Outdoor runs

I changed things up a little for today’s run. It looked like it might be as low as 2C when I headed out, so I opted to wear my running pants. It turned out to be 4C, but I didn’t exactly sweat with the pants, so no biggie there. They’re also nice because I don’t need the belt to tuck my phone in.

My bladder basically decided the route. I had to go before starting, so I opted to run clockwise, since I was already over that way, by the Jiffy John™.

I started out well, then flagged a bit on the second and third km, before picking up and finishing stronger, for an overall pace of 5:46/km. My BPM was higher at 150 and the run did feel harder, possibly a combination of not sleeping as well last night and the cold, which for the past few foggy days, kind of seeps right through anything you’re wearing.

Still, it was sunny and I further mixed things up by running the back half along the Freeway Trail. I normally avoid this trail, but today I chose it for the very reason I usually avoid it–it’s wide-open vistas. That is, I thought it would be less likely to have frosty/slippery sections because it is fully exposed. It turned out that was only half-true, because I was about an hour too early and the sun hadn’t climbed high enough to de-ice all of it. But it was still fine.

The miscalculation came when I turned off the main trail. I realized I’d done so too soon and jogged a bit up the Freeway Trail before turning back to compensate, but as you can see in the map below, I still ended up overshooting where I started. Not a big deal, just a minor boo-boo.

Overall, not a bad run and still better than running in the rain.

Stats:

Run 1,003
Average pace: 5:46/km
Training status: Maintaining
Location: Burnaby Lake (CW, short loop)
Start: 11:12 a.m.
Distance: 5.03 km
Time: 28:59
Weather: Sunny
Temp: 4°C
Humidity: 77-78%
Wind: light
BPM: 150
Weight: 169.3 pounds
Total distance to date: 6,845 km
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 265, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: Saucony Peregrine 15 (105/159/264)

Music: Long Distance Voyager, The Moody Blues

I am back to my regular running schedule after last week’s weirdness.

It was sunny but chilly, as befits winter, but my three layers kept me warm and it actually felt nice on the sunny parts of the trail. Conditions were good–the titular frost in the shady areas was not an issue, as most of it was on the trees and vegetation, not the trail itself. The pavement and sidewalks to and from the lake were worse.

I decided on a short loop, as I started a little later in the morning. This was deliberate, as I wanted it to warm up and thaw a little to avoid icy conditions.

For whatever reason I was feeling a lot peppier than the last run and except for flagging a bit on the second km (I may have been a little too zesty on the first) I was averaging a very consistent pace, finishing with a solid 5:42/km and a BPM of 144. I am pleased with this.

A fair number of other joggers were out, all bundled up with their gloves and toques, but I suppose any sunny days in winter are prime for running, especially when it’s above freezing.

In all, a good start to the week.

Stats:

Run 1,002
Average pace: 5:42/km
Training status: Maintaining
Location: Burnaby Lake (CCW, short loop)
Start: 11:21 a.m.
Distance: 5.03 km
Time: 28:41
Weather: Sunny
Temp: 4-5°C
Humidity: 82-83%
Wind: light
BPM: 144
Weight: 169.0 pounds
Total distance to date: 6,840 km
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 265, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: Saucony Peregrine 15 (100/155/255)

Music: Shuffle mode (but mostly Pink Floyd's song "Echoes")

Today marked an official milestone (kilometrestone?): My 1,000th recorded run. Woo! I’ve actually done more than a thousand runs, but I didn’t record the first bunch, though I’ve been pretty diligent for most of the time I’ve been running (starting in 2009).

Today’s run was pretty normal, the only thing of note were squirrels. On average, I don’t see squirrels on my runs at the lake, but today I saw four–and three different kinds. At one point, a black squirrel on the side of the trail saw me coming and scampered further into the brush, as they do. A few paces past it, another black squirrel did the exact same thing, as if this was some Disney animatronic nature show. It was both cute and weird.

Despite being 7C, it felt colder than Wednesday’s run. The air was clammy, and the sky was dark and broody. But it didn’t rain! Because I was reasonably confident I would not get soaked, I did a regular 5K, instead of a short loop, and got to see more remnants of the big storm from a few weeks ago. The trail along the sports fields was a puddletastrophe again, but I carefully picked my way through and managed to keep my feet dry. I could see where a few trees had fallen and been cleaned up at various points. The trail was also just plain sloughing away in several spots, surrounded by orange traffic cones and some temporary gravel fill.

