I headed out about an hour earlier today and, for the first time, after doing a full batch of stretching exercises, including the foam roller one designed to put your quad muscles into some kind of agony. As before, my plan was to adopt a moderate pace and just see how it went.
Conditions were very similar to Saturday, but I erred on the side of caution this time and wore sunblock.
Because it was a weekday, the trail was only lightly populated and all humans and dogs were well-behaved. I saw the spitfire again, but she was not running–or walking. She was actually standing, checking something on her phone. I’m wondering if she may have also injured herself and is just taking walks until she’s recovered.
Speaking of injuries, I felt no ill effects on the knees during or after the run. As I sit here a few hours later typing this, they don’t hurt or feel stiff. The quad muscles do, though (not hurt, but feel stiff).
My BPM dipped slightly to 152, which is nice but statistically insignificant. More significant is my pace dropped to 6:00/km, down an impressive eight seconds from Saturday. I’m shaking off the rust, woo.
Also, the field was replete with goslings. See below.
Overall, a solid second effort. I went from “maintaining” after the run to “overreaching” after the 9 km walk back. Undecided on whether I’ll run Wednesday or Thursday. But I will run!
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL (full of goslings)
Stats:
Run 777Average pace: 6:00/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CW)
Start: 12:42 p.m.
Distance: 5.03 km
Time: 30:10
Weather: Sunny
Temp: 20ºC
Humidity: 63%
Wind: low to moderate
BPM: 152
Weight: 166.1
Total distance to date: 5770 km
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 255 Music, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: Saucony Peregrine 12 (442 km)
After getting the go-ahead to resume runs from my doctor and physiotherapist, I headed out today, as the usual birding had been cancelled.
But before I ran, I did the first batch of new stretching exercises to help with my runner’s knee and to prevent additional runner’s knees from springing up like mushrooms after a rain.
The exercises were:
Standing soleus stretching: Stand near the wall, bend your knee and hold for a few seconds. Pretty basic. I didn’t feel much from this, which made me wonder if I was doing it right.
Calf stretch: Similar to above, but instead of bending the knee, you extend your calf back and out. Fine at first, you start to feel that burning sensation toward the end.
Foam rolling quads: You lay belly-down on a foam roller and using your hands, you move your body over it, from just below the crotch to just above the knees, for 1–2 minutes. This one feels fine for the first 10 seconds or so, then it switches to feeling like you’re murdering your leg muscles after setting them on fire.
With the exercises out of the way, I mulled my run options (the bold option is what I went with):
EASIEST: A 5K run along the river trail, starting as soon as I got there. About one hour total time.
SLIGHTLY HARDER: The same as above, but walking to the end of the river trail and starting the run from there. Adds about 3 km to the walking part.
MOAR WALKING: Run a short loop at Burnaby Lake, going 2.5 km before turning around and looping back. Ups the walking by another km.
MOST DEFINITELY HARDER: Walk to the lake, do a 5K run, then walk around the lake and back. This is my usual 5K run and the walking part is around 13 km or so.
THIS WOULD PROBABLY LEAVE ME CURLED UP ON THE GROUND: Do a full 10K run at the lake as if it hadn’t been 25 days since my last run.
I planned to run at a slower pace, which was fairly easy, since it had been over three weeks since my last run. My BPM was up a little to 153, which is still fine, and while I had no issues completing the 5K, I was definitely feeling a bit tired by the end. The knees felt fine during the run and more importantly, have remained intact since.
The walk back I also adopted a slower pace, with no additional running and that was also fine, though I was again feeling much more tired than usual, especially on all those pesky stairs.
Conditions were pretty good. It was sunny, but not overly warm, with a nice cooling breeze and humidity high enough to avoid Dry Mouth Syndrome™. Even though it was a Saturday, the trail was not too crowded, and I was able to navigate around people without issue.
Speaking of people, the spitfire was there…walking! She was clearly not dressed for running, so maybe she walks on the weekends (I normally do not run on the weekend).
