthquake or other random catastrophe to befall me during my journey (odds: almost nil). And little by little, I make progress.

The road heading north into the heart of the run


I make my way along the wide fire road for a couple of rolling miles, just staring at the spread before me. After a half hour or so, beautiful Topanga State Park appears on my right. Side note: Very grateful for all of the folks (volunteers) who manage the upkeep of these mountains and their trails.

Topanga State Park. Way in the distance (left of center) is the Eagle Rock. It's the beige nub at the horizon


Eagle Rock up close, last weekend


I turn the corner of the road and see, about 2,000 feet below me, the canyon I ran through last weekend. I look at the red walls to my left and recall that last weekend, I was climbing up up up looking left right at these red slats of mountain in the distance. It was an odd "ah-ha" moment as my mental map and true geography clicked together. Once again I patted myself on the back, "Good Job, Explorer! Way to explore!"

Top Photo: Standing on the fire road looking down into Quarry Canyon and the Santa Ynez Trail
Bottom Photo: Last weekend, looking up at the Topanga Fire Road. That strip of red rocks? That's where I'm taking the top photo from. Love the perspective.


A few miles later, I descend into Trippet Ranch to refill my water and wring the sweat out of my shirt. I'd only gone about 8 miles, but was feeling the heat from a mostly-shadeless tour. Once reharnessed my pack, I headed toward the Musch trail, the gateway to a meadow of wildflowers. My original plan of going out and back (ie turning around at the end of the path and retracing my steps) was ditched as my interest in the trail grew. Literally, a field of grass and flower ahead of me. More grass and flowers here than on all of the tiny, West Side manicured lawns combined.

Musch Meadows - new terrain that isn't a canopy single track, fire road or cliffside climb


Julie Andrews in the Swiss Alps ... you got nothing on this kid swirling around in happy wonder at the sight and sound of nature before me. I decided to follow the trail as far as it goes and then re-route from there. Lucky for me, it dumped me right back into the Ranch parking lot. Another refill and a climb to start the trip home.

Where the water is at...


Unlike road running, or even Rocky Raccoon (race-related) training, my time in the mountains recently has been mentally calming (when I'm not fighting waffles in my belly). I hike the hills, run the flats and downs, and enjoy knowing that I'm thousands of feet removed from traffic. There are a few trail running clubs and groups around Los Angeles (SM Mountain Goats, Coyotes, and our own nascent TriTrain Trails team) and I do wish my (mostly triathlon/Ironman) friends enjoyed the exploration as much as I do, but even being out there alone is well worth the effort and soothing of the psyche. In some ways, it makes the journey that much more special - it's my legs and brain that get me there, no excuses.

I scuttle back along the Topanga Fire road and catch a glimpse of the ocean in the distance, a sign that it's time to head down to earth soon. Topanga Canyon Rd winds through the mountain below me, the cars looking like the MicroMachines I used to play with in the 80s.

Heading south of East Topanga Fire Rd. The haze in the distance is from the rash of San Diego Fires


Though tired, I'm reluctant to leave the dirt and rocks, so at a split in the trail, I delay my return another mile to catch one more glimpse of Malibu from the Overlook on high.

My back to Parker Mesa, time to call it a day.


The 2-mile descent has some wicked drops which my quads register as I let gravity do its worst to me. Bam! Bam! Bam! Each step. I can manage a technical descent fairly well, but need much more practice on relaxing during the plummet. My feet and my pack make enough noise to warn hikers that a crazy runner is coming. They slide to the side and offer cheers. I smile and laugh and try not to faceplant. One final mile of single track between me and the cars. I dodge past hikers and walkers and coming spitting out of the canyon exactly 4 hours after I started. Destroyed and happy.

Los Liones Trailhead, Parker Mesa Overlook, E Topanga Fire Road, Trippet Ranch, Musch Meadows, Camp Musch and back again. Like Dorothy from Kansas to Oz and back again


18 miles. 4hrs. 5250ft of climbing. I rarely feel 'proud' of my efforts. You just put your head down and get it done. But this one felt really good, and I'm proud of getting after it. I rose above the lows. I pushed forward and explored. And I coached myself through the solo effort. No medal, no bagel, but a lot of feel-good feelings.

Tacked on another 20 miles on Sunday with my TNT team, and that wraps the weekend. It all adds up to suffering just a little bit better, getting a little bit stronger. I'm good with that equation.

Monday, May 5, 2014

In the Dirt

Where I've been spending a lot of my time lately.

Temescal Ridge Trail, looking south

Rogers Fire Road a few miles north of Inspiration Point at Will Rogers State Park

Rogers Fire Road, heading north

Somewhere along the Backbone Trail north of Temescal Canyon

More Backbone Trail. The route was a mix of fire road, single track, top of the mountain/bottom of the valley, shady, exposed and grassy areas, and some technical descents - all in one run.

Will Rogers State Park, about a mile and a half from the trailhead

Somewhere near Mnt. Hollywood Drive in Griffith Park

Trail in the northwest corner of Griffith Park

The Loop Trail in La Jolla Canyon. I actually haven't been here in a while, but it's one of my favorites. Due for another trip there soon

Pacific Crest Trail at Bouquet Canyon Rd in Leona Valley. My first time into the Angeles National Forest. Didn't get to run this one but watched people do it. Looks amazing. Will revisit at a later date.

Looking back on a 650ft climb over a mile or so on the Canyon View Trail at Zuma Canyon. Steals your breath way on the way up for sure.

After the climb up, you wind around. Still the Canyon View trail.

Part of the Zuma Loop Trail, on the opposite side of the Canyon. I spent much of last year biking and running at Zuma Beach, not more than a few miles away. Had no idea there was the same name trailhead so close by.