So after relaying this story to Mom this evening she told me I just had to post it on the blog. So I have created visuals to hopefully make it a little better to understand for you guys....here goes:

So my old roommate, Sandy, has just recently finished grad school and moved back to San Diego. As an athletic trainer she naturally likes to exercise and get out there and be active. So in line with my training we decided that it would be fun to run together sometimes. We went on our first run since she returned on Pacific Beach last week and it was pretty uneventful. Mostly just full of her trying to talk to me as I gasped for breath and trying to make sound come out (and yes, I am being dramatic, and yes, I know you are only supposed to run as fast as you can hold a conversation, blah blah blah, I know).

So today we decided that she would drive up to Del Mar and meet me to run the beach where I usually run during the week after work. (Red line on picture is where I run) When she finally made it through the loads of traffic caused by rush hour and the extremely nearby Del Mar Fair (whoops, forgot about that!) we made to the beach. At this point it was about 5:50ish so high tide was in full bloom. The first mile or so was just us dodging rapidly incoming waves and even faster frisbees while avoiding the occasional treat of a hole left by some of the younger variety of tourists. As we got past the park (the green below) we made it to the cliffs - where there are lots of surfers and not many others on the 3 remaining feet of beach left between the cliffs and the ocean. So we manuveured and made our way through to my trash can which is the turning point for me as of now and signals that it is time to go back.

But as I could see Torrey Pines Beach in the distance I thought it would be fun to just go a bit farther...maybe even make it to Torrey Pines and then just do the return trip on the road above. Sandy agreed so we continued on. Up to the left we could see surfers coming and going, up and down the steep cliffs to Del Mar I guess, we couldn't see the top, only a few runners heads bobbing up and down. Soon the soft sand started to get old and Torrey Pines started to look much farther away than we had previously considered so we started to look for routes up the cliffs. I mean, the surfers can do it, why can't we??

Too steep, too steep, then just right. We can do that one. So Sandy and I trudge through the really dry sand up to the cliff. To my amazement - oh...wow...that cliff is extremely more steep than it was when I was standing a mere 10 feet farther back from it. At this point Sandy was already about halfway up so here we go. Now, the cliffs in San Diego are by no means rocks...they are SAND cliffs...very unstable...So I clambored on, just one foot after the other. Don't look up - then you'll realize how far you have to go and don't even think of looking down. So I just looked at the sand, pouring away to the increasingly far away beach as I move hand then foot, secure foot then move other foot and reach. You know, I've been rock-climbing before but there is something much more comforting when you have a rope around your waist secured to something and you aren't flat against an eroding cliff in your Nike capris and Asics running shoes. Halfway up I had a moment of panic (as if I hadn't had quite a few before that) when I couldn't seem to locate a secure foothold so I could step up again. Remember this whole time Sandy is above me saying "just small steps, Marnie, just small steps" and I am not looking anywhere except directly in front of me. I finally trust a not-so-seemingly-trustworthy foothold and make the move then finally look up to see Sandy just above me, on top of the cliff, chuckling a little at my exaggerated peril. I put out a hand and said, "Stop laughing and pull me up." She did and we were safe...well we SEEMED to be.

As I brush off the sand that has clung to my sweat covered clothes I stand up to find that about 3 feet in front of me are train tracks...real, active train tracks. And there is NOTHING between us and them. No fence, no bars, nothing. But this is where people are running? There is a makeshift trail along side that continues up the beach to where we needed to go. So - onward and upward. We started to run along the trail, said hi to everyone we passed and about 2 or 3 minutes in I heard a small buzzing..."I am being paranoid," I told myself. "We are just close to the train tracks and so I am fabricating noises in my head." Just as I am telling myself this, however, we pass by a nice lady with her dog who mentions to the man she is with that this is the third train she has seen on her walk...TRAIN?!? WHAT TRAIN?!? Just as Sandy and I turn to look speeding by comes the Amtrak Coaster Train - THREE FEET TO OUR RIGHT!!! Sandy screamed, my heart jumped but it was actually kind of exhilirating (don't worry I am not going to start jumping in front of trains or anything).


We continued to run with no more trains to bother us, pointing out signs to each other that said "No Trespassing" "Unstable Cliffs" "Danger!!" "Area Closed" that were right next to about 20 runners enjoying the ocean breeze. We ran the rest of the way back to our cars on the sidewalk, trying to avoid any more life threatening situations and we managed to make it.

Anyway - it made for a rather exciting little jaunt after a full work day and now I am home to relax and think up what crazy thing we are going to do next week when we go for a run in Balboa Park!! :)