I glanced at my watch -- 5.25 miles. Clouds and fog had kept temps on the cool side for more than three-quarters of the Bulldog climb, but the sun was finally breaking through. Even though temps were down a few degrees, the long climb had still been grueling. The runner next to me was breathing heavily, and I mentally repeated my Bulldog mantra -- don't redline, don't redline.

For many of us, that's the problem with Bulldog -- some of it is runnable and some of it isn't. For the moment I was running, but I knew the grade well, and just ahead the fire road switchbacked right, and steepened.

I've been over the "I can run this hill no matter what" thing for a long time. For me, and the majority of trail runners, walking the steeps is a good thing. The little bit of time lost by walking is generally made up -- and more -- on other sections of the course.

Rounding a corner, the grade did steepen, and I slowed and started to walk. Taking advantage of the slow pace, I ate a Gu, took a Salt Stick cap, and gulped down some Gatorade. Another runner and I had been swapping leads up the hill, and he passed me -- again. As he increased his lead, I wondered if I should be pushing a little harder.

A left turn never felt so good! A few minutes before I had reached the top of Bulldog grade, and the highest point on the course. Now gravity was on my side, and I was enjoying the downhill. There were more challenges ahead, but for now I was lost in the moment -- savoring the wind in my face, the far reaching views along the rocky crest, and that wonderful feeling of being a runner.

Here's a Google Earth browser view of a GPS trace of the 22K course with my half-mile splits. (Generated in SportTracks.) See the XTERRA Malibu Creek Challenge web site for race results and additional info.

Some related posts: Malibu Creek State Park Shadow & Sun, Fog Along Malibu Creek, Bulldog Loop and the Corral Fire, Rock Formations Along the Backbone Trail

The 13 mile keyhole loop through Las Virgenes and Cheeseboro Canyons from the Ahmanson Victory trailhead is a classic Southern California mix of multi-use fire roads and single track trail.

The segment from Shepherd's Flat down through Cheeseboro Canyon is especially popular, and on the weekend you'll find an assortment of hikers, runners, mountain bikers, and sometimes an equestrian group or two. Even on a warm day, the oak-shaded sections of the canyon can be surprisingly comfortable.

Here's a Google Earth image and Google Earth browser view of a GPS trace of the loop, and links to trail maps for Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve (formerly Ahmanson Ranch) and Cheeseboro/Palo Comado Canyons.

Closer view of Filaree (Erodium botrys). Filaree's blossoms are about the size of a pencil eraser. They are common underfoot, Spring into Summer, in dry, weedy areas of Southern California.

From this morning's bouldering session at Stoney Point.

From this morning's bouldering session at Stoney Point.

Just over this tranquil hill is the urban expanse of the San Fernando Valley.

From a run on Lasky Mesa in Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve (formerly Ahmanson Ranch).

From Sunday's Long Canyon to Simi Peak trail run. California primrose (Camissonia californica) is also known as False Mustard because of its superficial similarity to common mustard and other mustard species.

Wood Ranch Open Space

The fire road was covered with crawling and darting bees -- so many I could feel the low, resonating buzz of the colony. Standing in the middle of the buzzing bees, I heard an "Oh crap!" from behind me. A mountain biker -- stopped about 20 yards away -- explains he's allergic to bee stings.

We were a little east of the China Flat "T" on the Albertson "motorway" -- a fire road in the Simi Hills. Taking advantage of cool, sunny weather in the Los Angeles area, I was doing a course I had not done for years, an out and back trail run from the Wood Ranch trailhead to Simi Peak, with a short circuit around China Flat.

I had taken a short detour to check a small vernal pool hidden in the oaks off the fire road. There are surprising number of these ephemeral water sources in the Simi Hills. They sometimes have water when it's unexpected, but this time the pool was dry.

The bees on the road were digger bees, ground nesting bees that look like fuzzy honeybees. Like honeybees, males have no stinger. Males swarm over the burrows of females, waiting for them to emerge. Females can sting, but in my experience, and from what I've read, are generally not aggressive. Here's a very short video (from later in the run) of a second colony on the Simi Peak Trail.

Not being able to risk being stung, the mountain biker waited on the side of the road for his buddy to realize he wasn't behind him anymore. I headed back to the China Flat Trail, and then continued to Simi Peak. Here's a Google Earth image and Google Earth browser view of a GPS trace of my approximately 10.75 mile route.

Note: A mountain biker on the Long Canyon trail told me he had seen a mountain lion in the area earlier in the morning. He was certain that it was a mountain lion, and not a bobcat or coyote.

A search on the phrases "stride rate" or "running cadence" will turn up numerous articles extolling the benefits of a running cadence (stride rate) in the neighborhood of 90. An often quoted source of this axiom is Daniels' Running Formula: Proven Programs: 800 M to the Marathon (Human Kinetics, 2004). The idea is that for a given speed, the faster your stride rate, the less time your body will spend airborne, the less you displace your center of mass, and the softer you hit the ground on landing. Less up and down should translate to more energy efficient running.

From a run at Ahmanson Ranch.

One of the more unusual watercraft at the 2009 Kern River Festival was Dan Gavere's ULI inflatable stand up paddleboard.

Dan finished second in the 2.5 mile Downriver race, and made all the gates in the Slalom event!

Study of a mushroom-like arrangement of newly sprouted Big Leaf Maple Leaves. From Sunday's Red Box - Bear Canyon trail run.

Study of color, form, and texture in decomposing wood. From Sunday's Red Box - Bear Canyon trail run.