El Morro - A Running Sneak Away

I've had a stressfull week and my tensions are high, I can feel it and it sucks. Luckily I've found an avenue to relieve this buildup and save my dog from being kicked or my kids from being yelled at; its obviously running. Personally I dont know what I'd do without it, it soothes me, collects my thoughts and frees my mind. So this week needed to be purged and I was going to do it the only way I know how.

I left work early today; cashed in on some vacation and found myself highstrung in anticipation to hit the trails at El Morro canyon. El Morro is a mountainous region full of sage and lower vegitation that over looks Crystal Cove and the Pacific Ocean, it spans from Newport Coast to and through Laguna Wilderness Area so the running is plentiful if you like hills and single track trails....perfect.

I arrived about 2:30pm and quickly changed into my running gear; carrying only a single 22oz. bottle I've planned my route to hit three seperate watering stations, one in laguna Wilderness Area, one at the El Morro ranger station and then back here again at the Ridge Park facilities. I've also decided to carry Gels with me; I need to learn to like the horrible tasting stuff, gag..we'll see.

The air is cool and a slight breeze plays with the shrubs as I run through the thin single track trail, its a well used trail by mountain bikers, very defined but yet very secluded. I push on to Laguna Wilderness Area which lends the beginning of my run to mainly downhill trails and easy running; I wave as I pass by the head ranger in Laguna Wilderness; I was introduced to her by Bill Ramsey who it seems runs often here. I've gone through 10oz. of gel water mix, good; no gag reflex yet and I'm feeling good when I get to the water spicket. I fill up, turn around and begin back up the trail toward where I began, up hill is not as easy as down......amazing huh.

When I reach the top of Ridge road where I started i've gone about 9 miles and have another chance to fill my water bottle which I promptly do. I choose to go with just fresh clean water..no gel, getting tired of it already........hmmm. I continued down No Name Ridge to the ranger Station at El

Morro and saw deer staring back at me....I thought one was going to charge me the way she was looking at me, must have her young near by; so I took a quick pic and continued on.

I filled up again here and continued back up the south end of El Morro to begin to complete a full loop around the canyon, up the canyon trails to the ridge and along past El Morro Campground areas and to the top to Old Ridge Road which is a single track to lead me to my starting point once more. Its getting darker now as I reach the car..... 17.5 miles total and feeling good, glad to sneak away, to steal some time and to release my tension to the willing canyon below me.