Distance: 7.45 km
Weather: Mix of sun and cloud
Temp: 18ºC
Wind: breezy at times
Calories burned: 506
Average pace: 5:23/km
I had a better-than-expected start to the run, coming in at under 5 minutes for the first km in a long time (4:59/km, to be exact). This is never an official goal for me but it is a nice psychological boost when it happens, so yay! I also had a strong finish with the final 450m clocking at a relatively brisk 5:10/km. My pace in the middle did slow a little vs. the previous run and I chalk that mostly to the sun coming out. I swear that thing is like a vampire to my energy level. I don’t swear enough to wish it gone, however. Please don’t go, sun! You have been precious and rare this spring!
I think it’s also safe to say now that running clockwise (reverse) is not affecting me in any material way, except to hopefully reduce the chance of injury.
The ‘should I be annoyed by this?’ part: A couple were at the park with two dogs, one was a large adult that looked like some kind of Doberman mix, the other a tiny and adorable Malamute puppy. Neither were on leash (can you see where this is heading?) A young woman was jogging counter-clockwise on the trail and we had passed several times. As I jogged up the southern stretch of the trail from the east, she came along from the west, the couple and their dogs between us, in the field just on the edge of the trail. Suddenly the puppy runs after the jogger and manages to get right into her feet, causing her to fall down — not hard and not totally, as she managed to stay partly upright. She took a few moments to play with the puppy (it was adorable, after all), then went on her way, all smiles — as was the owner.
On the next lap the incident repeated itself, though the jogger was more aware this time and stopped before the dog could get underfoot. After this the jogger disappeared and the puppy was briefly put on a leash.
I found the behavior of the couple annoying. After their dog had knocked the person down the first time they should have a) moved away from the trail or b) put the dog on the leash immediately. The park isn’t off-leash, anyway. In either case, it strikes me as odd that a puppy knocking down a jogger is somehow amusing. I guess it’s like what Mel Brooks once said: Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall into an open sewer and die.
Or something like that. I gave the puppy a seriously wide berth.
I am tentatively planning my first full 10K of the year on Monday. Here’s hoping it goes well.
Chart (blue indicates the run was done clockwise):
| km | Jun 11 | Jun 8 | Jun 6 | Jun 2 | May 31 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 km | 4:59 | 5:04 | 5:05 | 5:00 | 5:05 |
| 2 km | 5:05 | 5:10 | 5:13 | 5:10 | 5:13 |
| 3 km | 5:10 | 5:14 | 5:20 | 5:16 | 5:18 |
| 4 km | 5:14 | 5:16 | 5:25 | 5:20 | 5:22 |
| 5 km | 5:18 | 5:18 | — | 5:23 | 5:25 |
| 6 km | 5:21 | 5:20 | — | 5:26 | 5:29 |
| 7 km | 5:23 | 5:21 | — | 5:28 | 5:31 |
