Run 550
Average pace: 5:26/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CCW)
Start: 11:49 pm
Distance: 10.04 km
Time: 54:39
Weather: Cloudy, cold
Temp: 1ºC
Humidity: 67%
Wind: light to moderate
BPM: 175
Weight: 157.9 pounds
Total distance to date: 4275 km
Devices: Apple Watch, iPhone
With the temperature just above freezing this morning I took some extra time pondering how to dress, wanting to avoid both overdressing and underdressing (the former is usually a lot more likely). I initially settled on two layers up top and my usual shorts. I went outside and after maybe 20 steps turned around, went back in and switched the shorts in favor of my running pants, which I have not work for multiple years.
The pants are comfy and work well, but they lack pockets and a liner, meaning that without a jacket (I wore a sleeveless shirt as the base layer and my heavier gray long-sleeved running shirt as the outer) meant I had no place to keep my hands warm while walking to the lake. I debated gloves but again, had on place to put them if my hands got hot and sweaty. I was forced to wear undies but again lack proper running undies (something that wicks, unless my normal underwear) but I figured it was cold enough that it shouldn’t be a big issue.
Clothing verdict:
Top: Base layer and outer layer worked well. I stayed warm but did not get sweaty and yucky.
Bottom: Running pants were fine, though my tush felt slightly cool toward the end.
Gloves-free: My hands started to warm up a few km in but by around the 6-7 km mark they were getting cold again. It would have been nice to have had gloves.
I may look for a better running jacket (the one I have is fairly small and a bit snug for my liking) so I can wear gloves then stash them in the pockets if I want to take them off. New running pants with pockets and possibly a liner (or sexy sports undies) would be good, too.
The run itself stood out in a few ways. It was easily the coldest run I’ve done in quite awhile, which may also partly explain my really high BPM (175!). The leaves were so thick in some areas that you could not see the edges of the trail, just leaves and more leaves. Fortunately it was dry so it wasn’t like running on a field of banana peels.
Oh, and it snowed. Sure, the flakes were tiny and they didn’t stick, but there was actual snow falling during a run for the first time in years.
Damn snow.
My pace was 11 seconds faster than the last 10K at 5:26/km but I’m feeling a bit stiff now. Hopefully once I’m into a regular routine again for a bit my legs will revert back to normal runner legs.
Overall, a good run in cold conditions.
