It has been a few weeks since my last post. Sorry about that. I took a quick (5 day) trip back east just days after the race and then returned home feeling quite drained and a bit behind in work/life.
I ran the first weekend home and it was a bit of a struggle. I blame a lot of it on lack of sleep and allergies. The minute I landed in California, I’ve been attacked severely by seasonal allergies like you wouldn’t believe. I know I am not alone. Geez. I know rain is what we need but lordy has it caused a slew of allergic reactions in our house.
So when Pigeon and Stonegate said they were ready to hit the trails for a nice long run this past weekend, I was super excited and hopeful that my allergies would give me a break for the day.
Trails and friends make everything better!
Wanting to get in some decent mileage we decided to do our usual loops adding and changing what we wanted to make the miles work.
Adding to the fun, my roommate from college mailed my girls her son’s Flat Stanley. I decided to include Flat Stanley on our run. 🙂
Flat Stanley checked out the Free Library stand in Auburn
Our first loop was about 7 miles plus and did not disappoint. We were able to see some amazing waterfalls.
Waterfall fun! Gotta Jump off Rocks
Then we refueled and dropped some gear off at the car. It was getting warm and the rain was holding off for us.
We started our second loop up Stagecoach hill. Stonegate was waiting for a friend to come join us on the second set of loops but he had not arrived just yet. So the three of us took off hiking up Stagecoach with the plan that Stonegate would turn around when she received notice that he had arrived and would head back down.
Well, we all reached the top of Stagecoach and it was then that Stonegate got the text that Paul had arrived. So she headed all the way back down as he was working his way up.
Pigeon and I decided instead to work on our power hiking skills. We’d run about half way down and then turn and power hike our way back up. We did that three times before we caught up to Stonegate and Paul who were climbing back up.
Through Auburn we ran to the Overlook and then back down towards No Hands. I had to stop by No Hands to remove a rock from my shoe … once again, we decided to have some fun jumping around off the rocks (really we were making fun of this trail running video that made the Facebook circuit earlier in the week).
Flying!
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We all refueled at No Hands and then started making our way up K2. K2 was actually quite busy! I ended up passing two men who were out there hiking. I am still working on my hiking skills to get ready for 13,000 ft of climbing come May.
Once we regrouped at the top it was time to fly down roller coaster back to No Hands. I thought that I would zoom like I have been lately but about half way down, my body just said, “Nope, not today!” The trails were super thick and sticky and every so often, we’d run into the trail maintenance crews out there so I took it a little more conservatively. My legs were happier with that.
When we all met at the bottom, we decided not to do another loop and to call it a day. I think we were all a bit tired. This was the longest toughest run I have done since FOURmidable three weeks prior.
We ended up finishing up at the perfect time as the winds started to pick up and the temps started to drop. We had perfect weather for our run but Mother Nature had decided enough was enough.
POST RUN FUEL
After I got home and showered, I warmed up some Split Pea soup that I had made earlier in the week along with a gluten free roll. It was exactly what I needed to warm up and refuel.
Post Run Plant-Based Recovery Fuel
Overall it was a great day. I am happy with how my body responded during the run. I almost thought too much time off would hurt me but it was probably just what the trail doctor ordered.
I especially enjoyed all the laughs we had out there. Running with friends really can make all the difference in how you feel sometimes.
My face is priceless!
This photo makes me laugh so much so I had to include it. Before we climbed Stagecoach, I used the restroom and had left Flat Stanley outside (some things Flat Stanley doesn’t need to see).
Pigeon and Stonegate were trying to play a prank on me but I foiled it. My face cracks me up. 🙂
Even though I have run 20 miles numerous times, there is something to be said about running your first 20 of the season. It means training has truly begun and it is time to start seeing what works and what doesn’t. Weed out the bad stuff and push your limits.
Tunnel of Truth
This past Sunday, I had one of the best runs yet and what made this run so great, was that I had ALL my running pals together at one time. Our schedules finally collided and Pigeon, Stonegate and Burning Girl and I were all ready to hit the trails at once.
Trail Girls
Pigeon was happy to show Stonegate and Burning Girl some new trails. Trails that I have run a few times but didn’t have the confidence to do on my own just yet. Stonegate was super excited to see some new views and I don’t think this run disappointed her.
Hello Auburn!
We carpooled in two cars and parked near the confluence. We started running and then BAM within 3 minutes I had rolled my left ankle and heard a distinct “POP!” I was too busy looking at the beauty around me to notice whatever the heck it was I had stepped on.