As for me, I didn’t experience any issues, but I felt a bit slower, probably from the clamminess. My pace was pretty consistent throughout, though, without any big dips, and I finished strong. My average was 5:43/km, and my BPM was back down at 143.

Overall, a nice wrap to the week. Here’s to the next 1,000 runs!

My total distance of 6830 km, as represented on Google Maps:

And a more down-to-earth shot, post-run:

Stats:

Run 1,000
Average pace: 5:43/km
Training status: Productive
Location: Burnaby Lake (CW)
Start: 12:50 p.m.
Distance: 5.03 km
Time: 28:45
Weather: Cloudy
Temp: 7°C
Humidity: 90%
Wind: light
BPM: 143
Weight: 169.4 pounds
Total distance to date: 6,830 km
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 265, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: Saucony Peregrine 15 (90/146/236)

Music: I Robot, The Alan Parsons Project

I was busy in the morning and almost pondered skipping today’s run, which would have been bad, because the weather was actually decent. Instead, I ran in the early afternoon and still went to the lake, as the sun is no longer setting at 1:48 p.m.

And it was pretty close to the same performance as Friday’s run on the river trail, except for a few notable details:

• The lake is a somewhat more technical trail, so a similar performance here means I was actually performing better, woo.
• My BPM was an average of only 140, maxing out at 151. This is unusually low, but not so low that it can simply be written off as a wrong reading. Still, it suggests something. Stronger heart? Better shape? Phase of moon?

The trail was not too busy and conditions were pretty decent–no big puddles or debris to dodge. In the last km I even passed another couple running ahead of me. I didn’t really want to, because they weren’t running that much faster, but I wanted to slow down even less. Once I was past, I felt an urge to be kind of macho and keep a strong pace up to widen the gap, which led to my best km. My overall pace was 5:44/km.

Also, my training status is now back to Productive. I am back onboard the Running Train.

My lower heart rate may have been helped at the 1K mark, where my right shoelace came untied. I tied it before the run. I tied it again at the 1K mark. I tied it at the end of the run. This is the most wanting-to-be-untied shoelace I have ever encountered. It’s getting a tiny bit annoying now, and I may have to look into alternate methods of securing the laces on these shoes.

Otherwise, a good start to the week.

Stats:

Run 998
Average pace: 5:44/km
Training status: Productive
Location: Burnaby Lake (CCW, short loop)
Start: 1:15 p.m.
Distance: 5.03 km
Time: 28:50
Weather: Cloudy
Temp: 6°C
Humidity: 77-75%
Wind: light
BPM: 140 (!)
Weight: 168.5 pounds
Total distance to date: 6,820 km
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 265, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: Saucony Peregrine 15 (80/129/209)

Music: Songs in the Attic, Billy Joel

I had been hoping to hit 1,000 official™ runs this year, but then your body makes you go to the ER and things happen, so instead I end with 996 runs and I should hit 1,000 sometimes in the first week or so of the new year. And that’s fine.

Today, a week after my last run–which was also on a Tuesday–I waddled off to the lake (I am a whopping 3.2 pounds heavier than the last run) and…it went decently!

It was a later start because I wasn’t sure I would even run today, but it seemed prudent to go today with the weather being dry, if cool. I saw a decent number of people, including a lot of joggers, though none of the regulars. One guy had the temerity to run past me. But he was wearing gloves, so I was still more manly.

I got to see the aftermath of the windstorm from the other side and it looks like at least one giant tree uprooted itself on the Southshore Trail, along with several smaller ones. The trail was clear today, though the beating it’s taken has left the normally unseen underlay/mesh exposed in multiple places, almost to where it’s a tripping hazard.

Although it was 6C and the weather app said it felt like 6C, it felt colder. The air was damp enough that my minimal facial hair was dripping throughout. I felt clammy and cold walking home, despite three layers. But maybe I added a few more hairs to my chest.

The run yo-yo’d a bit in terms of pace, but I felt fine and finished with an overall pace of 5:47/km and a BPM of 147. My Detraining status has now reverted to Maintaining. Overall, I am pleased and should now resume a more regular run routine.

