Outdoor runs

I headed out a bit earlier today, though the weather did not threaten showers or anything. Mostly I am warming up (ho ho) to the idea of morning runs. As it turned out, the run itself began exactly at noon.

It was cloudy and cool on the walk to the lake and warmed up one degree, to 4C, by the time I got there. My hands were a bit cold, as were my arms (despite two layers), but it wasn’t horrible or anything, and I knew I would warm up quickly once I started running–which I did.

I made sure to avoid sprinting like a madman because I knew the low temperature would put a strain on my system beyond the normal “oh hey I’m running five km” strain. As it was, my BPM was four higher than the last run, which doesn’t seem bad, except last run’s BPM was weirdly high and today’s is right at the edge of my upper safe limit if you go by the formula of “subtract your age from 220 to get your maximum exercise heart rate.” This is a little concerning, but I actually felt fine during the run. I even felt good on the last km, finding a comfortable pace, so we’ll see how it goes over the next few runs, especially if it remains chilly.

Other than the higher BPM, the run went fine. The trail was not very busy and the few other runners I saw were pretty bundled up and most of them looked vaguely uncomfortable.

This was also the first time since I resumed running in August that I completed all three of my weekly runs–woo! It may actually become a (healthy) habit again.

After the run and as I was walking out from the lake, I saw a Stellar’s Jay hanging out by the stump where Fred the demon squirrel resides, so that was neat, as I’ve never seen one at the lake before.

Stats:

Run 671
Average pace: 6:06/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CCW, short loop back)
Start: 12:00 p.m.
Distance: 5:03 km
Time: 30:42
Weather: Sunny
Temp: 4ºC
Humidity: 67%
Wind: light
BPM: 163
Weight: 179.5
Total distance to date: 4961 km
Devices: Apple Watch Series 5, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: Brooks Caldera 5 (81 km)

I once again checked the weather forecast and the news was grim: Another major deluge on the way today, with the chance of rain increasing as the day progressed. I decided to head out even earlier than my last few runs, just shortly after 9:30 a.m.

I further cut down on the time outdoors by starting the run as soon as I got to the river.

To my surprise, it remained dry for the entire run and the rest of the afternoon (it finally started to rain in the evening). With the temperature again being unseasonably balmy, conditions were downright mild.

And yet I performed worse than the previous river run, not only by being slower, but also having a higher BPM. Boo.

I can only surmise that I was still feeling Monday’s run, my body was not quite ready to start running so early (relatively speaking) and I only did about a 15-minute warm-up walk. Another factor may have been the pace of the first km took a lot of wind out of my proverbial sails (5:50/km), reflected by the fact that it wasn’t until the final km that I began to pick up the pace again.

Oh well. At least I had no issues.

It turns out a lot of people walk their dogs in the morning on the trail and, perhaps strangely, there were a number of people walking pairs of dogs, with the dogs being gigantic. Like taking a couple of ponies out for a morning stretch. They were all leashed, though, so yay for that.

Stats:

Run 670
Average pace: 6:04/km
Location: Brunette River
Start: 9:56 a.m.
Distance: 5:02 km
Time: 30:30
Weather: Cloudy
Temp: 12ºC
Humidity: 90%
Wind: light
BPM: 159
Weight: 178.6
Total distance to date: 4956 km
Devices: Apple Watch Series 5, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: Saucony Switchback ISO (220 km)

Looking at the forecast, It appeared the odds of rain increased through the afternoon, so I once again headed off early to hopefully avoid a shower–and it worked!

As it turned out, it remained dry all through the afternoon, but we still have another weather advisory for The Rains tomorrow to make up for it.

In the interests of speeding (ho ho) things up to avoid inclement weather, I also decided to run the river trail, as it would allow me to wrap up sooner.

This also worked, and despite not pushing, the flatter, wider trail allowed me to sneak in under the six-minute mark again. The weather was actually quite mild at 12C, but I wore two layers in case of wind/rain or windrain. Luckily, there was also no wind, so the layering proved unnecessary (but it was not too warm despite it, so I feel I made the right call).

In terms of issues, my one knee felt a bit creaky for a bit, as did my right ankle, but both worked themselves out as I warmed up, and I managed to push through without any problems. I also ran without my phone, which has started pulling down on my shorts in a way I don’t like. I’m not expecting a wardrobe malfunction or anything, it just feels a bit weird. Maybe the elastic is starting to give out. I could probably use some new shorts, anyway.

In all, a good run and especially nice that I made myself go on a Monday, fearing the worst, weather-wise.

