Flying over Trails

"Flying Over Trails" probably gives the impression I was running super fast! Take it literally, I was flying with my husband and son in a Cessna. Flying over Southern California is fun for me. I am a map person, and I love seeing everything I am used to on the ground in a different perspective. I always look for new trails!

(the Wetlands of HB)

This time we flew along the coast to Ramona, a small airport just north of San Diego. As we got closer and closer, I saw more and more trails. I envied those people who have trails right in their backyard! I kept thinking how awesome it would be to live among so many trails, but the truth is that community is inland and it is hot. Trading an ocean breeze for better trails may not be worth it.

(Near Ramona)

A least I have the Wetlands close to my house. Sure it is flat and parts of it are hideously ugly, but there are pretty areas and plenty of dirt! I can also drive half an hour and be at Crystal Cove or Aliso Woods. Forty minutes will get me to Palos Verdes.

As well as seeing homes close to enviable trails, I also saw concrete communities very far from any dirt or ocean! Yep, I do have it pretty good. Seeing life from the air does give a new perspective.

(Crystal Cove)

Penance for Having Clean Ankles

"Forgive me Father, for I have sinned. It has been four days since my last run. Since then I have let the start of school, business, piles of laundry from being on vacation, and tutoring take precedence. I could have set my alarm thirty minutes earlier, but I chose sleep."

"You are forgiven, my child. For your penance, go run three miles."

Right-y-o! I have new shoes and limited time. A three miler is perfect. Plus I already scheduled eight miles on trails with my buddy ole' pal on Saturday. Work is semi-caught up. I'm outta' here!

My thoughts while running:

1) My six year old has more cash than I do. It seems the tooth fairy pays better than the construction business.

2) Aunt Jemima and Mrs. Butterworth are doing battle in my belly. Apparently pancakes are not a good pre-run meal, even on a short run.

3) My shoes feel.... not sure, verdict still out.

4) A lot of running books are lame. I'm jealous that Chris McDougall beat me by writing a great one, "Born to Run." Not sure if my book will be fiction or non fiction. I've been working on this idea about this runner who gets abducted by a creepy hermit.

5) My tutoring student is taking the GED today. I'm grateful for the experience to meet her and help her. I'm positive she'll pass and can't wait for the good news!

6) My shoes feel okay. My right foot is doing a weird flop. Good thing my ipod battery died so I can obsess on the sound of my right foot.

7) I hear a rattle snake. No, that is some strange angry bird that lives in a bush. It is too cool for rattlers.

8) It is good to be running again.

9) I feel like blogging again. This good, I am not permanently burnt out. I guess I couldn't write about running when I wasn't running and had a bunch of other priorities. Epiphany - running inspires me to write about running, but I can't write about running unless I'm running. Contrarily, I can read other people's writing about running and sometimes get inspired to run. And do you know why? Because God and Holden Caulfield hate phonies!

Well, the run is over and a blog is written. Time to get back to my other looming responsibilities. I am feeling super proud of myself right now. Not for running, but for making this list 9 items instead of 10. I fought the compulsion to add something to make a round number and I won the battle! HA!

Eastern Sierras - ROCK CREEK! (in photos)

I consider myself to be semi-computer-savy, but this blog software does not seem user friendly when it comes to posting photos! They never end up where I wanted them! Oh well, let us see how this goes. Photos from the most amazing run in the world, ROCK CREEK!!!!