Injuries & Soccer Videos

Where have I been recently???  --Working longer hours and dealing with this:

I haven't had one of these in years, cool...

Not really cool.  What a bummer!  I heard the blood vessels popping as I wash crashing to the ground!  My hiking has turned into a dissapointing walk through parks.  At least I am still finding new places to go but I haven't taken many pictures, nor have I had time to update this blog.  Alyssa is working double duty in her young soccer carreer and I decided to edit her videos each night instead of writng on here.  Finally, I am done with her most recent video and I'm publishing it to YouTube as I write this.  Once its done, you can follow the link below:

2011 Mighty Vipers Season

Day 331: Tuesday October 11, 2011
5 Mile Run at Pacifica High school in Oxnard

I ran this in 51.28.49.  This was my last ran before the ankle buster.  In fact, the time is still on my stop watch.  I ran this right after I contracted Poison Oak, but of course at the time I hadn't a clue that I had it.  The last few weeks have been miserable!

Day 333: Thursday October 13, 2011
Conejo Creek & Waverly Park
Thousand Oaks, CA
2.5 Miles +50 Feet


Day 334: Friday October 14, 2011
Flore Playfield
Thousand Oaks, CA
1.25 Miles +25 Feet


Day 335: Saturday October 15, 2011
Freedom Park
Camarillo, CA
1.5 Miles +25 Feet


Day 336: Sunday October 16, 2011
Johnson Creek Park & Carly Park
South Oxnard, CA
2.5 Miles +25 Feet
--Just as I began seeing improvement from the Poison Oak, I snapped my ankle on this day.  I was playing soccer with kids after the Browns lost to the Raiders at my In-Law's house.  Maybe I had too many beers or maybe I cut too hard.  EIther way, I was in too much agony to do much of anything after that.  Good thing we hit up a couple of parks before it happened!  As I sit here nearly two weeks later, my poison oak is gone but my ankle is still throbing.  Still waiting for that video to finish as my dogs are barking.  By the way, Domino is doing, well, swell.  She's on steroids and still kicking it!



Day 342: Saturday October 22, 2011
Eastside Community Park: Yorba Linda, CA
+++
Malibu High  School: Malibu, CA
3.25 Miles +75 Feet

I came all the way to Yorba Linda for this???

Day 343: Sunday October 23, 2011

Ventura, CA
1.25 Miles +25 Feet
McGrath Pumpkin Patch

***Video is ready and I am tired.  I will update more sometime...  Nearly a year into this and considering throwing in the towel, but not quite yet.  The challenge will be more difficult after Day Lights Saving Time hits next week!

What is this???  It's been on my leg for months!!!



Day 332: Woodland Oak Trail // Day 329: Harbor Cove & Surfers Knoll

 Victim of Poison Oak!

DAY 332: Wednesday October 12, 2011

Woodland Oak Trail: From Reino to Wendy

Miles: 2.25
Elevation Gain:  275 Feet
Where?: Newbury Park, CA

Time: 1 hour

Difficulty (1-10): 2

Reward (1-10): 4
Description: Connecting the backyard trails of Newbury Park

Directions: From the 101 freeway in Thousand Oaks, exit on Wendy and head South.  Turn Right on Borchard and then left on Reino.  Look for Woodland Oak Pl on the left before the road narrows.  Turn left and park at the cul-de-sac 

 Trailhead

 Mt. Rex rises over the Newbury Park Valley

 Bench overlooking Boney

 Boney Mountain

 Today's peak

 Looking over Newbury Park to Dos Vientos

Yup!  Poison Oak again!!!  I've lost track, but I've come down with it something like 7 times now since beginning this adventure.  I've had the rash break out on my ears and neck before but this is the first time it got into my eye.  I look like the monster from the Goonies, or Will Smith in Hitch.  It's true, if you are allergic to it, the more you come in counter with it, the more susceptible you are.  There is no way to build up an immunity to it, nor have I tried.  In fact, I don't recall ever touching any poison leaf.  When I hiked the Sundown Trail the other day, I followed behind some horses and its quite possible that they stirred it up and the oils must have been airborne.  Whatever the case, this sucks!!!

