I set off a little bit earlier for a run where conditions were similar to the previous in terms of weather (sunny) but a bit cooler by two degrees. This and going the “hard” way around Burnaby Lake meant my pace was a tad slower and my BPM a tad higher, but both were still fine.
I did something that made my right hip a bit sore yesterday (not a run day) and was concerned it might affect my run, but I think jogging actually helped it, because it wasn’t an issue and feels better (for now, at least).
The only off-note was another Off-leash Friday. Whether it’s a coincidence or not, it seems like people are more likely to have dogs off-leas on Fridays. At least they proved to not be problematic. The only one that approached me was post-run, and it was a tiny white furball.
Overall, it was nice to end the week with a full-deal run and to experience no issues. Here’s to getting slimmer, getting stronger and tackling 10Ks again, possibly as we shift over to spring next month.
Still Creek and bridge, post-run.
Run 850
Average pace: 5:47/km
Training status: Productive
Location: Burnaby Lake (CCW)
Start: 120:58 a.m.
Distance: 5:03 km
Time: 29:07
Weather: Sunny
Temp: 5-6ºC
Humidity: 72-68%
Wind: light
BPM: 153
Weight: 172.0
Total distance to date: 6140 km
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 255 Music, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: HOKA Speedgoat 5 (275/513/788 km)
Brunette River, pre-run. Maybe looking just a smidgen like early spring.
Quite often it happens this way: I don’t feel like running, I faff about doing other stuff, I finally convince myself to get out, then have a really good run.
That basically happened today. By the time I headed out, it was just past 11 a.m. But it was unexpectedly sunny, and the temperature had warmed to a relatively mild 7C, so conditions were good. In the interest of time, I ran the river trail, and it was fairly quiet, despite the later hour.
I came out of the gate a little hot with a pace of 5:38/km, which led to a bit of a sag for the next two km, but recovered for the final two and ended with a flourish, with my overall pace being 5:44/km, besting my last two runs. My BPM also edged down a little lower at 149. I was almost two pounds lighter than on Monday’s run, so I was slightly more aerodynamic, too.
With no issues to report, this was a perfectly fine mid-week run.
Brunette River, post-run.
Run 849
Average pace: 5:44/km
Training status: Productive
Location: Brunette River Trail
Start: 11:19 a.m.
Distance: 5:03 km
Time: 28:51
Weather: Sunny
Temp: 7-8ºC
Humidity: 70%
Wind: light
BPM: 149
Weight: 172.3
Total distance to date: 6135 km
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 255 Music, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: HOKA Speedgoat 5 (270/500/770 km)
View from Cariboo Dam, pre-run. It got progressively cloudier as I jogged.
Today’s run was weird and a bit contradictory, but in a good sort of way.
First, it was cooler–only 5C. I wore two layers up top, and it was a little chilly walking to the lake, but tolerable, and I was fine for the run. I did try my windbreaker before heading out, but it’s a little too snug due to my current blimp-like shape. But I’ll be able to wear it again, probably by the time the weather warms up and I won’t need it.
Normally cooler weather means I need to work harder, yet my BPM of 150 was actually lower than Friday’s run, when it was a balmy 9C. Yet it felt like I was working harder, as if my heart rate and stamina have someone become disassociated from each other. Like I said, weird.
Once again, no issues on the run, though I started lagging a lot on the 4th km, with my pace drooping to 5:59/km. This surprised me, so I put in a little more effort on the final km (5:33/km) and ended up matching Friday’s pace of 5:48/km. I’m happy with that.
The trail was pretty empty for the most part, with only a few other joggers and a couple others out walking. The only doggo was on a leash and jogging alongside its owner (who I’ve seen several times now, possibly a new regular).
Overall, a good way to start the week.
Brunette River, post-run, about 2.5 km east of the dam
Run 848
Average pace: 5:48/km
Training status: Strained
Location: Burnaby Lake (CW, short loop)
Start: 9:45 a.m.
Distance: 5:03 km
Time: 29:10
Weather: Cloudy
Temp: 5ºC
Humidity: 75%
Wind: light
BPM: 150
Weight: 174.2
Total distance to date: 6130 km
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 255 Music, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: HOKA Speedgoat 5 (265/496/761 km)
Overdressed alert: I actually came back in after stepping outside and put on a second layer. It turned out I didn’t need it, though it was probably nice to have for the walk to the lake. It had started to lightly sprinkle, and I was thinking of cold rain, but the shower eased up and it stayed dry for the run.