I didn’t stop. I didn’t want to stop. I pushed the pain radiating up my leg aside and just kept going. The day was just beginning and I was too excited. Plus, I knew it was not that serious, just a minor set back.
The Auburn fog is just amazing
We ran Clementine in single file. Such a gorgeous trail. It was muddy and slippery in sections which made it even more fun. The only sketchy part was running into a couple that had two dogs. After my dog experience last year (read about that here), I am forever hesitant on the trail and will never trust a dog or its owner again.
This couple pulled their pups way off the trail. They had one tiny dog (held by the woman) and one large dog (held by the man). When Stonegate ran by that big dog was growling and lunging towards her. Luckily the man had a good hold but I can’t say the rest of us were eager to run by next.
With that behind us though we just continued on. Stonegate and Burning Girl would run up ahead, I’d take up the middle and Pigeon was the caboose with her steady pace. We’d stop and regroup at all turns and intersections.
Regrouping
With that downhill section my tummy started doing some flip-flops which is why I slowly positioned myself to mid-pack. I wasn’t sure if the porta-potty that I remembered was still where it used to be. Lucky for me, it was!
In true goofball form, the girls decided to play a little prank on me ….
Surprise! Papparazzi!
They thought they were hilarious trying to get my reaction when I stepped out. It was pretty funny but I felt tons better! Moving on!
Weeee down hill!!
Back towards our car we ran. The first loop was done.
Photo by Stonegate – all smiles
Next it was time to introduce the girls to ….
Stagecoach!
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We all started the initial hike up Stagecoach together hiking and running when we could.
Banana Slug!
As we were hiking I saw this huge stick … moving … wait that wasn’t a stick it was a Banana Slug! 🙂
Soon however, I started to feel the pull. There have been a few times when Pigeon and I have gone up this hill and I’ve said, “See ya at the top!” Climbing is one of my favorite things to do so off I went, powering my way up.
Amazing views
There was a guy in front of me that I was determined to catch. I caught him and then passed him. I finally made it to the top feeling strong.
When the rest of the crew made it to the top, we ran through Auburn to the Overlook and then back down the trail towards No Hands Bridge. The sun was up and the day was just getting better and better.
Burning Girl however has been dealing with some hip pain and decided (wisely) not to push her limits and headed back to the car. This is where running loops is SO smart. Pigeon, Stonegate and I continued on towards K2 to do our last four miles with a good mile of climbing to start.
Burning Girl and I pushed our way up K2. Some doofus on his way down thought he was being cool and said to us, “Just so you know, you’re not even half way there.” No duh kid, thanks. 🙂
When we were all together we headed off towards the trail that leads back down. For years I used to hate this trail. Before I had my ankle surgery, this trail used to be nothing short of excruciating for me. Now that I have solid ankle strength, I love to just FLY down this section.
Stonegate and I just took off. Eventually I even lost sight of Stonegate behind me. I was just smiling ear to ear dancing around and through all the mud puddles. I was like a pig in a mud bath or baby in a toy store … it was the perfect way to end this 20 mile run.
Where’s Stonegate? I can’t find her!?
When we made it back to No Hands we were stretching and goofing around waiting for Pigeon. Stonegate decided to climb up into this cave.
20 miles and almost 5,000 ft of climbing in one day with three of my favorite running partners. My heart was full. My body felt amazing. My fueling was good and my legs felt strong. I was a happy girl.
Post-Run Fuel
If you follow me on Instagram, then you saw that I posted this after our run on Sunday. I am a strong believer that what you eat after a hard workout sets the tone for your recovery.
In the photo above, I had a gluten free teff flour tortilla topped with homemade no-oil hummus, raw spinach, shredded carrots, steamed kale mixed with hot sauce, cooked beets and a sprinkle of nutritional yeast. So good. If I remember, I will continue to post the meals that I recover with because I know people are curious and it is often a question I am asked a lot.
So there you have it, our 20 miler was fantastic! I am looking forward to another weekend on the trails however mother nature it looks like she might grace us with a nice big shower for our entire run. Bring it! 🙂
Happy Trails!
Trailmomma
PS: Ankle Update – Tonight I saw my miracle worker at Elite Spinal and Sports and he said that I thoroughly jacked up the tendon between my tibia and fibula. He was pretty amazed at how messed up it was AND that I was able to continue on with the run. It feels great now, a little tender but at least I have feeling back in my toes. 🙂
A few weeks ago we joined forces with Stonegate and her family and had a garage sale. As often happens when you have a garage sale, you find things that you forgot that you had. While searching through boxes and closets I came across the following book ….
