The Trail Race That Wasn't To Be

Saturday the 12th of May I was set to run The X-Terra 4 mile trail scramble at beautiful Malibu Creek State Park. I arrived at the site only to find that the race sold out and that they were not accepting new participants. I made the best out of the day however and proceed to lace up my shoes and run an 8 mile training run on the trails of Malibu Creek. I have never been to this location before and found the terrain and scenery to be quite beautiful.

After my run I headed down Los Virgines to PCH and then Zuma Beach. Zuma was a favorite getaway during my days at UCLA. It's been awhile since I've been to the ocean and enjoyed my dip in the the water.

All in all a good day despite missing my entry into the race. Next time I'll make sure to register early.

Inside The Forest

To the Celts, time was circular rather than linear. This is reflected in their commencing each day, and each festival, at dusk rather than dawn, a custom comparable with that of the Jewish Sabbath. It is also reflected in their year beginning with the festival of Samhain on 31 October, when nature appears to be dying down. Tellingly, the first month of the Celtic year is Samonios, ‘Seed Fall’: in other words, from death and darkness springs life and light. At times when I run a song pops in my head that fits the mood or scenary of the run. My most recent run took me on a trail with sections covered in pine needles. Portions of these lyrics ran through my head:

Celtic New Year by Van Morrison If I don't see you through the week See you through the window See you next time that we're talking on the telephone And if I don't see you in that Indian summer Then I want to see you further on up the road I said, oh won't you come back? I have to see you my dear Want you come back in the Celtic New Year? In the Celtic New Year If I don't see you when I'm going down Louisiana If I don't see you when I'm down on Bourbon Street If you don't see me when I'm singing Jack of Diamonds If you don't see me when I'm on my lucky streak Woa, I want you, want you to come on back I've made it very clear I want you to come back home in the Celtic New Year Celtic New Year If I don't see you when the bonfires are burning, burning If I don't see you when we're singing the Gloriana tune If I've got to see you when it's raining deep inside the forest I got to see you at the waning of the moon Said oh, won't you come on back? Want you to be of good cheer Come back home on the Celtic New Year Celtic New Year, Celtic New Year Celtic New Year In the Celtic New Year In the Celtic New Year Come on home, come on home, come on home, come on home In the Celtic New Year

Footstrike Pine Needles

When despair grows in me
and I wake in the middle of the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting for their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

"THE PEACE OF WILD THINGS"
by Wendell Berry

A Late Afternoon at Chantry Flats

Above / Charley Chantry and his dog Patch

Friday afternoon (4-27-07) I found myself driving up Santa Anita Ave. into the San Gabriel Mountains. I love these mountains that sit in my backyard. There's always something new to be seen. I have yet to see many places in this mountain range, however these peaks and canyons feel like home.

There was no trail running for me today as I just wanted to explore the pack station at Chantry that has been in operation and servicing the cabin dwellers of lower Big Santa Anita Canyon for 70 years.

Chantry flats sits on a bench that was formed thousands of years ago by a mud slide. A huge chunk of earth slid off the side of a hill years ago and now hundreds of hikers and outdoor enthusiasts visit this place on any warm spring weekend.

Chantry got it's name from Charley Chantry years ago as this restelss pioneer looked to start an orchard and homestead on this land. The Forest Homestead Act of 1906 thwarted Chantry's plan and Charley moved down the mountain to Sierra Madre, CA to operate a general store. In his later years Chantry could be seen sitting on the grassy sloping grade high above Big Santa Anita Canyon watching and greeting passing hikers. Charley Chantry passed away at the age of 63 leaving only his name as a legacy to the little mountain flat.

Visit this place if you have a chance.

http://www.adamspackstation.com/store2.html

The Renegade 3 Mile Trail Race

Sunday (4-22-07)I ran my first race since October of 2006. A three mile trail race (The Renegade 3 Mile Trail Challenge / Bonelli Park, CA)is a far way from a marathon, but my foray back into racing was a tough experience despite the short distance. Since that marathon in October 2006 I've managed to put on about 15 lbs. and my running has suffered because of it. Despite the extra girth I managed to place 3rd in my age group and came home with a pint glass as my reward. It was a small field.

The race (which ran in conjunction with a triathalon) began and the trail quickly ascended a long ridge. The course featured numerous climbs and some technical downhill single track sections. They were technical to me at least. I was sucking wind from start to finish and crossed the line with a time of 34:28.

In all this race was a nice jumping off point for my series of races honoring those we've lost from cancer and those who continue to fight. I'm looking forward to the challenge of my upcoming races and the training associated with them. I've got a ways to go, but I've started. For that I feel pretty good. It was a good day!

Sending An Angel

My friend's Mom is battling cancer and as a tribute to her he set up a website that supports The City of Hope and The Make A Wish Foundation. Click on the following link to send a loved one an angel and words of inspiration once a month: http://www.sendinganangel.com/

Happy Trails ~~~~~~~~

Enough is enough already!!!

More and more it seems like cancer is everywhere. Today I learned that a friend's husband's mother lost her life to cancer last night. Another friend's Mom has courageously been battling cancer for some time now. She's been at the City of Hope for months now in and out of the ICU. ENOUGH!

Today marks four months since my Dad passed away fighting lymphoma and I still find it hard to understand. Life is still fuzzy for me. Months later and it hasn't fully sunk in. It's been a mixed bag of emotions for me; feelings of love for my dad, sadness, and anger. The feelings can come one right after the other with no rhyme or reason. Some days I think about it quite a bit, while other days go by with less sadness. Life goes on and I'm beginning to accept that the only constant in life is change.

Back to my anger: I truly believe that one should look to the good things in life yet as I reflect on the good times and fond memories I can't help but feel cheated at times. This makes me angry. I'm angy that I don't have more time with him and it makes me angry that he didn't have more time to enjoy travelling, spending time with his family and simply enjoying this LIFE. My Dad was too young, too robust, too good of a man to have to endure the suffering that comes with cancer. I expected him to be around for a long time. This is an irrational thought though as we all know that life isn't always fair and tragedy and terrible things do happen to good souls. Again, there is no rhyme or reason.

Literally I never want to personally have to face cancer, but today's fantasy involves me, cancer, a boxing ring, one round, a fair fight, winner takes all. I'd take that chance to knock that bastard on his ass for good.

I feel better now. I'm off for a run to blow off some steam.

Happy Anniversary

A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives. Jackie Robinson

Today is my Mom and Dad's wedding anniversary. Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad! They would have been married 41 years today. Today also marks the anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking into Major League Baseball. The first black man to play in the Majors, Mr. Robinson paved the way for others and to me symbolizes what is RIGHT with our great country.

After a run on the treadmill I took a drive up the Angeles Crest Highway this afternoon. It was cloudy out this afternoon and I noticed some hail on the windshield. I drove up into the San Gabriels because I wanted to pick something up from the visitors center. The visitors center was closed, but I wasn't disappointed for more than ten seconds....the views and the the drive were great.

Why Do This? Why Blog:

Greeting Onlookers:

This Blog in in its formative stages. In a nutshell this is an opportunity for me to heal and express my thoughts about my Dad's fight against cancer. He passed away in the early morning hours of November 17, 2006. He never gave up hope and neither did his family. This blog is also about my running and a personal athletic campaign that I will be initiating to raise funds to fight cancer.