Location: Burnaby Lake, CW
Distance: 11.59 km
Weather: High cloud
Temp: 16ºC
Wind: light to moderate
Calories burned: 822
Average pace: 4:49/km <– tied personal record
Total distance to date: 1437 km
Conditions were good today, with high cloud and mild temperatures well-suited for running. I opted to go clockwise and noticed something a bit different as I approached the fork where the Avalon Trail splits off to form the South Shore Trail to the right. Specifically there was a big honking yellow temporary fence blocking the South Shore Trail. On it was a sign that read DANGER NO ACCESS. I had to think on my feet and quickly decide what to do, which basically meant guessing at how far along the trail was blocked and whether it was worth taking the detour by continuing along the Avalon Trail, knowing I could eventually get back onto the lake trail at some unknown point.
I decided to keep going and ventured along the Avalon Trail as it turned into the Freeway Trail, so named because it parallels Highway 1 for a ways. As you might guess this is not especially scenic or quiet but you’re at least far enough from the traffic that you don’t feel like you’re part of it.
The trail is more on an actual dirt road here and is softer, probably because it gets used a lot less often. It’s also very uneven, with lots of dips and the dips often filled with especially squishy dirt. After some time the trail rounded an electrical tower and headed back into the woods and I reconnected with the lake trail. The other end of the South Shore route was also blocked here.
I had no idea whether the detour had added to or shortened my usual run. It was like my brain simply couldn’t do the math while I was still moving. I completed a couple more km before I figured I had run farther. I opted to skip the three optional loop along the north shore and when I finished had covered 11.59 km.
The one negative of the run was again my left foot. It bothered me a little more than usual and I also felt a small stitch starting to develop but I pushed all minor pain and annoyances aside and came in tied for my best pace ever, 4:49/km. I additionally set new personal bests for 1K, 5K, 10K and the mile. They key here may have been the detour, as I was almost feeling winded while running along it. I was mildly paranoid that a construction crew would come along in a truck (I passed one on the way) and the road really has no shoulders so I’d be plunging into the scrub to get out of the way.
Also my per km times are bouncing all over the place. I don’t know if this is due to the way the times are being calculated on the updated Nike+ site or if the sensor is going wacky (it’s nearly three years old) but I may stop listing the individual km times, especially since they are still available on the Nike+ site.
Chart:
| km | Jun 18 | Jun 16 | Jun 13 | Jun 11 | Jun 6 | Jun 4 | Jun 1 | May 30 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4:29 | 4:34 | 4:35 | 4:34 | 4:37 | 4:37 | 4:42 | 4:37 |
| 2 | 4:43 | 4:45 | 4:48 | 4:47 | 4:45 | 4:42 | 4:46 | 4:45 |
| 3 | 4:41 | 4:50 | 4:54 | 4:56 | 4:49 | 4:45 | 4:49 | 4:48 |
| 4 | 4:50 | 4:52 | 4:51 | 4:57 | 4:51 | 4:47 | 4:51 | 4:49 |
| 5 | 4:51 | 4:51 | 4:50 | 5:03 | 4:49 | 4:49 | 4:51 | 4:50 |
| 6 | 4:53 | 4:48 | 4:49 | 5:01 | 4:49 | 4:51 | 4:52 | 4:50 |
| 7 | 4:54 | 4:54 | 4:51 | 5:07 | 4:51 | 4:52 | 4:53 | 4:51 |
| 8 | 4:55 | 4:56 | 4:55 | 5:10 | 4:54 | 4:53 | 4:54 | 4:52 |
| 9 | 4:55 | 4:54 | 4:58 | 5:14 | 4:53 | 4:53 | 4:55 | 4:52 |
| 10 | 4:54 | 4:58 | 4:57 | 5:15 | 4:52 | 4:54 | 4:56 | 4:53 |
| 11 | 4:52 | 4:52 | 4:58 | 5:09 | 4:45 | 4:54 | 4:56 | 4:52 |