This book brought back a sea of memories for me. You see, years ago my friend Sally Edwards reached out to me and told me that a friend of hers was writing a book about women conquering triathlons. Â She wanted me to contribute a story detailing my very first attempt at a triathlon. So I did. My story in this book is called The Monkeys on My Back. When I found the book, I reread my story completely forgetting what I had written.
Essentially my story was about all the doubts in my head (aka those monkeys riding my back dragging me down) and how I defeated those monkeys and doubts, tossing them to the side as I completed my first challenging race.
Since my last post, I debated even writing another blog post. That race left me pretty beat up physically and mentally. Months ago, when I was feeling super strong and invincible, I signed up for the American River 50 mile race (again). Then Salmon Falls happened and I was left cursing myself for signing up for 50 miles after feeling how I felt after that last 50k.
The monkeys were back. Clearly.
I took a week off from running trying to nurse some aches and pains and I saw my miracle worker Dr. Lau. I didn’t know what to do. How did I think I could run again in four weeks?
The time off was good. I focused on stretching, foam rolling, eating well and catching up on lost sleep. The latter is hard to achieve with two little ones. 🙂
When yesterday came about, Pigeon had wanted us to go run our last long run before AR in the canyons. As much as I love the canyons, those monkeys were telling me I was crazy. We have done this run before (you can read it here) it was hard and it hurt. Yet we needed the hours on our feet and in the back of my head, Â I kept telling myself that the canyons are way harder than AR despite AR being more than twice as long (my brain works in mysterious ways).
Bright and Early
Pigeon and I left town in complete darkness and arrived just as the sun was rising. We parked at Michigan Bluff and got ourselves ready. We both knew it was going to be a warm day but it was pretty chilly to start.
I didn’t know what to pack for fuel. I wanted to test out a bunch of new things so my pack was pretty jammed with all kinds of new to me fuel for the day.
As we were about to embark on the trail, another car arrived and out popped three other runners and a Doberman mix. Of course, another doberman encounter. Luckily, this dog was well trained and did not bother us too much.
Heading down down down
This run starts out with a nice long two mile descent. It is rocky, technical and pretty steep. Dr. Lau’s advice kept ringing in my ears (“Don’t run down hill, save your knees”) but of course did I listen? Not really. I was careful and hesitant. I made sure my foot placement was good and I worked really hard on my form as I was going down, but I didn’t walk.
Of course in typical Trailmomma style, I had to make a quick pit stop not more than two minutes into our run. However, that would be the last of my tummy troubles the entire day.
Once you get to the bottom of that descent, you cross a nice little bridge and then begin a super long four to five mile climb. I had forgotten how much “up” this side of the trail had until I was hands on my knees hiking step after step.
Taking a break to enjoy the views.
The climb seemed to move pretty quickly though because before I knew it, we had reached the fire road section by Deadwood Cemetery. We caught up to the other runners that were out on the trail and had a nice chat with them.
Those runners stopped at the water pump to refill their bottles while Pigeon and I continued on towards Devil’s Thumb. The last time we ran this route, we stopped at the thumb and turned around. Today, we sat there debating back and forth as to whether or not we should climb down Devil’s to the swinging bridge. I’ve climbed Devils a few times. It is not an easy section. I have never run down it however.
My left knee had been only slightly making itself known on those earlier miles but I was afraid that the steepness of Devil’s would send it spiraling into a sea of pain. I took two Advil as a sort of preventative measure and down we went.
Fire Damage
Last year’s massive fire has destroyed quite a bit of this beautiful land. Seeing all the charred tree stumps and branches was very heart breaking. It also however brought a bit of mystery and danger to the scene.
They have started logging the area to clean it up and help with regrowth
Without all the trees to provide shade, this was a very exposed section of trail and the temps were rising.
Nowhere to go but down!
The terrain was also very difficult to run on. Tiny seas of pinecones were everywhere causing you to slip. Rocks, branches and debris were everywhere. I slowed more than a few times to try and prevent myself from tumbling down the trail.
When we made it to the bottom, we were greeted by shade and the brand newly rebuilt Swinging Bridge!
So pretty!
Last year the fire had destroyed half of the bridge making it impossible to pass.
The Swinging Bridge in May 2014
A bunch of trail volunteers and angels did an amazing job rebuilding the bridge.