Stats:

Run 669
Average pace: 5:56/km
Location: Brunette River
Start: 11:53 p.m.
Distance: 5:04 km
Time: 29:55
Weather: Cloudy
Temp: 12ºC
Humidity: 90%
Wind: light
BPM: 156
Weight: 179.2
Total distance to date: 4951 km
Devices: Apple Watch Series 5, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: Saucony Switchback ISO (215 km)

I was bad and did not run last week.

I hang my head in shame.

But! I ran today and, surprisingly, pretty much matched my previous pace. My BPM was higher, likely due to the fairly chilly conditions. It took awhile to warm up, and I didn’t regret wearing two layers up top.

I did develop a bit of a stitch in the lower left at one point, but eased up and it went away fairly quickly. The only other issue was the left shoelace coming undone three minutes in. I am thinking of going back to the “laceless” Sauconys for my next run, as they’re still in good condition (I switched to shoes with more support post-plantar fasciitis).

Probably the weirdest part of today’s run was just how many other people were also out running. I counted at least nine others, four of whom I saw before I even began my run. I have no idea why so many were out today. Maybe it’s because I started right around noon (earlier than normal, as I wanted to try beating the rain–which I did, woo). I mean, it’s nice to see others out jogging, so it’s all good.

Two complaints regarding the Apple equipment I use:

• The heart rate chart for runs has been broken for the last few runs. It works perfectly for the walks before and after runs, but shows no data for the actual run itself. I have no idea why this is happening, as I’ve not changed anything.
• Weather conditions are also not being recorded. This has happened before and previously I could fix it by restarting the phone, watch, or both. That worked again this time–but only for one day. And the next reset didn’t help, so I guess I’m hoping for an update from Apple, or maybe I’ll just get a stinking Garmin watch, which doesn’t freak out when its screen gets wet (which is actually one reason I don’t like running in the rain).

Despite the technical glitches, the run overall went well and I double pinkie swear to run again on Wednesday.

Stats:

Run 668
Average pace: 6:02/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CCW, short loop back)
Start: 12:03 p.m.
Distance: 5:02 km
Time: 30:17
Weather: Cloudy
Temp: 6ºC
Humidity: ?%
Wind: light
BPM: 158
Weight: 178.4
Total distance to date: 4946 km
Devices: Apple Watch Series 5, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: Brooks Caldera 5 (76 km)

Today was one of those days when I didn’t know what I was going to do until I not only headed out, but actually started running.

I was originally thinking of just running the river trail, but in the end headed to the lake, opting to mix things up with a clockwise 2.5 km turnaround circuit.

The weather was crisp but otherwise fine–no rain and no real breeze to speak of. I set off, again making an effort to not start out superfast, only to burn out by the midway point. Other than a brief moment of creakiness in my right knee, which quickly resolved itself, I felt good. There wasn’t a lot of people out, but almost all of them had dogs.

When I got to the first boardwalk I spied ahead of me two people each with a dog, taking up the entirety of the boardwalk. I ended up awkwardly squeezing by right near the end. A couple just stepped onto the second boardwalk just moments after I arrived. It was like people were magically dropping onto the boardwalks specifically to form interesting barriers for me.

I passed by other people with large, horse-like dogs, and it occurred to me that I’d have to work my way by all of these people again by doing the short loop back for my 5K. I then decided to just keep going.

Around the 3K mark I opted to see if I could add at least an extra km–and I did! I feel I could have kept going, but was starting to feel a bit tired, so walked the rest of the way out.

A couple of nice things about the run:

• Despite keeping my pace slower, I actually turned in a time close to breaking the six-minute marl–and while adding an extra km as well
• My BPM was lower still
• I’ll throw in no rain, because that’s always nice

I feel like I am starting to find my rhythm again and am cautiously optimistic that I’ll be able to extend my runs farther now.

I don’t have a specific goal for Wednesday (the weather looks like a mixed bag), but if I run at the lake I’ll try to at least do another 6K.

Stats:

Run 667
Average pace: 6:01/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CW)
Start: 2:24 p.m.
Distance: 6.01 km
Time: 36:15
Weather: Cloudy
Temp: 10ºC
Humidity: ?%
Wind: light
BPM: 151
Weight: 177.9
Total distance to date: 4941 km
Devices: Apple Watch Series 5, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: Brooks Caldera 5 (71 km)

Today was the first run in a while in which I experienced actual precipitation.

It wasn’t too bad.

It felt warmer than Monday and it mostly just drizzled, occasionally working up to a light shower. I was again surprised at how many people go out in weather like this, often without seemingly dressing for it.

I again held back a bit for this run, but not quite as much and my pace was a bit faster. My BPM was lower, which was nice.