Stats:

Run 996
Average pace: 5:47/km
Training status: Maintaining
Location: Burnaby Lake (CW, short loop)
Start: 1:10 p.m.
Distance: 5.03 km
Time: 29:07
Weather: Partly sunny
Temp: 6°C
Humidity: 84%
Wind: light
BPM: 147
Weight: 169.8 pounds
Total distance to date: 6,810 km
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 265, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: Saucony Peregrine 15 (70/117/187)

Music: Murmur, R.E.M.

I’m a day late with my run because of the timing of yesterday’s doctor’s appointment, the weather, and possibly the alignment of the moon.

The forecast promised rain by early afternoon, but I wanted to run at the lake, so I split the difference and did a short loop, which saves me about 45–50 minutes of walking. Plus, I didn’t really want to do all that extra walking, anyway. 8 km seems like plenty.

Conditions were similar to the last run at the lake, though a smidgen warmer at 4C (the weather app said wind made it feel like 2C, but wind was a non-factor for me). I was a bit slower, but managed to improve my pace throughout and had an average of 5:42/km, which is fine. BPM remained at 146 again and I got a new max HR of 163. I can’t remember if this is higher or lower. I very rarely hit 160, so it’s also fine.

There weren’t many people out, possibly because the chilliness offset the relatively mild conditions, but there was an assortment of joggers, walkers and birders (I could not see what they were looking at, but a few were staring intently in one direction on one part of the trail. I did see a Steller’s Jay myself, though!)

We had another windstorm pass through yesterday, so there were some twigs and small branches scattered about, but nothing like the debris field of the last run here.

Here’s the Spruce Loop from last week:

And today:

With the trail clear, I was able to complete my run without having to stop, walk, duck or divert. As an extra bonus, I also didn’t have my shoelaces come untied. Nice.

A good start to the week.

Stats:

Run 995
Average pace: 5:42/km
Training status: Maintaining
Location: Burnaby Lake (CCW, short loop)
Start: 9:53 a.m.
Distance: 5.03 km
Time: 28:41
Weather: Mostly cloudy
Temp: 4°C
Humidity: 90-87%
Wind: light
BPM: 146
Weight: 166.6 pounds
Total distance to date: 6,805 km
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 265, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: Saucony Peregrine 15 (65/109/174)

Music: Lifes Rich Pageant, R.E.M.

With the sun out, I was not going to miss running today. I’d had three days off as my December run schedule has been beset by appointments and bad weather (also, my treadmill is currently out of service, so no backup).

I headed out a little later than usual–just after 10 a.m., and was greeted with the expected debris of twigs and small branches littering the trails after last night’s windstorm passed through the area, with gusts up to 80-90 km/h.

However, I was not entirely prepared for the level of destruction at Burnaby Lake. I ran a short loop, which means I only saw a relatively small section of the 10 km loop, but there were multiple trees down, including what appeared to be at least two fir trees that may have formed a suicide pact about 1 km along the run, on the Spruce Loop:

I had to detour back to the main trail, then headed up to the Conifer Loop, hoping it would be passable (it was). But just to the right where the Conifer and Spruce Loops intersect was this:

There was another large tree down on the Piper Mill trail and a couple plus another runner and I all bottled up at it, working our way over it.

This led to the overall run being a bit of a crazy quilt, with odd turns and pauses all over. I started out with a casual pace of 5:56/km, but the last few km were unobstructed by debris, so I managed an overall pace of 5:45/km. My BPM was a pretty low 146. It was chilly at 6-7C, but I probably didn’t need to wear three layers.

This was also my first run wearing the Garmin Forerunner 265, which is different mainly by having an AMOLED display vs. the 255. It is quite a bit brighter, but I need to adjust the stats it displays during a run. Bafflingly, it doesn’t include distance on the main face.

Overall, an interesting change of pace, given the conditions, but otherwise a finee mid-week effort.

Stats:

Run 993
Average pace: 5:45/km
Training status: Maintaining
Location: Burnaby Lake (CCW, short loop)
Start: 11:03 a.m.
Distance: 5.03 km
Time: 28:57
Weather: Sunny
Temp: 6-7°C
Humidity: 78-75%
Wind: light
BPM: 146
Weight: 167.6 pounds
Total distance to date: 6,795 km
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 265, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: Saucony Peregrine 15 (55/97/152)

Music: Shuffle mode

Birding was cancelled due to illness, but I was not the ill one, so I decided to take advantage of the one day in the 10-day forecast that doesn’t mention rain and went out for a run. This was also handy because I did not feel like running yesterday after my PET scan.

