The Cabrillo Incident

Did a 9 miler today with big ol' hills. Sometimes after a long run like this I get sick, but not today! I did everything right. Hydrated (but not too much) and refueled halfway through with apple-flavored Gu (my fav). I am definitely tired. But, I'm not sick. This success is causing me to consider starting an official marathon training plan. I could technically be ready by January, which would be perfect for the Carlsbad Marathon set for mid-January...hmmm...to do the half or the full? That is the question. (I have the biggest crush on Hamlet...sorry for using such a cliche quote.)

Anyway, this 9-miler was up to Cabrillo National Monument (pictured here).

The next few paragraphs will basically be information about the route and monument for those who are interested in running it. If you don't care about this info, skip down to the last paragraph to read about "the incident."

I recommend starting the run to Cabrillo at the corner of Lomaland Dr. and Catalina Boulevard. There is neighborhood parking available around Point Loma Nazarene University or on the frontage road that runs parallel to Catalina (also called Catalina). It is on this frontage road that you will begin the trek up to the monument. On the 3.5 mile jog to the top, be sure to enjoy views of the wide open Pacific Ocean to your right, and the San Diego Harbor to your left, as well as, the Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery on both sides.


Water is available at the entrance of the monument, as well as at the monument itself. The entrance fee is $3 per person (there is a walk-up window), or you can purchase a year-round pass for $15. If you want to extend the run by a couple miles, there is a path that winds around the point. It offers spectacular views of the San Diego Harbor, the Coronado Military Base, and on a clear day, Mexico.

Not interested in extending the run? Don't. Just enjoy the views and super cold drinking fountain at the monument, or walk up to the old lighthouse before heading back down the hill. (The lighthouse is currently being renovated. Visit the Cabrillo website to find out when it will be finished and ready for walk-throughs again.)



I say "down," because overall there is a loss of elevation on the 3.5 mile trek back to start; however, the hills are more difficult on the way back. In a way, the run up doesn't feel so "up" because the hills are gradual, and there are short downhill portions. Those "short downhill portions" turn into what-the-heck-is-this-big-ol'-hill-doing-here on the way back. There are three to be exact, so be prepared to work for it. (Could I "use" any more "quotes" in this "paragraph?")

As on any semi-secluded, windy road, runners should stay on the side of the road that goes against traffic. The bike lane is not huge, so keep a close eye on oncoming cars. If the driver seems to be distracted by the views or a cell phone (so common despite the illegality!), be prepared to jump up on an ice-plant-covered hillside. I've never had to do so, but I'm always ready for it.

What I wasn't ready for today, was the call to 911 I had to make. Yeah. Point Loma got a little "hood" on me when I ran past a house with a man in the front yard yelling expletives at someone (or something) on the ground while kicking it with all his drunken strength. I did a little side-stepping as I reached for my cell phone and ran up a side street to make the call (praying it wasn't a kid or a dog being abused). A fence was partially obscuring my view, so I didn't find out until a later "run-by" that what the man had been kicking was another (rather obese and drunken) man in a stained, white t-shirt and sweat-stained trucker hat. Keepin' it real in the PL.

(In case you're wondering what ended up happening, I don't know. But, I did run past four cop cars headed toward said house within two blocks of resuming my run. Go SDPD! Thanks for being on top it...but should I be worried so many cops happened to be patrolling in my neighborhood?)