M.O.R.E.: Back to COC

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Back to COC

We tried to think of a different course today, since we are all on Spring Break and weren't in a hurry to get home and make dinner. The best we could come up with was to run the hills at COC, which we haven't done in quite some time. Marathon Mom, C and I met at 8am and ran the dirt part of the course twice. It was really a nice morning, cool, but not cold, and we were either sheltered from the wind, or it didn't really kick up until we were done. There wasn't anything too exciting, (snakes) except for the dog poop that people don't feel they are responsible to pick up while walking their dogs (ugh!). There were also many holes, that looked like gopher holes, but I don't know if they were since there were so many of them. Marathon Mom and I are on the road again tomorrow, heading up North to visit colleges for our boys, so we won't get much of a chance to run the rest of the week. It was a great way to start the day, and we did quite well on the hills, even though we haven't run that route in quite a while. Spring running is the best running as far as I am concerned (good weather, more in the legs, longer days). Before we know it, I am going to be complaining about how I hate Summer running!

2 comments:

marathon mom said...: That was the best condition I have ever seen that course, even with all the holes. The ground was still soft from the recent rain and didn't give off a bunch of dust like when we usually run there and the short layer of grass gave it just the right amount of cushion. I wasn't slipping all over the place as I was climbing Killer Hill. It was like nature's gift to us just because it's spring!

Speaking of Killer Hill, I was thinking about how best to approach it when running, slow and steady or fast and attacking. When I ran up it on the first loop, I ran it slow and steady which also required more and shorter steps. I got through it and Aftershock without stopping, but I felt my legs really burning. The second time around when I should have been more tired, I decided to run it more aggressively with bigger strides and quicker pace and it actually felt a little easier since I was on the hill for a shorter period of time. I'm not sure if that makes sense, but I think if it's a short steep hill you're better off powering through it quickly to get it over with and if it's a long steady climb, you're better off running a slow steady pace. Either way, I could tell that some of our HELLmers hill training has been paying off.; April 7, 2010 at 5:21 PM
Patty said...: It must be nice to have a choice when running up a hill like the ones at COC. My speed is pretty much a crawl and try to get to the top without stopping. I am not sure I could actually make myself go any faster! It was really nice to have all the grass on the course, a nice change from the dirty, dusty course we are used to. It was a nice change of pace.; April 7, 2010 at 6:28 PM

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Favorite Trails

South Fork 3.1: Start from dirt parking lot on Magic Mtn Pkway and run to the loop at Wiley Bridge and return the same way.

Tesoro 3.25: Start in Albertson parking lot and take sidewalk/trail until it ends and then enter the water tower road to the top two towers where the ends. Return the same way.

Chesebrough 3.25/4.60: From Chesebrough Park, N. to Copperhill, So. on Bike Trail, turn around at Decoro, back up trail to power lines to bridge at park. Turn around at Heritage will give you 4.6 miles.

Chesebrough 3.5: Chesebrough Park down to McBean, south to Northpark Dr., the paseo trailhead. Take the paseo to Helmers and back. Very hilly.

Bridgeport 4.0: Fairly flat, run toward Lowes and under Bouquet bridge to RiverPark community until you reach the closed gates and return. For a hilly run, go north into Helmers and run up the paseo switchbacks into Northpark where the paseo ends and return the same way.

Chesebrough 4.0: N. to Copperhill to west side of river trail, run S. on Bike Trail past Decoro bridge, across Decoro to the east side of river trail, up back to power lines trail, back to park.

Chesebrough 4.0: From park down power line trail to Heritage Park and back same way.

Bridgeport 4.0: From School, cross McBean via bridge or street and head into industrial center on Ave. Scott Bridge and enter bike trail going south toward the train bridge. Turn around at train bridge and return same way or cross the bridge and head toward Peet's after crossing train bridge and back onto the Lowes Trail.

Heritage 4.0: From park, run up bike trail to Decoro, over McBean Bridge into Helmers, and into Bridgeport through lake trail back to park. Can be done in reverse. Moderately hilly.

Chesebrough 4.25: Chesebrough north to Copperhill, left to Albertson side of bike trail. Run south on trail to Decoro and cross over bridge and head north all the way to Copperhill on east side of river trail and back to the park the same way as started.

Cheese/Decoro/Helmers 4.25: From the park, down dirt trail to bike path, south to Decoro. Leave bike path at Decoro and cross paseo bridge at McBean. Stay on paseo up hill towards Helmers. Run up water tower trail once then continue on to switchbacks and paseos back to park.

Heritage/Bridgeport 3.3: Heritage Park south to McBean Bridge @ Panera. Cross and head toward Lowes bike trail and head east toward Bridgeport Park. Halfway mark is at park bathroom, head back by entering trail along the lake and back onto the bridge.

Lowes 4.25: Lowe's parking lot to McBean, cross the bridge and to South Fork. At Valencia Bridge, enter trail behind Hart Baseball diamonds. Continue on trail to Bouquet and across the bridge on the east side and back under the bridge again towards Lowes.

Peet's & Decoro 5.2: Peet's Coffee to train bridge path; to Decoro and across bridge; back down McBean side of bike trail back to Peete's.

Peet's & Wiley 6.0: Start at Peet's Coffee and head east toward South Fork trail and past the Wiley Bridge. Keep running another 200 yards to where the trail forks left and right. Turn back same way.

Peet's & Copperhill 6.0: From Peet's to bike trail heading north to Copperhill and back.

Albertson 7.0: From the Albertson parking lot on Copperhill, enter the westside bike trail and head south until the train bridge. Return the same way.

Peet's 8.5: Run to Copperhill on east side of river trail and return via train bridge on other side.

Lowes 10: Start in the Lowes parking lot. Enter the bike trail heading west. At McBean, cross the bridge and head east toward SouthFork trail. Continue on trail until you come to the Wiley bridge and head back the same way.

McBean 14: This route can be done from anywhere along the trail route. Starting from McDonald's across the post office, run to the end of the South Fork trail and return the same way, cross the McBean bridge and run on the Lowes trail until you hit Bridgeport Elementary and then cross Newhall Ranch via the bridge or street and run back towards McBean. Continue north on McBean until you hit Copperhill. At Copperhill, cross McBean and enter San Francisquito bike trail and run south on the trail until you are back at McDonalds.