My original plan was to do a quick one-hour workout by running the river trail. I managed to talk myself into doing a short loop at the lake and then, while running, talked myself into going all the way around the lake.
When I finished the run, my watch declared my training status as Productive. Yay! When I completed the 5K walk around the lake, it declared my training status Overreaching. Whoopsie!
The run went fine, with no issues other than me just slowly getting back into shape. Unlike Wednesday, there was no danger of me coming in over 6:00/km, and my overall pace of 5:48/km was a seven-second improvement. My BPM was even slightly lower. The only complication was a dry catch in my throat around the 3 km mark. As this point in a run I am breathing through my mouth (insert joke here), which means I was pulling in air onto this dry patch in my throat, which made it worse. It settled down after a few minutes, but was a bit annoying in the interim.
What wasn’t annoying were the people and dogs on the trail. Every dog was leashed, and all the owners saw me coming and made room for me to pass. Everyone was so friendly and polite! It almost threw me off. I almost expected a dragon or something to appear later to compensate.
But no dragons appeared.
And then on the river trail coming back I spotted extremely early blooms. We’re only halfway through winter. This is weird, but pleasant.
Riverside blooms, an unexpected sight in early February.
Overall, I’m pleased with my first full week back running. Here’s hoping my knees and other assorted body parts cooperate as I rebuild my stamina for an eventual return to 10K outings.
Stats:
Run 847
Average pace: 5:48/km
Training status: Overreaching (oops)
Location: Burnaby Lake (CCW)
Start: 10:44 a.m.
Distance: 5:03 km
Time: 29:11
Weather: Cloudy
Temp: 9ºC
Humidity: 88-89%
Wind: light
BPM: 153
Weight: 175.4
Total distance to date: 6125 km
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 255 Music, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: HOKA Speedgoat 5 (260/488/748 km)
View from Cariboo Dam, pre-run. Gloomy but once again very mild.
Conditions were nearly identical to Monday, with temperatures still well above normal. I wore my long-sleeved shirt because light rain was in the forecast. For the run itself, it was unnecessary, but it helped on the walk to the lake and back.
I originally planned to do a short loop clockwise, but once I started I abandoned the plan and just kept running. Why?
I generally don’t like doubling back the same way I’ve come. The lake trail works great for this because it’s over 10 km long.
I was curious to see the damage on the rest of the trail.
I felt I need to keep pushing to get myself back into shape (but not too hard–still sticking to 5K runs for now. I remember The Knees of 2023).
The run went well. I managed my goal, which was to be under 6:00/km, coming in at 5:55/km. It was close on the fourth km, where my time edged up to 5:59/km, but I tapped my inner reserve of magic running whatsit and got through. No issues to report, either, other than being a bit tired because I’m still getting used to my regular run routine again.
Most of the run was dry and when it did rain, it was more an intermittent drizzle, which was perfectly tolerable. The trail is mostly in good shape, but several sections were washed out, and I noticed a few more ex-trees that had been cleared away. The last few winters have been merciless on this place.
Still, it was good to be out again, and I’m looking forward to it feeling a little easier. I know the mild weather won’t last, but here’s hoping, even if it means horrible climate change or something.
Post-run, I noticed a lot of buds trail-side. I would not have expected this in January!
Stats:
Run 846
Average pace: 5:55/km
Training status: Productive
Location: Burnaby Lake (CW)
Start: 11:09 a.m.
Distance: 5:03 km
Time: 29:45
Weather: Cloudy with intermittent drizzle and light rain
Temp: 12-13ºC
Humidity: 83%
Wind: light
BPM: 154
Weight: 174.9
Total distance to date: 6120 km
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 255 Music, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: HOKA Speedgoat 5 (255/475/730 km)
View from Cariboo Dam, pre-run. A bit misty but very mild.
I am still soft and flabby, but at least the snow is gone. In fact, not only was the snow gone from the trail, it was up to 5 degrees above normal–and this is in the morning, hours before the high temperature for the day. It’s kind of weird running in January and having it feel more like early April.
I opted to wear my summer running clothes: shirts and a t-shirt. And it was fine! Even a long-sleeved shirt would have felt overdressed.