Some other notes from the run:
The Piper Mill Trail was closed due to resurfacing. This is the first time it’s been resurfaced since I started running at the lake in 2011. Maybe the first time it’s been resurfaced in 300 years. This leaves the little leg off the athletic field and a stretch along further along the field (both of which flood) as the last two remaining sections that have never been resurfaced since I started running here.
The marshmallow roof on the tennis courts has been removed. Summer is officially unofficially here!
The demolished playground has a shinier new playground going up in its place. No more bawling kids. Well, not over a lack of a playground, at least.
The first boardwalk (as you run/walk counter-clockwise) has been in a state of disrepair for some time and someone apparently said, “Dis needs repairing!” because the splintered and broken railing have been completely replaced and at least a dozen or more boards have been replaced, giving the boardwalk a weird new/old look. The second boardwalk still has the “repairs are planned” signs up that have been there for at least the past year.
A giant mob of geese and goslings were heading into Still Creek, and the goslings are now in a variety of sizes, with some starting to look kind of goofy as they outgrow their baby bodies.
There was some kind of rowing competition up in the hizzy, as the rowing pavilion parking lot was completely full, and I could see skiffs1Is that what they’re called? I’m not a rowingologist. plying the one section of lake that is carved out from all the lily pads.
Overall, it was good to be back out. My plan is to continue the daily stretches and hopefully go out for another run on Monday. Depending on how I feel, I may choose one of the easier options listed above, but definitely not the last one.
A bonus shot of Burnaby Lake, with the lily pads having completed their annual conquest:
Pretty much everywhere, it’s gonna be lily pads
Stats:
Run 776Average pace: 6:06/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CCW)
Start: 1:43 p.m.
Distance: 5.03 km
Time: 30:44
Weather: Sunny
Temp: 20ºC
Humidity: 69%
Wind: low to moderate
BPM: 153
Weight: 165.1
Total distance to date: 5765 km
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 255 Music, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: Saucony Peregrine 12 (437 km)
I did a walk to the turtle nesting area at Burnaby Lake and back and today I saw no turtles at the nesting area (as usual), nor anywhere else. But there was also no sun for them to bask in, as conditions were cool and cloudy–which would have been nice for running (sob–see previous post).
Still, despite an apparently poor sleep, I managed a very decent pace of 9:07/km and experienced no pain, discomfort, heartbreak or ill-tempered dogs. So it was a nice walk. Even the geese never hissed at me. It seems several families have taken up camp between the dam and the turtle nesting area, so I suspect I’ll be seeing them regularly until the young ones can fly and become true poopmonsters. Speaking of poop, the amount in that area is…growing.
Oh, and on a technical note: If you haven’t connected a Bluetooth device in a while, expect problems. My AirPods refused to connect to my iPhone (“It just works!” has always been a filthy lie) and the issue did not fix itself until I restarted the phone. Technology!
Anyway, it was a nice little outing.
Stats:
Walk 96Average pace: 9:07/km
Location: Brunette River trail
Distance: 8.40 km
Time: 1:16:35
Weather: Cloudy
Temp: 15 °C
Humidity: 63%
Wind: light
BPM: 117
Weight: 166.4 pounds
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 255
Total distance to date: 719.79 km
This was a weird combo of guilt and not really wanting to go out for a walk. I had a serving of french fries as an afternoon snack, then immediately felt bad about it, so cast about for ideas and decided to do a half hour or so treadmill workout to make amends.
I turned all the fans up to max beforehand, got my bottle of water ready and watched a few videos on YouTube. It went fine. I paused several times due to the video having technical issues, which was slightly annoying. My knees seem okay, having gone through their briskest workout since my last run, but not nearly as impactful as an actual run.
My pace was a little slower today because I stopped and started a lot, mostly to take photos, sometimes to get a drink or observe various shenanigans.