Nevertheless, I am on a mission and my legs are working fine.  I chose this easy trail today because I knew there was no poison up here.  I hiked from the Wendy Rd. Trailhead last week and today I hiked from Reino.  However, instead of heading to Wendy, I climbed higher just beyond the water tank.  From up here, there are several alternate routes to take.  I suspect they fall down into the surrounding neighborhoods.  For me, I remained on the main path and circled back.  I successfully completed a loop by ending at the cul-de-sac on Astera Ct.  From here, my bike was just a one minute walk up.  Nice... 

Day 329: Sunday October 9, 2011

Harbor Cove & Surfers Knoll

2 Miles  +25 feet

Harbor Cove in Ventura is once of the most interesting beaches to go to if you are looking for star fish, crabs, sea urchants, etc...  Today was warm, water cold, but the kids didn't seem to mind.  Although I missed the Sunday NFL games, I had a great time.  I drank a beer and walked the beach to the end by surferss knoll.  --I have been to the harbor area before, but today was the first time I hiked the entire beach.

Day 320: Friday September 30, 2011

Triunfo Caynon Trail

2.25 Miles  +400 feet

**I snapped pictures with my phone but I was unable to save them!!  I just got text messaging and it turns out my kids took pictures, deleted pictures and sent text messages to friends and relatives.  ---Regarding this trail, I already hiked the first portion of it many months ago.  I found the link on my blog: Day 65 Triunfo Canyon Trail Bridgegate

Today, once I hiked up to the back trail, I hung a left and then another left to hike back to the park.  Nice trail, good temperature ---good times.  Great spot to bring your dogs and/or kids.

Day 321: Saturday October 1, 2011

3-Mile Run at Agoura High School

4 Miles  +25 feet

This used to be one of my favorite places to run.  The Big Blue track was the second track that I ran on when I moved to California.  It was made of the bouncy rubbery matterial.  Nowadays, these surfaces are common but coming from Ohio, my first run in 2002 was amazing.  I believed I ran a mile in about 6:30 back then.  Today's stats:

1-mile: 9.30.27

2-mile: 10.02.16

3-mile: 8.48.43  --  28.20.86

Final Quarter: 1.54.31

Not a great performance, but at least I did it!--If you're paying attention, I posted 4 miles today.  The extra mile is estimated from the two soccer games that I attended.  As always, when I am at a park, I like to hike around.  I kept it short today because I found a baseball at Huntsinger Park (may have spelled it wrong) in Ventura and began pitching against the fence.  My overhand throw was fast but out of control.  My sidearm sailed in right on target!

Day 322: Sunday October 2, 2011

Santa Barbara Beach & Pier

2.5 Miles  +25 feet

Took the family up to the nice beaches of Santa Barbara.  We hiked across from the sand Volley Ball courts all the way to the Pier.  We played frisbee, ate lunch and just hung out (no surfing today).  The weather was a bit cool but it was nice to be out in the Cali Sun.  I took pictures on the pier, but... 

Day 330: Sundown Trail

 Unexpected Grassland along the trail

DAY 330: Monday October 10, 2011

Sundown Trailhead off Rancho Rd.

Miles: 3.25
Elevation Gain:  450 Feet
Where?: Thousand Oaks, CA

Time: 1.5 hours

Difficulty (1-10): 2

Reward (1-10): 2
Description: Found a new shaded trail in T.O. 

Directions: From the 101 freeway in Thousand Oaks, exit on Rancho Rd and turn right (if you're coming from the North).  If you're coming from the South, exit at Hampshire, turn right on Hampshire, left on T.O. Blvd and left on Rancho.  Drive past the stop sign and down the windy hill.  Turn left on the second street, Sundown.  Park at the end.

 Trailhead (watch out for horse manure)

Shaded lower trail

 Climb a few mild hills

 Overlooking Conejo Valley

The trail would continue up toward a water tank.  The grassland is only about a mile from the trailhead.  Only about a quarter of a mile into this hike, an alternative switchback trail climbed to the right.  I bypassed this to continue straight and when I reached the grassy level, I looped the field in search for an alternative way back.  This only lead me back to where I came from, so looks like I will revisit again, possibly two more times, to complete this trail.

Before I reached the trailhead today, I explored the area on my bike.  I initially turned left on the first road off Rancho.  I think it was called Saddle something.  There was a trail at the end of the road so I parked my bike and hiked down 100 feet of elevation over a quarter mile stretch.  This eventually lead out to a road (Sundown).  These trails are kinda marked on the Los Robles Trail map but because they are not main trails, it's hard to know exactly where you are...

