There’s always a point on our Saturday runs, usually after a tough two mile climb, when we look out at Los Angeles and the ocean and Lauren says, “Ladies, this is why we live in LA.” Running is so much more than a workout when you’re in great company exploring the beauty of your city. If you’re stuck in a running rut and are lacking inspiration, find trails in your city and explore. It’s well worth the drive. Today I’ll highlight two of my favorite new running spots. They’re also great for hiking too!
This past Monday Marta and I had a sister date day in LA. We started the morning atWestridge off of Sunset in Pacific Palisades. I discovered the trail through Brianna’s instragram feed. She kept posting these amazing pictures from her runs up in the mountains overlooking the ocean. Marta and I tried to capture the beauty, but just didn’t get it quite like her. I’ve done the run twice now and it’s a great shorter tough route. About 3.5 miles gradual uphill, and 3.5 miles down. Be careful on the downhill. It can be tempting to go fast, but it’s tough on the knees. The the trail starts with with a view of the ocean but it kinda disappears early in the run and you’re in the canyon (which I like and makes you feel far away from everything). At the top you end up with a great view of the San Fernando Valley at the top. Check out the elevation and our photos below!
Trailhead address: Westridge Road & West Mandeville Fire Road, Los Angeles, CA 90049. More details on the trail here.
We then went to the epic Beach Yoga with Brad class in Santa Monica. Brad rocks. Go to his class. It’s not super intense (although you can make it harder if you’re looking for a good workout) and the perfect post run stretch. My favorite part of class is when we do downward dog in the wet sand looking out at the ocean. $10 a class. Also, maybe it’s kinda cheesy, but it was MLK day and he emphasized staying peaceful and calm when it’s most difficult. I appreciated the connection. Marta, Brent and I went to Playa Provisions after for lunch.
This morning Lauren took us on an adventure to Will Rogers Inspiration Point. It was quite a hike up from our Ocean & Alta meeting spot, but was well worth the trip. There were incredible views of Catalina Island, Palos Verdes, the ocean, Malibu and even Downtown. We added on with beach running afterwards to get to our mileage which felt so boring after being up in the mountains overlooking the city. Check out our pictures and elevation for the run.
Trailhead address: 1501 Will Rogers State Park Road, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272. More details on the trail here.
Now it’s time for Marta’s FAVORITE part of the post…LONG RUN NOTES!
Friday Dinner: Terrible long run prep dinner. I didn’t prepare much because I was “only” running 14 miles. Today reminded me that 14 is STILL a lot. A corona, two glasses of wine, a slice of bacon gouda pizza, fried brussel sprouts, butternut squash, baked brie and cheese, cookies. No wonder my stomach felt a little blah during the run. The food was good though, and Laurel Hardware was a fun spot for drinks and food in West Hollywood. Maybe a little trendy for my taste.
Friday Sleep: 7 hours. Not the greatest sleep. Maybe too much wine?
Saturday Breakfast: Too big of a bowl of granola and Kashi cereal with blueberries and almond milk. Felt it on the run. Sips of water, no coffee.
Long Run Fuel: Nothing. I wasn’t prepared and I was too full from breakfast.
Long Run Hydration: Water fountains. Not enough water. It was super hot and the Santa Ana winds were blowing.
Long Run Outfit: Lululemon shorts, So Cal Ragnar race short sleeve, target sports bra, cheapo socks, Nike visor. Good call on the visor. It was super sunny out.
Post-Run Snack: Currently heating up my picadillo! Again, not prepared and no snack right after.
How Did It Feel: Honestly, this run didn’t feel great. The view from inspiration point was AMAAAAAZING, but after that I just didn’t feel like running. I didn’t prep for it well. Nice reminder that 14 isn’t a walk in the park.
Other Notes: We stretched and foam rolled with our yoga mats for a good 15 minutes after our run today! Anna joined us after her hike at Westridge this morning. It was nice to relax on the lawn after a difficult run.
Happy Saturday!
The Restless Runner 