Beautiful construction
We decided to spend some time here and refuel a bit so I took quite a few photos.
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They had a rope tied across the river in the above photo and we had to cross by wading through. It was pretty awesome.
Still the same rules though – Some how 5 runners = 3 horses? #coremathMe on the bridge
But today, we were able to use the bridge and after some fueling decided it was time to start the dreaded climb up Devils’ Thumb.
This is where the trail continues up on the other side
As were making our way across the bridge, Pigeon told me I should take a photo of the waterfall. I never even realized there was a waterfall here before. I pulled out my camera and took a photo of it and I have to say, it was one of my favorites from the day.
So GREEN!
The climb back up Devil’s Thumb consists of 36 switchbacks. THIRTY-SIX!!!???? It isn’t easy and it can be quite demeaning.
As I was climbing my right knee and lower back decided to say hello and by hello I mean “what the hell are you doing?!” I tried not to focus on it. One foot in front of the other. Climb.
Pigeon as always, was pretty silent on this climb. I tend to go in spurts of chatting and then conserving energy.
I don’t know exactly how long it took, but we finally reached the top. Normally we stop at the top but Pigeon locked her sights on those earlier runners who were running back towards the pump and started running. Okay, I guess we’re running. 🙂
We passed the runners again as they stopped at the water pump. As it turns out, they had a friend meet them with a truck full of aid-station fuel. They offered us coke and brownies and a ton of other things, but we passed and continued on.
As we were running we heard the sounds of dirt bikes and sure enough, just like the last time, two guys riding dirt bikes on the same trail we were running, passed us. Luckily we had more room this time to jump to the side.
I was internally dreading the next section. The four/five mile descent down El Dorado Canyon. This section is steep and fairly runnable making it tough on a bum knee.
I settled in behind Pigeon and tried going easy. Watching my form. Watching my steps. It surprised me that my left knee, the knee giving me trouble at Salmon Falls was fine and instead my right knee was the one barking at me. It didn’t matter if I was running down or up, it hurt but it let me continue. It didn’t stop me, yet.
At some point during this decent, Pigeon had to peel off and make her own pit-stop. I decided to play it smart and walk ahead. Walk the downs. Not run.
Before I knew it, I was a the bottom of the canyon. It seemed to have flown by this time. Pigeon had caught up and we started our climb back up to Michigan Bluff. Normally we stop at the bottom and refuel but it was pretty crowded with some hikers so instead, we climbed.
Some how I think it is more than a two mile climb up because it is never ending.
A mini break to fuel
One foot in front of the other again. Climb. Repeat. At some point, I took the lead. I was focused. I could feel the finish, or a least I thought I could. Every time I thought we’d reached the top, I was mistaken.
Oh well, climb and climb again. At one point, decided to wait for Pigeon to catch up, just to check on her. I am kind of glad I did. She asked me where we were mileage wise which is always a red flag for her. She knows her distances pretty well. I asked her how she was doing and she told me her pack was empty. She had no water.
This is a constant joke between us. Pigeon has run out of water quite a few times on some of our runs and since I am a camel and always have more than enough, I usually give her mine. I had my whole 10 ounce bottle completely untouched so I poured it into her pack. We laughed and continued on. I knew that near the top of this climb, the sun would be out and we would be totally exposed which is not a good thing when it was a warm as it was outside. Water was a necessity on this climb.
I just powered on. Despite the pain searing through my knee at times, I felt okay. I felt that I was able to climb. A few times I even ran a bit to break it up and release the pressure in my low back. I had juice in the tank so to speak, which helped me fling those monkeys off my back about AR50.
It was on this climb back out that I thought again about that book. I had some how distanced myself from Pigeon and was just climbing and thinking – one foot in front of the other. If I could climb and handle this day and these canyons, why couldn’t I handle AR50 in two weeks? I have the strength. The race may not turn out what I had originally hoped when I initially signed up, but I know I can do it. The monkeys were being thrown. I was hiking and tossing those monkeys off my back and bringing myself back to a place of positive thinking. A place I have been missing lately.
Such beauty!
When I reached the top I felt whole again. I felt like my old self. Sure my knee was screaming at me but I felt like my inner-self had been reset.
Waiting for Pigeon to crest that hot hot trail
When Pigeon arrived, we made our way back to the car and tried our best to remove all the poison oak that may or may not have been all over our legs. It was pretty nasty out there.
