Planks, Fartleks, and Family Fun: Kickin' Some "Burma" Booty!!

I did it!!!

I got to the top of Burma!! I first started hearing about something called "burma" at Coastal's Diablo 13.1 last year. Then, after running it again this year, a picture surfaced after that race of runners side stepping their way down a super steep hill, and the RD commented about it being "Burma" they were coming down.

From Coastal's FB page, from their Diablo Race.

Ever since then I've been on a mission to find it, find a way to it, and get myself up and back down it!

I picked today because my legs were well rested, and on Mondays, Myles is always excited to go to school, so he doesn't care if I hang around and watch him play, or just drop him off and leave...and I knew whenever 'Burma Day' came, I'd need every minute of morning to get it done and back to school in time to pick him up.

So I was on the trail heading out at 8:16, which gave me 1:46 each way....I figured I'd go 1:46 and see how close I got, and if I didn't have time today, I'd just keep running it over and over until my time got better, and eventually I'd get to the top, hopefully before the rain set in for winter, cuz once it's muddy, there's just no way to do it. BUT...I was very determined, and got to the top in 1:30!! It was every bit as steep and difficult as it looks and as I've heard it is!! I spent some time up there, ate, drank, took pictures and video, text Brian, watched 6 different cyclists coming up Northgate Rd...then headed back down, which honestly scared me more then going up!! Thankfully there is a strip of single track in the grass next to the main trail, and that was easier to navigate. I made it back down and out the valley in 45 minutes! I can't believe I did it....just because! Just because it looked and sounded like a challenge and something fun to do...not because I'd get a medal and shirt out of it...although I'd happily take that, too! (always good to check your motivations, lol). The view was amazing!! The sounds were amazing...there pretty much were none. I'd hear voices below me and then spot a cyclist, but other than that I didn't see anyone else.

As for today's throw back song heard on the drive after my run - Joe Diffie's "Prop me up Beside the Jukebox if I Die"......never gets old, that one. You can't not sing it!

Pictures from Burma -

There she is!


The sign as you cross Northgate Rd.

This is just starting up the bottom, it turns left and goes up.

Looking down, if you make it bigger, you'll spot China Wall and the top of Castle Rock's rocks. It's a rare thing to be in a spot where you can get both in one shot.

China Wall, there's a flatter gray area...that is where Save Mt. Diablo has their super fancy yearly dinner on the Mt. under the stars.

Made it up the first hill, heading towards the beast.


See Northgate Rd (the road to the summit of Diablo) down there towards the bottom right corner?That dark stretch of trees is the bottom of Castle Rock where Stage Rd (trail) runs...I need to get back down and run out it to the right.