I did a short loop counter-clockwise and got to see the latest havoc the rains have wreaked on the trail, with several areas washed out and traffic cones in place.
A couple of trees were down, though they had already been cleared. We have gone from unusually warm to unusually cold and back to unusually warm all in the space of weeks, so it’s probably playing quite the number on the soil and vegetation.
As for the actual run, no issues encountered, and I felt OK–less tired than the previous run. My pace was a bit slower, as expected, on the more technical lake trail, sitting a little over 6:00/km. I managed 5:48/km for the last km, which brought my overall pace to 6:00/km even, the same as my last run (total times between the runs separated by only one second, which is a little freaky).
My training status has also jumped back up to Productive. My Garmin watch is happy again.
There were more people than usual out waling, probably due to the mild and, for the moment, dry conditions, but the extra bodies resulted in no issues.
Overall, it was good to be back on the trail, to run without dressing in multiple layers, and to not get soaked to my butt. I probably won’t escape getting damp on the next run, but for now I am content.
The lake, post-run. Glassy water, mist and light cloud.
Stats:
Run 845
Average pace: 6:00/km
Training status: Productive
Location: Burnaby Lake (CCW, short loop)
Start: 9:55 a.m.
Distance: 5:03 km
Time: 30:10
Weather: Cloudy
Temp: 12-13ºC
Humidity: 89%
Wind: light
BPM: 154
Weight: 175.3
Total distance to date: 6115 km
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 255 Music, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: HOKA Speedgoat 5 (250/462/712 km)
Between the snow and other stuff, it has been 22 days since I last ran outside (I did do a 5K treadmill run last week). With the snow finally melted enough, I took to the river trail (along with about three other guys) to get in a 5K run.
And even though my BPM was a perfectly fine 151, it felt a lot harder than it looked. My training status, per my Garmin watch, has been Strained for a week or so now, and today’s run did not change that, though it should hopefully shift to Recovery soon™.
Although most of the snow is gone, there’s enough slush along the trail to still require threading the slush at times, and one spot in particular it was still mysteriously forming a pancake-like patch to slip on. I figure it should finally be completely gone in the next few days. It made today’s run more challenging, but mostly more annoying.
The first km started fine, then on the second km, something happened. I’m not sure what, exactly, but my pace cratered. Observe:
Every km before and after was in the 5:52-5:55 range. Maybe I was having trouble navigating the slush? Maybe I just wanted to curl up in a ball?
Overdressed alert: At the 2K mark, I came to the conclusion that I had overdressed. I saw another guy wearing shorts and a long-sleeved short and thought that was the right way to do it (though he was also wearing gloves, and 7C is way too warm for gloves unless wind chill is like -10C or something). I wore my Nike shirt, OR jacket and running pants. When I reached 2K, I paused the run to tie my jacket around my waist, and it made me feel lighter and faster. I mean, I was faster than the second km, so maybe it worked! I will keep this in mind for the next run. The light rain was inconsequential in terms of how I dressed.
As I was nearing the 1 km mark, I encountered a group of people that had spread themselves across the entire width of the trail. Three of them were in my “lane” and I wasn’t going to move. The first two moved aside as I neared. The last one, a guy holding an umbrella, actually exclaimed (a loud sound of being startled) and literally leapt out of the way. It was the kind of thing you normally only see in a sitcom. It amused me. Maybe it threw me off and affected my pace. Maybe comedy and running don’t mix.
Anyway, it was good to finally get out again, even if conditions were kind of bleah. Hopefully the trails will at least be free of snow the next time.
Stay in your slushy lane
Run 844
Average pace: 6:00/km
Training status: Strained
Location: Brunette River Trail
Start: 12:02 p.m.
Distance: 5:03 km
Time: 30:09
Weather: Light rain
Temp: 7ºC
Humidity: 93%
Wind: light
BPM: 151
Weight: 173.4
Total distance to date: 6110 km
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 255 Music, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: HOKA Speedgoat 5 (245/454/699 km)
I thought the snow had melted enough due to The Rains, so headed out to do a possible river run, my first outdoor run since all the snow and freezing and such. But I was greeted by this at the gate:
Not exactly optimal running conditions. It was also pouring hard. But I was committed, so I set forth…on a walk.