Overall, we had run 19.5 miles or so with 7,583 feet of elevation. That’s a lot. Our first canyon run of the season was behind us. This isn’t an easy run at all but it definitely is one of my favorites.
When I arrived home I got word that Vans had a daddy day like no other!
HOME-DEPOT!
The girls’ faces look exactly like mine when I have to go to Home Depot with Vans. 🙂
Overall, it was a great day. We had spent more than 6 hours on the trail. That’s a long time but it was the time I needed to get my confidence back.
Now I taper. Now I work on the aches and pains. Foam rolling. Eating well and hopefully trying to get better sleep. AR50 will be what it will be but I know a lot of what makes a race a great race, is where your head is on race day. For me, I am going to ride this positive train for the next two weeks.
Friday marked two weeks out until my 50k race. This past weekend was the last weekend for high mileage before we start tapering. Ahhhh, taper is such a nice word although I’d venture to say that most of my training felt like a taper.
Stonegate, Burning Girl and I decided early on that no matter what, we were running long on Saturday. Despite it being the last day for our kids’ soccer games, we had to get our miles in. Halloween falling on a Friday night did not make things any easier.
Happy Halloween!
Bright and early Saturday morning Stonegate picked us up and we drove to the Auburn Damn Overlook. I decided that we would try and repeat the run that Pigeon and I did a few weeks ago. You can read about that bear-tastic run here. I have not run this route often and I was a bit nervous that I would either get us lost or we would run into the bear or both. Luckily, only one of the two actually happened. 🙂
Our Halloween night consisted of a torrential down pour and crazy winds. We even lost power at my house. Saturday morning it was wet and drizzling, but considerably better than it had been the night before.
We arrived at the Overlook, quickly moaned and groaned about what we should wear on this run and set off. Within the first 5 minutes I had to stop and make sure we entered the right part of the trail but once we were on the canal trail, I was okay.
I have to giggle because both Stonegate and Burning Girl were squealing with “ooohsss!” and “aaaahhhss!” They were in trail running heaven and we had barely even started. I was getting excited for them. I love running with people who can appreciate the trail as much as I do.
Soon we reached the top of Cardiac Hill and just like Pigeon had warned me, I noticed the DO NOT ENTER signs that represented the private property boundary lines. Down the trail we hiked. It wasn’t long before I realized that something did not seem right. We saw an off shoot that led us to a road which I knew wasn’t where I wanted to go, but I knew the road would lead us to where we needed to be eventually.
The trail!!!
So we ran a little bit of pavement until we finally reached the trail that I was looking for and it was breathtaking. The mist in the air and the river really just made the start of our so much better.
Burning Girl was beside herself. She even said within the first few miles that this was hands down, her favorite so far. I have to agree, it really is a beautiful route. The different “eco-systems” that you run through makes it so that you look forward to every mile (on the way out, on the way back … not so much).
The single track awaits!
While Stonegate and Burning Girl were loving every moment, I was on high bear alert. After my run with Pigeon, I just could not relax. Every sound had me turning my head. It wasn’t until we ran past a couple of lady runners that I finally was able to relax. In my head, I figured that they had chased away any bears. 🙂
One of the best features of this trail is that it rolls. Up and down but never too steep. Some of the hills require some hiking but we really ran the first half super well. I was in the lead and maybe I should have slowed us down a bit, but it felt like a nice steady pace.
Soon we approached our first bridge. I wrote about this area and the “awesome” signage back in 2010 when I was training with my Fleet Feet Group. You can read about that hilarious run here. Good times.
As it turns out, Stonegate and Burning Girl were just as impressed with the signage as I was the first time that I saw it. Sadly, you can’t see what the signs actually says in my photo. 🙁 I will give you a hint, it has to do with big furry cats that may be in the area (if you want to see what the sign says, click here).
Ya, we’re not scared.
The bridge sign however … definitely made us think twice since the water was really flowing underneath. ]
Still, despite the wet, despite the “scary” signs, the girls were having a blast. The best thing about an out and back run, is that you have no excuses. No matter what, you will always have to run back the way you came to get yourself back to the car.
My legs were definitely tired on this run. I think the speed workout we did on Thursday was to blame but overall I felt okay. I am still battling some random tummy issues, but I guess I just have to get used to it. I have good runs and I have bad runs. This one, was definitely one of my better ones.
When we reached Avery’s Pond, I shared with the girls the story behind it and how it makes Pigeon and I laugh every time we pass. It might not have been as funny to them as it is to us, but no matter what, when I reach that pond, I smile.