While I experienced no issues with my actual body, there were a few minor annoyances. I decided to run with just my watch and AirPods. The AirPods worked fine, and I think even my older non-water resistant ones would have been okay in today’s weather. Because it showered on and off, I locked the watch’s display (it goes right squirrelly once it gets a little water on it) and this meant I no longer had access to the volume control for music–unless I had “Hey Siri” enabled for the AirPods–which I did not. It seems to me Apple should find some way to use the physical controls of the watch to still allow control of volume while the display is locked. Right now, turning the crown, which normally adjusts volume, works to unlock the watch. It all just feels a bit clunky.

It was nice not lugging the phone along, though.

The other annoyance was encountering a pair of people walking toward me on the trail. The width of the trail meant one of them would have to allow room for me to pass. One on the left was gabbing into her smartphone, oblivious to all around her. The other was walking a dog the size of a Clydesdale. The woman on the phone did not respond in any way to my approach and I began an awkward dance with the person walking Marmaduke (lol he’s so big!), because I had no idea how to maneuver around both her and the giant dog. I ended up squeezing between the two.

None of this would have happened if the person on the phone had unstuck her eyes from its screen for a few moments, but alas.

Other than that, the other people I passed seemed downright friendly. Some smiled or nodded or even said hello. It was a little weird. Maybe lousy weather bonds people.

Stats:

Run 666
Average pace: 6:09/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CCW)
Start: 1:31 p.m.
Distance: 5.04 km
Time: 31:00
Weather: Drizzle and light showers
Temp: 11ºC
Humidity: 88%
Wind: light
BPM: 152
Weight: 177.8
Total distance to date: 4935 km
Devices: Apple Watch Series 5, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: Brooks Caldera 5 (65 km)

I headed out a bit earlier to avoid possible rain later in the afternoon (which was a good call–it started showering about an hour after I got back) and even though it wasn’t cooler, it felt cooler, particularly at the start of the run, where I kept my hands tucked into the sleeves of my shirt to start.

I deliberately took it slow on this run, starting out slow and every time I felt like I was starting to speed up, I would pull back. As a result, my pace was much slower, but I also felt much better on the run–no stitches, cramps or other weirdness. I think I will keep to this approach as my stamina slowly improves.

I also seem to be running on the same schedule as the putt putt car of doom, as I encountered it again.

There were more people out than expected, but the weather was nice. It’s unlikely to be next time, so I’ll see how many I’ll be sharing the trail with.

Overall, a nice effort and good proof that I shouldn’t push too hard.

Stats:

Run 665
Average pace: 6:12/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CCW)
Start: 1:10 p.m.
Distance: 5.02 km
Time: 31:09
Weather: Cloudy
Temp: 10ºC
Humidity: 57%
Wind: light
BPM: 156
Weight: 179.3
Total distance to date: 4930 km
Devices: Apple Watch Series 5, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: Brooks Caldera 5 (60 km)

I opted to do a short loop at the lake this afternoon, going clockwise for a change of pace.

The complications I encountered were as such:

• I had trouble establishing a rhythm in the first km–I felt like I was constantly on the verge of running out of breath (explanation below)
• Right ankle started to feel tweaked partway through
• The left thigh, still a bit sore from Wednesday, started acting up
• The stitch in my lower left side returned around the halfway mark

The contradiction came in that despite all the above, I finished with my best pace at the lake this year, breaking the six-minute mark and coming in at 5:56/km. My BPM was even lower, too.

Looking at my stats, I can see the culprit for my labored start–I was simply running too fast, despite trying not to do that. My legs apparently have a mind of their own. I fairly blazed at a pace of 5:34/km and this was obviously too fast for me to find any kind of comfortable pace.

The right ankle is one of those weird twitchy things where if I just keep going and don’t push it, it works itself out on its own–as it did.

The thigh was really a minor annoyance.

The left stitch was worrisome, having re-appeared again, but this was likely due to just plain overdoing it. When I hit the halfway mark, I briefly paused the run, walked a bit (I try to avoid coming to a full stop immediately from a run) and took a few moments to re-tie my laces, then set back off. The second half of the run felt much better and I even found a little extra energy for the finish coming down the Avalon trail.

Overall, I’m pleased with the result, while also chastened by the experience. Next time I super-double promise to not put on the afterburners right from the start.

Stats:

Run 664
Average pace: 5:56/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CW)
Start: 2:06 p.m.
Distance: 5.02 km
Time: 29:47
Weather: Sun and cloud
Temp: 10ºC
Humidity: 70%
Wind: light
BPM: 155
Weight: 178.5
Total distance to date: 4925 km
Devices: Apple Watch Series 5, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: Brooks Caldera 5 (55 km)

The atmospheric rivers, that is. It was an increasingly rare day without rain (another rainfall warning is in effect for tonight as I write this), so I was eager to get out for a run. Since I headed off a bit earlier I decided to do a full loop around the lake, running the first 5K and walking the rest.