I dressed in two layers and even that almost felt like too much. It was 11C, which is well above normal for this time of year. My plan was to run clockwise, then reverse course and walk back the way I came, avoiding Puddletown by the sport fields.

The puddles weren’t totally inescapable, though, as the marshy area just past the rowing pavilion is a little flooded and at several points there are trail-wide shallow puddles that make you scan and look for the best option:

• Go left
• Go right
• Go through and try to hit the exposed bits of trail
• Vault over the whole thing

With one such puddle, I determined left was the best approach. As it happened, another runner was coming from the other side and was thinking the same thing. As I was arriving first, he paused to let me dipsy-doodle past, then continued on. Runners are generally very polite to each other.

There was a new extra-tree, but it weirdly seemed to fall in such a way to leave most of the trail clear. Even the ex-trees are polite here!

Other than a few cyclists just past the puddle in question (near the end of the run), I experienced no issues, and the pair of cyclists were at least riding slow. I still said, “Bicycles aren’t allowed” to the second cyclist as I ran by. I am not convinced they were wracked with guilt afterward.

Also, I passed not one, but TWO pairs of runners. And I don’t mean sneakers sitting on the ground, I mean actual people out jogging. Admittedly, both pairs were being rather casual and chatting, but still.

Also also, my pace was still a decent 5:39/km and my BPM was down to 147, likely due to the much milder temperatures. Although the sun poked out a little post-run, it was cloudy and calm during.

In all, a perfectly pleasant rare weekend outing.

Stats:

Run 992
Average pace: 5:39/km
Training status: Maintaining
Location: Burnaby Lake (CW)
Start: 10:53 a.m.
Distance: 5.03 km
Time: 28:26
Weather: Cloudy
Temp: 11°C
Humidity: 90%
Wind: light
BPM: 147
Weight: 167.6 pounds
Total distance to date: 6,790 km
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 255 Music, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: Saucony Peregrine 15 (50/89/139)

Music: Shuffle mode

I missed Friday’s run for reasons and postponed my usual Monday run due to a rainfall warning. The warning proved to be quite accurate.

But today the weather was milder and with no threat of rain, I headed out. I debated a short loop but in the end, the conditions persuaded me to do a regular 5K. I stopped at the first boardwalk to retie my left shoelace (Ol’ Loosey, I call it now), but generally the run went without issue. Two things to note, though:

• Somewhere around the 4K mark or so I almost started to develop a cramp. I didn’t, but IU could feel it trying. I was probably just pushing too hard.
• My left foot twinged a few times, never quite hurting, per se, but getting close, if that makes sense. One theory is the foam in the insoles of the shoes is starting to compress, so it might not be providing enough support. I may end up having to put my grubby old orthotics back in.

Overall, though, I maintained a good pace throughout, and even on the 4th where I lagged a bit, it was only by seven seconds. I saw Servo Girl, too, so at least some of the regulars are still getting out.

As mentioned, conditions were relatively mild. I probably only needed two layers, but three did not prove to be uncomfortable. The trail was generally in good shape, though the branches (and twigs) were indeed out, scattered all over the place. I guess yesterday’s storm had something to do with the debris. I finished the run and was perfectly dry, then had to face Puddle Town by the sports fields and ending up spraying mud up one leg and generally getting my feet quite wet, because the puddles are too big to avoid and the edges are all soft and murky. I will be writing to Metro Vancouver, because I’ve been running here for 14 years and they have never addressed the regular flooding on this section of trail.

Other than that, it was a pretty good run.

Stats:

Run 991
Average pace: 5:33/km
Training status: Maintaining
Location: Burnaby Lake (CW)
Start: 9:47 a.m.
Distance: 5.03 km
Time: 27:56
Weather: Mix of sun and cloud
Temp: 7-8°C
Humidity: 91-90%
Wind: light
BPM: 153
Weight: 167.6 pounds
Total distance to date: 6,785 km
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 255 Music, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: Saucony Peregrine 15 (45/76/121)

Music: Beauty and the Beat, The Go-Go's