The rest of the run out was pretty chill. We didn’t get lost (yea!) and when we reached Rattlensake, I knew that we only had to go a short ways before it was time to turn around.
When we reached out turn-around point, we stopped and fueled. I had to take off some layers as I was starting to get hot. I had finally reached that point of being wet vs being sweaty.
Look at that color!
It was a glorious day on the trail. The rains may have come and gone, but they left such beauty behind. Finally the foliage was starting to change. We’ve been in such a drought that you can see how much the Earth appreciates the rain when we do get it.
Our route back was a bit slower. We definitely hiked up a few more of the hills than we did on the way out. Burning Girl mentioned that she had to laugh because the hills that she thought I would hike, I ran and the ones she thought I’d run, I hiked. 🙂 I admit, I like running steep climbs but not steep and long. Pigeon always gives me grief when I go running up a hill. Sometimes, the adrenaline just takes over.
One thing that I have to mention are the puddles. Clearly it had rained. The trails were wet and muddy and VERY slippery at times. MOST of the time, there were ways around the puddles that were laying in the middle of the trail.
I know the dangers of dancing around puddles. I’ve had my share of ankle rolls so when I can’t run on the side, I will just run right through them. Running through a puddle is so.much.fun! Most people are afraid to do it for the fear of wet shoes and wet socks but they dry! They dry so unbelievably fast and the wet water feels so amazing on your feet.
Since I was the lead runner, I have no idea what the girls behind me were doing. I didn’t hear the splashing that I heard when I would run through a puddle so I assumed they were running around them. A few times they laughed at the way the back of my legs or the back of my skirt looked.
Soon however, they had to run through the mother of all puddles out there. I missed getting a photo on the way out because they were hot on my tail, but I made sure to get one on the way back.
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So much fun!!!! I love runs like this!!!! It was on our way back that we talked about Stonegate and the fact that she has only ever run 20 miles. She’s never run past the 20 mile mark. She hurt her back training for a marathon and never made it to the 26.2 distance. Like the stud that she is, she’s skipping the 26.2 and heading straight for her first 50k.
We were on way back, hiking up Cardiac when my watch dinged mile 21. PARTY TIME!! We stopped and high-fived her and celebrated a little bit for her awesome milestone.
21 miles! Woot Woot!
Once the celebration was over, we had to keep climbing. Once again, we got a little turned around climbing up Cardiac. There are a lot of “Private Property” signs and “Enter at Your Own Risk” signs but I swore up and down that this was the way we needed to go. I knew that the Cardiac Bypass was not the trail we wanted (FYI – the signage on this trail SUCKS).
But we made it. We popped out finally by the canal and were some what over joyed to be done with Cardiac. We walked for quite a while to get our lungs and legs back.
The temps were a bit chillier than they were by the water but we were determined to finish. I think we walked more along the canal on the way back then we did the entire run. No matter, when we reached the car, we were done! 24 miles in the books. Our longest run to date completed. It felt good.
Overall it was a good run. The girls worked on their fueling. They realized how much water they need or will need when it comes to our 50k. We also realize that we won’t be running quite as fast come race day. The elevation for the 50k is pretty steep and we know the adrenaline will get us at the start, but we also know we need to conserve.
I am looking forward the views that I have only heard about and seen online. I told them at the very least, if they stick with me, they will be stopping quite a bit for photos. They didn’t seem to mind. 🙂
After last weekend’s difficult run in Auburn, I was ready and anxious to up my miles. Training for this 50k has been more difficult than any other previous race that I have trained for. Although I have to say, even my prior CIM (California International Marathon) training sessions in the fall were getting harder and harder to squeeze in mostly because of family obligations. Now with the girls being more active and actually having games and events on the weekends, training is taking a back seat once again.
Luckily I am starting to realize my time limitations and have been making efforts to say “no” to things that would otherwise take up my time. My Rouxbe course is also getting a small bump lately. I am not behind in my assignments, but I am not as far ahead as I used to be and I also find myself doing multiple crash lessons one or two nights a week.
Sadly, this blog is also taking a hit from my limited time but luckily today I have a post! An exciting one at that! There will also be photos! It may also be a bit long so settle in.