I walked to the dam at Burnaby Lake, slipping minimally, but my pace was much slower than average–over 10 minutes/km for most of the time. No traction.
On the way back, I decided to try running for a bit on the narrow ruts made in the snow by service vehicles, and it sort of worked. I wasn’t very fast, but I never felt I was going to face-plant, which is always a plus when running. But I only ran on and off for 2 km or so. It was just not very enjoyable.
The good news is that with all the rain that’s been falling the past few days, the slush and snow should be even further diminished by Wednesday, so I might be able to do a full, actual run outdoors then. Oh, to dream.
Cariboo Dam, midway point of the walk.
Stats:
Walk 102
Average pace: 9:44/km
Location: Brunette River trail/Burnaby Lake
Distance: 8.02 km
Time: 1:18:03
Weather: Rain
Temp: 6°C
Humidity: 99%
Wind: light
BPM: 128
Weight: 174.9 pounds
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 255
Total distance to date: 762.46 km
Yes, today I got on the treadmill (as it continues snowing outside) and actually did a full 5K run for the first time in about a hundred years. I think the calibration on the watch vs. the treadmill may be off because the laps were going faster on the watch, but I still ran for about 28 minutes, which is about right for a 5K. I may do a short (1-2 km) run later on to recalibrate things.
My shins always seem to get worked over more on a treadmill. I’m not sure if it’s the greater resistance or what, but they did eventually settle down. Since I’m not used to actually running on the treadmill, I contemplated stopping at the 3K mark, but pressed on. Then I thought about stopping at the 4K mark…and pressed on. At that point, only falling off the treadmill would have kept me from doing the full 5K, but when I hit 5K I was delighted and immediately stopped1See below for why this was not a great idea.
Notes:
I burned more calories last time when I mostly walked. Sad trombone.
BPM was only a little higher–this is good!
Pace was fast at 5:35/km, which does suggest calibration between watch and treadmill is off.
I got an abnormally high heart rate warning while writing this, probably because I didn’t cool off properly post-run. My bad and I will properly recover next time.
My overall training status is still listed as Strained, because I’ve been a fat lazy bum, I guess (which has been true-ish this month). But things will improve for the rest of the month.
“Do I have to keep going?” Also, I could never pull off that shirt. Well, what little there is of it. Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com
(Yes, I know I had said I was going to hide all my exercise stuff from the blog, but it requires either a plugin or code, and it is not a high priority (but will be done eventually). To compensate, I have included a stock photo of a treadmill with this post to make it more visually interesting, if not stunning.)
Today I debated whether to go outside for a run. It looked like it would be around -5C to -3C in the morning and while that is better than -9C, I dithered long enough that I defaulted to the treadmill.
I kept the incline and speed the same as before, but after hitting 3 km, I started getting fidgety, and instead of stopping, I cranked the speed from 6.7 to 8.7. You can only walk at 8.7 if you have giraffe legs, which I do not. So I ran for about the last km and stopped at 4K, which is also a fine resolution.
The running part was not as horrible as I remembered, so I might just do a run from the start the next time I am on the treadmill.
Wednesday is calling for 0-2C in the morning with a chance of rain or snow, so I am uncertain where I will be running, but we’ll see!
I mean, it’s not a run day, and I have vowed to either go for a walk every non-run day, or do a treadmill workout. Today I decided to do the treadmill because it’s sitting there right behind me. It’s hard to beat that kind of convenience.
The only change from yesterday is running the speed at 6.7 the entire time. As you can see below, my pace was much faster and my BPM was lower, both nice to see. I managed to burn fewer calories, but that’s just body weirdness and rounding errors.
I can verify that I do not suffer from DMS1Dry Mouth Syndrome when using the treadmill in January. I also gave the water bottle a better rinsing today so the water didn’t taste funny in that “not haha funny” way.
It was cold (near freezing) and raining this morning, with the possibility of snow, so I didn’t go for my usual Monday run.
By late afternoon, I was feeling guilty enough to get on the treadmill for half an hour. The last time I did this was eight months ago.
The most surprising part wash how weirdly easy it felt. I turned the incline to 1, the speed from 6.0 to 6.5, then to 6.7. I never felt tired, I was never thinking, “Why won’t this END?!”
It turns out that running regularly makes walking fast kind of easy!
