Trail Running at the Quarry Complex

The Quarry Complex is a series of trail that is part of Morro Bay State Park in California.  It is used by hikers, mountain bikers, rock climbers and trail runners.  Located along South Bay Blvd between Morro Bay and Los Osos it is easily accessible with a nice parking area at the base of the Quarry Trail.  It is one of my favorite places in the area to run as it offers some really challenging hills and open grassland running.  From the parking lot I head up the Quarry Trail, and I mean up.  The first .35 miles climbs from sea level to 275 ft!  Took me seven minutes to get to the top of this first climb which comes out right across from a rock wall area that is frequented by rock climbers.  Nobody here today as I continue on up the trail.  I soon pass the trail on the left that ascends to the top of Cerro Cabrillo.  This is a really steep, rocky climb that is tough but rewards you with some spectacular views from the top.  Not on my agenda today though  so I continue on to an intersection with the Canet Trail.  I know that if I stay on the Quarry Trail it will soon take a turn along the fence line and climb very steeply.  If I take the Canet Trail it runs level and downhill until it reconnects with the steeper trail.  I could avoid that horrendous climb by taking the Canet Trail, but I choose to press ahead and make the ascent.  Once I finally make it to the top it is easy cruising to the Park Ridge Trail where I hang a left to the Crespi Trail where I again turn left and head down to an area of oak woodlands.  This is a pretty fast downhill section to the bottom of a canyon where I finally have a little shade for a few minutes.  I get a little watchful as I head down the trail as I once got spooked by a rabbit in this area and ended up hitting the ground and bruising my ribs, ending my running for about 3 weeks.  But today I safely navigate this section and soon ascend the other side of the Crespi Trail.  I am on my way down the other side when I meet a mountain biker slugging his way up the hill.  I move to the side, say hello as he struggles by and then continue down the hill.  Shortly a rock jumps out from the side of the trail, plants itself solidly right in front of my foot and suggests that I may want to inspect the trail from a closer perspective.  I take his advice, land hard on my left leg and arm and jump back up, check myself for serious injury - negative - and continue on.  Finally arriving at the Chumash Trail I turn right and start up the long hill to Park Ridge Trail turn left and start opening up the speed a bit on some beautiful downhill trail.  Knowing that I am only about a half a mile from the parking lot at this point I am kicking into a higher gear and really enjoying the feeling of the wind in my hair (oh wait, I have no hair) - enjoying the feeling of the wind where my hair used to be!  One last turn on the the Live Oak Trail, one final little climb and then some more fast downhill back to the parking lot to complete a 4.3 mile loop.  Awesome.