Saturday was the usual in our house. Soccer game. Homework. Housework. Blah. One major thing did happen on Saturday afternoon that would set the tone for Sunday’s run. I was glutened. Now I have been glutened before and typically my reactions vary from mildly extreme to not so bad. Mostly, when you have Celiac Disease like I do, the damage is internal and if gluten is not avoided it could produce serious life threatening issues. Well, I made myself a sandwich on Saturday with what I thought was gluten free bread. Bread that I have had a few times before although not recently. I am not a bread eater anymore and gluten free bread is expensive to purchase. I typically only buy it from an online dealer once in a while and I buy in bulk and freeze.
I had my sandwich and within two hours I was violently ill. I am talking seriously ill. I have not been that ill for many many years. Let’s put it this way, I do not throw up. Ever. I cannot even be around it when others do it, like my kids or Pigeon when she has a tough ultra. Nope. I fear it and yet, I found myself hugging the garbage on Saturday afternoon for dear life. Not good.
Still, I was determined to get my run in on Sunday. So I let myself heal the rest of Saturday. I hydrated. I tried to take in food. I told myself if I can eat and hydrate enough Saturday evening that I could run. If I could not force myself to do those things, then I couldn’t run because you cannot run on zero fuel and be dehydrated.
Sunday morning I woke up and felt okay. I made sure I got enough rest the night before and while my stomach felt like I had been punched a million times, my energy was okay. I was able to consume some food and water which was also a good sign.
Pigeon and I drove to the Auburn Damn Overlook and waited for the sun to rise a bit before heading out. Pigeon planned our run. She wanted to take me on a different route, one that I have not been on in a very long time. She had run both Friday and Saturday so she was testing out her tired legs and I was just trying to get in 20 miles as best I could. Jumping from 15 miles the previous weekend to 20 miles the next is not the best training so don’t follow my lead here. 🙂
I shared with Pigeon at the start about what had transpired the day before with me and she was concerned and asked me if I was sure I could manage today’s run. I told her yes but that it may require a few stops along the way. I stop often no matter what so no big deal.
Our run started out along the canal. It was such a gorgeous morning. The air was cool but it was bound to warm up. The trail was empty minus some dog walkers. Pigeon and I just caught up on what has been going on in our lives the last month or so while we quick stepped around this very rocky technical trail.
As usual, Pigeon was testing out my memory asking me which way to go whenever we would hit an intersection or fork in the trail. Soon we came upon a parking lot and low and behold, it had a porta potty! I hollered that I was stopping. Pigeon asked for my camera … this would be a common theme throughout the day … her asking for MY camera.
Let’s get Trailmomma in front of the porta potty!
I told her that this was not exactly exciting blog worthy images but she insisted that I always take HER photo and now she wanted to take mine …. and boy did she!
Nice. Real nice Pigeon. 🙂
After that little break, we continued on. The sun was mostly up and the sky was just full of amazing color. I wanted to stop and take a million photos but Pigeon assured me to just keep going and that I would have my chance soon enough.
The canal trail leads you along until you come to the top of Cardiac (hill). Going down Cardiac is tough enough but remember, what goes down must come up and I knew that this hill would be revisited later at the end of our run. Still, we were about to head down and follow that river you see in the distance below.
There is my beauty shot!
Once we were at the base of the hill I knew exactly where I was. We were running the American River 50 course backwards. I haven’t done this since my group’s training days way back in 2010.
It is an amazing single track trail that just winds around and down and follows the American River. Occasionally it pops you out into a clearing with a view of the river. It is just gorgeous and this morning was no different.
Pigeon and were running and it was quiet. I would fill the silence once in a while but I was focusing mostly on my tummy and what was going on inside. I was drinking and fueling but it still felt like I was being punched in the gut.
As we rounded a corner, only about 5 miles into our run we both heard a loud SNAP of a tree branch and then a big THUD. We stopped. We both instantly knew that was NOT the sound of deer.
We stopped and crouched low.
Just up the hill (and off the trail from us)Â was a mama bear and her cubs! Holy crap! I have never ever actually SEEN a bear while running. I have seen one across the river in Tahoe. I have seen some in photos but I have never EVER in all my years running, come across one on the trail. With no one else around … out in the middle of no where.
Both Pigeon and I have whistles on our hydration packs meant for such moments. Did we grab them? Nope. We both grabbed our cameras!!! I was already low and slowly walking backwards as the mama looked as if she was coming down onto the trail. She saw us and instead encouraged her cubs back up the hill. They were playing.
Pigeon asked me “Do you want to continue?” I kind of didn’t but once we saw the bear was moving away from us, I was thinking that maybe we could keep running but I was a little concerned about our return trip and any other animals we might find along the way. As it turns out, this was going to be one heck of a nature run for us!