The walk was a bit cooler today, but in a way it felt hotter because my good friend humidity was higher and making its presence known. Sweating was involved.
I wore my street shoes, which was a mistake. They just don’t feel as good for exercise-style walking, and one of the shoes actually came untied, which basically never happens. I was shocked. Shocked! Well, surprised, a little.
I saw geese, baby geese and another turtle (the same turtle?) sunning itself on a rock on the Brunette River again (third time I’ve seen a turtle there in the past week). It’s turtles all…across the river.
Overall, this was a pleasant and fine outing. My knees did not complain at all, so I am happy with that.
Stats:
Walk 95Average pace: 9:35/km
Location: Brunette River trail
Distance: 8.43 km
Time: 1:20:52
Weather: Sunny
Temp: 27 °C
Humidity: 49%
Wind: light
BPM: 121
Weight: 165.5 pounds
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 255
Total distance to date: 711.39 km
In the ongoing quest to Save the Knees™ I did a basic walk today to get some exercise and not overly stress the middle parts of my legs.
It was 31C, so even walking there was sweating to be had, but it wasn’t as bad as it could have been, as humidity was relatively low. They are saying summer will be hot and dry, so I wonder if last year’s Xtreme humidity will turn out to be an anomaly.
The walk went fine, the knees did not cry out, nor did any other part of my body. All dogs encountered were on leash and well-behaved. I saw another turtle on the river. I walked as far as the turtle nesting area at Burnaby Lake, where I have yet to see a turtle.
I was feeling zesty so wore a sleeveless t-shirt1Would these more properly be called o-shirts?, but made sure to slather myself liberally in sunblock to avoid an embarrassing and possibly cancerous early season burn.
Overall, it went well and it was nice to be out in the trees and stuff.
Stats:
Walk 94Average pace: 9:28/km
Location: Brunette River trail
Distance: 8.45 km
Time: 1:19:59
Weather: Sunny
Temp: 31 °C
Humidity: 32%
Wind: light
BPM: 120
Weight: 167 pounds
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 255
Total distance to date: 702.96 km
Instead of my usual Monday run, I did a Monday walk, the better to preserve my right knee until the appointment on Friday.
Good news: The knee is fine. Better news: I walked 8 km, equivalent to about what I would do for a 10K run, minus the 10K run.
It was entirely pleasant, but I insured I would not foolishly start running by wearing my street shoes. In reality, there was no real chance that I’d run, because I am rather concerned about making things worse and having to wait even longer before running again.
But it went well, I maintained a respectable pace and all that.
Stats:
Walk 93Average pace: 9:28/km
Location: Brunette River trail
Distance: 8.09 km
Time: 1:16:31
Weather: Partly cloudy
Temp: 17 °C
Humidity: 60%
Wind: light
BPM: 127
Weight: 166.1 pounds
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 255
Total distance to date: 694.51 km
UPDATE, later that evening: The right knee ain't right. It is very stiff and will not flex back like the left one, which is relatively fine. There is also a mass on the back of it that is either inflammation, fluid buildup or an incubating alien. I'll be setting up an appointment with my doctor to have it probed. I suspect inflammation, as applying a heat pack to it seems to have reduced it, though the knee itself is still sore/stuff. Exciting (and terrible) times in Kneeville!
I missed my last two runs:
Friday: My nose was busy torturing me, so I opted to skip.
Monday (yesterday): I wanted another day to recover from the pummelling at the, uh, hands of my nose
Which means the last time I ran was last Wednesday, nearly a week ago. I would be rusty, but only planned for a 5K, and deliberately waited until late morning to head out, hoping the warmer weather would further incentivize me to take it slow ‘n steady–and it did!
In fact, it was 20C, which is exactly double what it was last Wednesday. I actually sweated. I felt a little tired after the 4K mark. I was glad I was not running 10K.
