31 Runs in 31 Days

Typical Big Bear, blue sky and sun over the mountains!

I always love a good challenge, so when I heard about the 31 in 31 idea I was instantly in. My normal December routine of climbing in Joshua Tree a ton was not possible this year as we have been on full baby alert this whole month. Add to that the looming 50 miles and 11k feet of gain waiting for me at the Sean O'brien 50 Miler on February 1st and this fit right into my year. I could run close to my home all month in case it was baby time and the miles would hopefully build my legs and confidence for the upcoming race.

I have never really been one to keep track of miles any more than doing some basic math in my head. Occasionally I'll break out the Strava when going up San G or trying to see how far a certain route is but I had never looked at it as the training tool it has become over the last month. I'd guess my mileage in November was pretty low, 10 - 20 a week as I was pretty busy organizing the first turkey trot and in October I ran San G a few times and also got out on the Cactus to Clouds trail for some longer runs but weekly mileage was probably below 30.

I was in J Tree, for what would be my last trip of the year when the month started so I got my one and only run outside of Big Bear in on the first day. It was also the shortest run of the month. I remember thinking to take it easy because there was a lot of running ahead but I was so excited about the challenge I ran pretty hard up Ryan Mountain trail. At the top, the sun set and I had to switch on the headlamp once at the top which slowed me down for the return trip reminding me to take it easy and enjoy as much of each run as I could.

Once back in Big Bear the first week of running was going great and then winter arrived. It was a brief hit of winter, nothing too major, but one thing about living at 7k' is that snow and ice can tend to stick around especially on north facing slopes. From this point on I would be doing a lot of running on the cold white stuff!

Running on a frozen over PCT!

About a week after the first snow I had the bright idea to run through Siberia Creek Canyon. After the snow fell, the sun came out and things around my place melted a bit. I live on the north side of the valley and it can feel a bit warmer on this side sometimes. Itching to get in some mileage and elevation I decided to run from Snow Valley to Bluff Mesa and back, a 20 mile run that would drop 2500' down into "the canyon" and climb 3,000' back up the other side, then turn around and do it again. From the start there was snow, and a lot of it. What I thought would be a tough run ended up being an epic slog through snow and ice that would leave me exhausted on the other side and not willing to go back in. I could have been in snowshoes, or at minimum micro-spikes, but was instead in a pair of 2 year old Hoka's with no tread on the bottom. There were some pretty dangerous spots on this trail with potential for big falls. From Bluff Mesa I ran down into town and hitched a ride back to my car at Snow Valley for what was the most adventurous run of the month by far.

 

View from Gunsight, nearing the top of Siberia Creek Canyon

I didn't have a problem getting out for most of the runs during the month. During the second week I ended up running a bit more at night than usual which I think was due to being a bit tired and sleeping later in the mornings, but mostly I felt motivated to keep running. I tried to change it up as much as possible to keep things interesting but I also had to make sure the dogs got out for some miles, so we hit the usual trail a few times during the month. I had never measured it before so it was cool to see that our loop is about 5 miles with over 1k of gain. I really enjoyed tracking my progress on Strava and following along with everybody else who was taking the challenge. There are some people out there putting in some miles! And some really fast folks as well!

These two didn't mind the snow, Harper and Bob Digger!

On one occasion we decided to scramble up the north shore boulders a bit at the start of our run. While Bob Digger is quite a bit faster than Harper on the run, she is a much better climber than Bob is, and has no problem following me on the rock. We scrambled up one gulley and half way up Bob would not go any further. He started crying and trying to figure out a route to take but wouldn't commit. Harper kept going up and down showing off for me, Bobby kept crying. I just sat there laughing, watching the sunset over the lake, ecstatic about exactly where I was and what I was doing. During a solid month of exploring all around Big Bear it was a nice reminder that just going across the street with my dogs was all I really ever needed. This was by far the most memorable run of the month.

Playing on the rocks with Harper!

The month flew by. I was either running, eating, or sleeping, or getting ready for the baby! The pipes in the attic froze, another benefit of living in the mountains, and the house flooded, so that was fun to deal with but otherwise it was a great month. As the days went by I felt a bit of that feeling that I've found on bike tours, when life gets pretty simple. It doesn't mean it is always easy, in fact sometime the simple way is pretty dam hard, but it is definitely a way of living that I enjoy.

Secret meadow of Joshua Trees in Big Bear?!

The last day of the month I got out for an amazing run on the backside of the mountain. 25 miles of high desert for what would also be the longest run of the month. I was tired. But I noticed that while my legs were beat, my mind was strong. The previous 30 days, and 30 runs had given me a boost of confidence that can only be found by putting in the work. It felt great. As I hit the summit of Gold Mountain for the last time in the month I felt I had gotten more out of the 31 in 31 challenge than I ever expected, more miles, more elevation, and more importantly, more moments for the mind.

Next up, being a Father...which is more like a, forever in forever challenge!

A glorious end to a month running in Big Bear!

December Run Stats

31 Runs
310 Miles
45k Feet of Elevation
51 Hours

Shortest Run: 2.9 miles
Longest Run: 25 miles
Average Run: 10 miles