I kept to a more moderate pace and roughly around the 3K mark developed a stitch in my lower left side. I slowed a bit more and after a minute or so it went away. No other issues presented themselves, other than a few hard-to-avoid puddles.

In the end, I surprised myself by putting in my best pace for a lake run this year at 6:04/km. Maybe I was pushing harder than I realized, hence the stitch.

Although I am now pooped and my legs are a tad sore, it was a good run and I look forward to more of these where I am less pooped and not as sore because my legs will be strong and awesome again.

Stats:

Run 663
Average pace: 6:04/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CCW)
Start: 1:44 p.m.
Distance: 5.03 km
Time: 30:30
Weather: Cloudy
Temp: 13ºC
Humidity: 76%
Wind: light
BPM: 158
Weight: 179.8
Total distance to date: 4920 km
Devices: Apple Watch Series 5, iPhone 12
Shoes: Brooks Caldera 5 (50 km)

Bonus shot of the trail I took after I finished the run. It’s all fall-like up in the hizzy.

I missed running yesterday due to setting up the dual monitors (and also by coincidence the weather was poo–and I swear it really was a coincidence!), but I headed out today under cloudy skies that promised no real chance of rain until later in the day.

As it turned out, the temperature got all the way up to 17C, which is downright balmy for this time of year. I was actually sweating even before I started the run.

I did a short loop at the lake, but chose to mix things up a little. I took the Spruce and Conifer loops on the way in, and the Piper Mill trail on the way back, but didn’t double up on any of the side trails. This turned out to mean I actually didn’t hit 5K by the time I was back at the dam. Oops. But I only had to jog for another 20 seconds or so, so no biggie.

More importantly, I had no issues during the run–I didn’t even have to use the loo despite having the world’s tiniest bladder. Hooray. The one possible issue was a brief moment of tightness in the back of my right calf, near the top, but it went away after a few seconds.

As to the putt putt car (I can never remember what they are actually called), I was turning a sharp corner on the Conifer Loop when a putt putt car nearly bapped into me. It was blowing leaves and debris off the trail and I felt the gushing air as it toodled past me. I think the driver was actually supposed to stop to let me go by, but there was no time, so I don’t blame him.

Later, while running back and bypassing the side trails (which I normally don’t do), I noticed a couple standing off to the side of the trail ahead, on the opposite side to me. They didn’t seem to be doing anything, which seemed weird. It turned out the same putt putt car of doom was rounding another corner and it had cut wide to avoid the couple–putting it perilously close to me. I got off the trail to let it pass without falling into a pile of skunk cabbage, but still. It was like a scene out of “Trucks.” But with a driver. And less death.

Anyway, the run went well, and I even shaved a few seconds off my pace from the previous run. In theory, I run again tomorrow. We’ll see if I stick to that or just move it to Sunday.

Stats:

Run 662
Average pace: 6:10/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CCW)
Start: 2:13 p.m.
Distance: 5.02 km
Time: 30:58
Weather: Cloudy
Temp: 17ºC
Humidity: 50%
Wind: light
BPM: 157
Weight: 179.8
Total distance to date: 4915 km
Devices: Apple Watch Series 5, iPhone 12
Shoes: Brooks Caldera 5 (45 km)

My partner gently suggested I go for a run this afternoon, and after pondering how busy the trail would be tomorrow, my usual run day, due to the Thanksgiving holiday, I was persuaded to don my jogging stuff and get out there.

The conditions were fine, although there was a good breeze blowing, which made me glad to be wearing a long-sleeved shirt for the non-run parts.

Because I have been bad/lazy and haven’t run for a bit, I adopted a slower pace right from the start and indeed, I came in five seconds off my last outing. My BPM was the same, but I chalk that up to the cool wind and letting myself get flabby and losing that slight edge I had on stamina.

I swear I’ll do better going forward!

The run itself was uneventful. A stitch threatened at one point, but never materialized. The trail was quite busy, though–not really surprising, given it was a sunny Sunday afternoon. It was right on the edge of annoying, but I was in an easily-annoyed mood today, too. Really, it was fine.

I did run in spurts post-5K, but mostly to get around people. I also saw some snow geese on the fields, which was neat. They are here migrating through the area. I also saw a snake slither into the grass ahead of me. No bunnies this time, though.

Stats:

Run 661
Average pace: 6:12/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CCW)
Start: 2:09 p.m.
Distance: 5.04 km
Time: 31:16
Weather: Sunny
Temp: 13ºC
Humidity: 56%
Wind: light to high
BPM: 156
Weight: 181.1
Total distance to date: 4910 km
Devices: Apple Watch Series 5, iPhone 12
Shoes: Brooks Caldera 5 (40 km)