Still shaken by the bear moment, I was on high alert after that. The good news was that it made me stop thinking about my stomach! I would run and just keep my eyes out looking all around me. On open trails like the photo above, I would calm down a bit feeling safer.
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We were pretty quiet after seeing the bear. Both on hyper alert now, I quickly jumped when I saw 3 huge deer bounding up the trail off to our left. I called out to Pigeon about the deer but they were so fast she didn’t even see them.
We continued on our way and finally ran into 3 runners! I love when I see people on the trail. In my head, it lessens my chances of being eaten. 🙂
Avery’s Pond is a funny inside joke between Pigeon and myself and when we reached it we both laughed. But the laughter was soon squashed by the site of a man wearing camouflage up ahead on the trail. We said hello and he responded but it gave me the shivers. I think it gave Pigeon the shivers too so we kind of high tailed it out of there trying to create some distance between us since he was hiking in our direction. Always run with someone. Never run alone.
Soon we reached our stopping turn around point.
I was happy to stop and fuel a bit. My tummy was definitely feeling a bit better (nothing like adrenaline to fix that). Pigeon was multi-tasking…
Taking work calls on the trail.
We fueled, hydrated and starting making our way back the way we came. The sun was out in full force now and it was getting hot fast.
We never saw our hiker on the return (thank goodness) and we did pass a solo woman running on the trail! What the heck lady??! Do not run alone and definitely do no run alone with headphones in!!! My biggest pet peeve right there.
When we got back to Avery’s Pond we were welcomed by 3 little turtles sunning themselves on a log in the middle of the lake! They were SO cute!!
3 Little Turtles
These are the kinds of animals I don’t mind seeing! 🙂 Pigeon let me stop and take some photos and then we were off again. Our pace was perfect. Her legs were tired and I was starting to feel the effects of just having low energy due to my stomach but overall, my legs felt great.
Soon we rounded a corner and BAM! Three deer, a mom and two babies went bounding off the side of the trail! Geez! What a crazy run this has been! Our blood was pumping and we were just in awe of all that we had seen so far.
We soon approached the water tower and I was joking that I may have to scale the barbwire fence to use the porta potty. Pigeon noticed that the gate was not actually locked!
Do I dare?
No. No I did not dare. No breaking the law on this run and who wants to pee in a “high voltage” area!? 🙂 Back around the river we’d go. I was trying to remember these sections from AR50 but I think I mentally block out the last 10 miles of that race on purpose.
Finally we reached the base of Cardiac again and started our 3 mile climb. It was hot. Very hot and once again, Pigeon ran out of water so I shared what I had left in my pack with her. It was too warm and dry to climb without any water even though we only had 4 miles to go until we reached the Overlook.
Pigeon made me pose
The top of Cardiac was just as beautiful in the afternoon as it had been earlier that morning. What a glorious day! We didn’t see any other animals on our return after the deer, minus one suicide lizard that jumped in front of Pigeon causing her to leap and scream (hilarious). We did see LOTS of bear scat on the trail though …. they are out there. Always.
Back along the canal trail we ran both internally assessing how we were feeling. At one point, Pigeon let me take the lead and I could feel that I still had pep in my legs. They were strong after 20 miles. This just boosts my confidence level a bit. Slow and steady always finishes the race right? I don’t need to go breaking any records in my 50k next month, I just want to enjoy it and take a million photos! Typical Trailmomma.
When the canal trail popped us back out onto the road we saw the most amazing thing. I had heard some yelling and the next thing I knew I was telling Pigeon to look up!
Hundreds of white balloons!
There was something going on at the park near by and hundreds of white balloons were released into the sky! It was so pretty! What a finish to an absolutely amazing run! Pigeon and I just had smiles on our faces as we trudged up the hill back to the car.
We fueled, we went in the canal to ice our tired legs and we even washed off a bit as there was some poison oak out along the trail. When it was time to get in the car and head home I heard Pigeon curse. I hardly ever hear her curse.
What the??!!
She had dropped her car key and of course, it landed right smack in the middle under the car! I could not stop laughing. These things only seem to happen to us! 🙂
She was able to get the car key and we were on our way home. It was truly one of the most exciting runs in my running history. I am content not to top this … at least animal wise. No more bears please. As for Mountain Lions? If I see one of them while running, I can guarantee you I won’t need a porta potty.