---

**I still have pics on my phone to update this blog, for some reason they didn't save to my memory card so as soon as i figure that out, I will update the gaps....

DAYS 323 - 328

Another way of looking at Boney Mountain

I took Sky Hiker's advice to toy around with the color, contrast, brightness, etc...  I'm not sure that this is what he had in mind, but I think it turned out good :)

Day 328: Saturday October 8, 2011

Dos Vientos Community Park - Newbury Park

Avocado Festival - Carpenteria, California

Miles 3.5  +50 feet

***I'm dragging on these "hikes".  I've lost the vigor to push above and beyond mountains.  Yet, I feel like I haven't even begun.  Life has caught up, too fast, too much to do.  I've though about just hiking one legit trail a week and then I said no, I must accomplish this.  It would be too easy to slip back into a routine and do the same thing, in the same place every day.  Yes, I am essentially doing the same thing daily but at least I am doing it some place new, even if it is not all that exciting.

We were up at Dos Vientos this morning for Alyssa's soccer game.  Her Vipors won 4-2.  I marched through the park before the game and reflected on the surrounding rocky hills, mountains, where I once conquered.  It's awesome really; yeah, "I came from up there", a quote that I recited in one of the videos that I made.  That portion came from the hills beyond the park.

Later that day, we walked the closed off streets of Carp and enjoyed the Avocado Festival.  In doing so, I ran into a non-profit organization that is taking in donations to complete the "Franklin Trail".  This trail system will start at Carp High School and push up nearly 2000 feet into the mountains where it will meet up with another trail.  When I'm not too busy, I will forward some info to this blog...

Day 327: Friday October 7, 2011

Trail between Wendy & Reino - Newbury Park

Avocado Festival - Carpenteria, California

Miles 3.0  +450 feet

I know this trail has a name but I was too lazy to look it up

This was the first legit trail that I hiked in a while.  It felt great and at the top near the water tower is an alternative way to loop around and explore.  I purposely did not take this so I can come back for another visit.

Views from of Newbury Park from the trail

Day 326: Thursday October 6, 2011

Camarillo High School 3-Mile Run

Miles 4.0  +50 feet

 

It's a hike to reach the track from the far lot off Adolfo.  I've been running, but I've been eating and unlike my usual motivation, I am not pushing myself; hence the splits that I recorded:

 

1-Mile: 10.22.18

2-Mile: 10.31.65  (20.53.83)

3-Mile:   9.45.24  (30.38.07)

--My final quarter was rounded in 1.54.82  --I'm just not in the mood.  Never in the past have I raced myself to not better my previous time.  I didn't know how to run unless it was a race.  Well, looks like I just did and as you will see, I've been like this for a week+ now; mild depression I suppose.  I don't even really want to update the blog anymore.  Here I am editing Alyssa's Soccer video and this hiking thing has really become a drag....

 

 

Day 325: Wednesday October 5, 2011

Calle La Guerra - Camarillo

Miles 1.5  +25 feet

It had rained earlier today and I actually brought my rain gear looking forward to hiking a muddy trail during a downpour.  Unfortunately, this is California and the rain had subsided by the late afternoon.  Actually, the sun was out so I began my journal today at the small community center at the end of Calle La Guerra.  I ran through the small park and around the neighborhood.  I didn't bring a camera because I wasn't even about to go there, due to the forecast.  --I became bored, my jog took to the streets and ended with a walk.  Hoping to train for 5 miles, I ran about half and then just walked one...

Day 324: Tuesday October 4, 2011

Valle Lindo Park - Camarillo

Miles 1.5  +25 feet



I only brought the camera on this one because Alyssa was having a secret soccer practice here.  It's so secret that I cannot talk about it; but the park was nice :)



Day 323: Monday October 3, 2011

2.5 Mile Run at Buena High shool - Ventura

Miles 2.5  +0 feet

This was suppose to be a 5-Mile run.  I started the first lap at 1.56.18, then ran the next in 1.52.49.  I realized quickly that my pace was too fast and I didn't pose the muster or the might to carry on.  Sure, I could of, but I just stopped!  After a 4+ minute walk lap, I jogged the next in 2.02.35.  My mile was over 10 minutes and then I began walking again.  --After 10 laps (2.5 miles) I quit in a time that I refuse to mention on this blog...

 

***I will rewind to last weekend another time.  I have some pictures on my cell phone so I would like to include those :)...