The humidity level was way down, too, at around 50%1Weirdly, the Garmin app reported humidity as 80%, which is way wrong, and also reported the temperature as 14C, also way wrong. The actual Forerunner watch had the temperature right, at least. This meant that I experienced for the first time in a very long time the dreaded DMS (Dry Mouth Syndrome). It wasn’t that bad, but I was looking forward to slurping from the drinking fountain by the playground, conveniently just past the 5K mark where I would be stopping. Except they were literally demolishing the playground and the fountain–if it was even still working–was fenced off and inaccessible. I was sad. Several kids were standing nearby, bawling their eyes out2OK, not really.
I slathered myself liberally with sunblock before heading out, so escaped an embarrassing early spring burn, and my knees also survived. However, on the walk back, I discovered a certain walking pace (on the faster side) made the knees start to actually hurt. Adjusting the speed down a little made a significant difference, so I think I found the magic spot where the muscles and tendons get stretched in a way they really don’t like right now. Noted for future reference.
The actual run part went reasonably fine. I had a BPM of 151–I was finding it difficult to keep it down, probably due to a combination of it being much warmer and me being flabby and having to work harder. But still, perfectly cromulent. And the sun actually felt nice, not oppressive. It looks like it will be cooler and possibly damper for my next run.
Bonus post-run shot of the lake, now getting covered in baby lily pads:
Stats:
Run 775Average pace: 5:54/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CCW)
Start: 12:47 p.m.
Distance: 5.03 km
Time: 29:40
Weather: Sunny
Temp: 20ºC
Humidity: 50%
Wind: low
BPM: 151
Weight: 167.3
Total distance to date: 5760 km
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 255 Music, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: Saucony Peregrine 12 (432 km)
My knees said, “Go for a run today, but be gentle!” so I did a 5K at the river, with only the walk to the river to warm up.
The weather was mild, so I wore one layer and it was sufficient. There was little wind today, too, which helped. It did shower a bit, but it was more an intermittent drizzle and wasn’t really a factor, other than being slightly annoying.
I tried to keep to a BPM of 150–and succeeded! Somehow the peaks and dips averaged out, with a pace of 5:43/km, which is about right for the river trail at that BPM. My knees and legs still feel fine after, so I’m hoping that I am officially on the mend from doing whatever it is I did to get the knees all bothered. I’ll do another 5K on Friday to round out the week, with the river or the lake being determined by what my knees tell me.
A bonus shot of some flowers blossoming along the river:
Stats:
Run 774Average pace: 5:45/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CW)
Start: 11:07 a.m.
Distance: 5.03 km
Time: 28:48
Weather: Light showers, cloudy
Temp: 10ºC
Humidity: 83%
Wind: low
BPM: 150
Weight: 167.5
Total distance to date: 5755 km
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 255 Music, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: Saucony Peregrine 12 (427 km)
The weather was slightly warmer today, but with the sun tucked behind the clouds, it still felt a bit chilly, so two layers did not feel over-dressed.
I opted to do a regular 5K around the lake and walk the rest of the way out–what I had planned to do on my aborted Friday run.
It went well, for the most part. Again, I did not feel any real stiffness while running, but tried to keep my pace reasonable. I mostly did this, though was faster than last Wednesday. My legs did start feeling stiff post-run, but strangely, around the last km or so the stiffness suddenly started dissipating, as if the muscles were magically starting to limber up.
If I had to guess, I’d say I should be able to run on Wednesday. The Forerunner classified today’s run as “strained”, like it knew something was up!
As for limbs, while mine remained intact, there’s a tree just before the second boardwalk (when heading clockwise) that has a very big branch that has been leaning more and more precariously over the trail. I already had to swing over to the left to avoid bonking my head on it (I prefer not to duck ‘n run if I can help it). Today, that branch is gone! It has been sent to tree heaven courtesy a parks worker and their chainsaw.
Overall, I didn’t feel bad, though obviously the shorter and more intermittent runs of late mean I’m not exactly at peak performance right now. I’m content to slowly build back up as the weather (hopefully) improves.
