Run 580
Average pace: 6:17/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CW)
Start: 12:05 pm
Distance: 5:04 km
Time: 31:44
Weather: Sun and cloud
Temp: 16ºC
Humidity: 54%
Wind: light to strong
BPM: 168
Weight: 162.1 pounds
Total distance to date: 4485 km
Devices: Apple Watch, iPhone 8
I originally planned to run at the river today, as it would involve less walking and the run itself would be on a much gentler course. I changed my mind and headed to the lake, opting for a counter-clockwise course. I set out on a deliberately slower pace to see if I could overcome the feeling of my stamina collapsing and the nausea I felt at the very end.
And then two trees got in my way.
I started off the run, crossing the small bridge at Silver Creek, hooked left, then hooked right…and a rather large tree was sitting across the trail. A runner from the other direction popped out on the left side, demonstrating that is was possible to get by, but I opted to turn around and reluctantly do a repeat of the same clockwise route I’d done on Wednesday. I made the decision after only a few moments, so I kept the run timer going.
A parks worker was on hand with chainsaw, just getting started on the fallen tree.
I made my way over the dam, past the parking lot, then turned onto the Avalon Trail…where another fallen tree laid across the path.
This is the view looking back, toward the parking lot:
I stopped my run (0.75 km completed) and contemplated. I decided to get on the other side of this tree, start my run over and hope the trail was not festooned with more trees blown down by yesterday’s apparently vicious rainstorm.
Fortunately these were the only two, it was just weird that they were both near the start of the trail, as if it was an omen telling me to stay away.
The slower pace worked, though. I came in at 6:17/km, so three seconds off the previous run. What that bought me in exchange was, sadly, not a lower BPM, which stubbornly stayed at 168, but it did result in a run that was a lot more comfortable.
The first two km were very similar to last time, while the last km was much slower (it actually matched the overall pace of 6:17). The difference today is that I didn’t feel like I was running out of gas, I just kept going along at a deliberate pace and when the run was over, a stream of expletives did not emerge from my mouth, I just switched to an outdoor walk and kept going (the walk back broke the 9:00/km average again).
While I am disappointed at the average pace consistently being over 6:00/km now, I must admit that the knees are probably a bigger factor than the stamina. While they don’t hurt in a painful way during the run, I can feel them and I suspect they are inhibiting my speed without me being fully aware of it. Oh well. All I can do is take good care of them between runs, perhaps by petting them and telling them how great they are. “Who’s a good knee? You’re a good knee! Yes, you are!”
Importantly, this was the first time in a long time that I completed three runs in a week, having run on Sunday, Wednesday and Saturday. I’ll try to repeat this going forward and will report the results, possibly in tears, possibly through clenched teeth, but always on this here blog.
Also, they were paving Major Street, which added about half a km as I detoured on my walk back. I didn’t want to risk walking over extremely fresh asphalt, though I was temped. In the end common sense won out over laziness. This meant the last few blocks were up a somewhat steep grade, which is not exactly the way I prefer ending a run, but it’s better than being hit by a blimp.