I’m undecided on Wednesday. I will probably wait to see how I feel that morning.
Bonus view of Still Creek, post-run:
Stats:
Run 773Average pace: 5:45/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CW)
Start: 11:43 a.m.
Distance: 5.04 km
Time: 28:59
Weather: Cloudy
Temp: 9-10ºC
Humidity: 87%
Wind: low
BPM: 153
Weight: 165.8
Total distance to date: 5750 km
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 255 Music, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: Saucony Peregrine 12 (422 km)
UPDATE, April 20: The muscles and tendons around the knees were feeling stiff post-run and it probably didn't help that I walked to the store after instead of just resting. Today (the 20th) the stiffness is easing, and I have applied some Voltaren for the first time to help my legs feel better and sexier. I am still planning for a run on Friday (tomorrow). We'll see how that goes!
After giving myself some extra time to rest and recovery, I went out for another short-loop 5K run at the lake today.
I started out a bit too fast, as per usual, but managed to dial it down sooner than on previous runs, which helped keep the pace a little more moderate. My overall BPM was actually slightly higher than the last run at 152, but that’s more a reflection of the significantly cooler weather and higher peaks.
Speaking of weather, the last run was gloriously sunny and mild. Today it was unseasonably cool, cloudy and breezy. But at least it didn’t rain!
I ran an oddball route, starting from the Jiffy John™ and going past the 3K marker, down to Phillips Point, then skipping all three side trails on the way back. Just for variety, really. There were more people out than I expected, but it was lunch hour, too.
I feel that wearing two layers was the right call, but I may have been okay with just one. Maybe.
As for the knees, they held up fine. I felt a bit creaky at the start, but that was just from having extra days off, the knees never hurt at all during the run.
My plan for Friday is to do another 5K, but to go halfway around the lake and walk the rest of the way out, then back to 10K runs next week.
Stay tuned to see if my body remains intact!
Stats:
Run 772Average pace: 5:49/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CCW)
Start: 12:52 p.m.
Distance: 5.04 km
Time: 29:16
Weather: Cloudy
Temp: 7ºC
Humidity: 72%
Wind: low to moderate
BPM: 152
Weight: 164.8
Total distance to date: 5745 km
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 255 Music, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: Saucony Peregrine 12 (417 km)
After my last tw0 10K runs, I noticed the muscles around my knees were feeling stiff. I actually felt fine during each run, but there was some lingering stiffness in both legs for days after. I did the suggested workout on Monday, skipped Wednesday’s run, then did a 5K today to see how it would go.
I aimed for a BPM of 150 to make sure the pace was slower (averaged 151) and for the first km, came in at 5:37/km, which is not slow. I managed to get more on track after that.
And with the later afternoon start, some sun and mild temperatures, conditions were quite pleasant. The knees actually felt fine during the run and while I could feel some stiffness in the walk after (more so in the right knee than the left), they actually don’t feel any worse than before. I think as long as I don’t overdo it, they will be okay. I’ll try some massages and cold/hot compression between runs and see how that helps, too.
Overall, I am encouraged, because I have only ever had knee issues with running once before, so it’s not a normal thing at all.
After I hit the turnaround point at 3 km, I debated briefly about going on and finishing the 5K halfway around the lake, which would also necessitate a 5K walk around the rest of the lake. This would not be taking it easy in any way. Sense prevailed, and I turned back at the 3.13 km mark. It does speak to how I felt fine, though.
I also wore a single layer, which was plenty. We are getting close to t-shirt weather. Gotta work on that farmer’s tan!
Stats:
Run 771Average pace: 5:41/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CW, then CCW)
Start: 1:46 p.m.
Distance: 5.03 km
Time: 28:36
Weather: Sunny
Temp: 13ºC
Humidity: 67%
Wind: low
BPM: 151
Weight: 164.8
Total distance to date: 5740 km
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 255 Music, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: Saucony Peregrine 12 (412 km)
