Exercise

Run 429: Gadgetpalooza

UPDATE, August 21, 2022: Updated to add more tags for easier searching, as this is one that features my late Tom Tom Runner Cardio watch.

Run 429
Average pace: 5:23/km
Location: Brunette River trail
Distance: 5.03 km
Time: 27:10
Weather: Cloudy
Temp: 17ºC
Wind: light to moderate
BPM: 156
Stride: 182
Weight: 164.1 pounds
Total distance to date: 3452
Device used: Apple Watch and iPhone 6 and TomTom Runner Cardio

Tonight I headed out for a cautious run, with clouds overhead but otherwise unseasonably mild and with a nice breeze to keep things from getting too warm, which is not something you normally worry about here on May 3rd.

I also did my first Apple Watch vs. TomTom Runner Cardio test, wearing the Watch on my left wrist as per usual and the TomTom on my right wrist. I probably looked like a dork but that’s okay. Also, anyone who thinks the Apple Watch is bulky should really compare it to something like the TomTom because the Apple Watch looks downright petite next to it.

The results between the two devices were not outlandishly different but they were different. The actual timing of the run on each device is slightly shifted because I bobbled the start time on the Watch when Siri wouldn’t cooperate but the TomTom had already started tracking.

Stats:

 Apple WatchTomTom Runner Cardio
Time27:1026:42
Average pace5:23/km5:18/km
BPM156154
Distance5:03 km5:03 km
Calories331367

The biggest difference for me is pace. I haven’t looked into it but I suspect the Apple Watch is doing some kind of manipulation of the data where the TomTom simply presents it raw, as it was recorded (and is more accurate from that perspective). The TomTom is also hooked into my Strava and Nike+ accounts and each of those also interpreted the pace differently:

TomTom Runner Cardio5:18/km
Apple Watch5:23/km
Strava5:27/km
Nike+5:31/km

I’m officially™ going with the Apple Watch since I’ve been using it regularly and it still makes me look reasonably zippy.

As for the actual run, I set out a relatively gentle pace and this is reflected by the TomTom’s stride stat of 182. This is steps per minute and the ideal zone for most runners is between 160 and 190. Being at the upper end reflects the cautious approach I took, minimizing how much I stretched out as I ran. Surprisingly my pace was still essentially tied with my previous best 5K this year.

The right leg still felt a bit sore, especially around the upper area, but not enough to make running painful. By comparison, tonight’s run felt a lot more comfortable than Sunday’s.

I may try the dual-wielding watches again on Thursday if I run the Langara trail, as I’m curious to see the pace breakdown on a map. If Apple adds maps to the Fitness app, I would probably never switch away from it.

For tonight’s run, I’m pleased that I was able to get through without the right leg feeling worse and, in fact, feeling a bit better. I am guardedly hopeful that the muscles will heal up as I continue to run not like a cheetah.

Run 428: Now with color migration

Run 428
Average pace: 5:45/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CCW)
Distance: 10.01 km
Time: 57:39
Weather: Suny and warm
Temp: 16-20ºC
Wind: light
BPM: 159
Stride: n/a
Weight: 164.1 pounds
Total distance to date: 3447
Device used: Apple Watch and iPhone 6

I had two concerns going into today’s run, one entirely cosmetic, the other a little more substantial.

The cosmetic one concerned my new shoes and the potential for “color migration.” The more significant concern was how my right leg would feel as it started feeling sore after last Tuesday’s run and has been a bit sore since.

There’s good news, iffy news and bad news.

Good news: I made it through the entire run and walk back. Although my pace was off last Sunday’s spectacularly fast average, at 5:45/km it was still better than previous runs despite the soreness. My more deliberate pace also meant a BPM on the lower side at 159.

Iffy news: The first few km the leg felt fine but starting aching during the 3-4 km stretch. I briefly thought of shortening the run to a 5K. I pressed on and somewhere around the 5-6K mark the endorphins kicked in and it didn’t feel too bad. It continued to not feel bad the rest of the way and I kept on at a steady pace through to the end. The soreness extends beyond the injury of last year, with what feels like multiple muscles affected. The good news is none of this comes anywhere close to the blowout that happened last August where I experienced very sharp pain that actively inhibited my ability to run altogether. It just aches like muscles that have been worked a bit harder than is ideal.

I’m hoping that by stretching and being careful not to push that the muscles will continue to slowly improve while I still run. I’ll take time off if I need to but I’m hoping that won’t be necessary.

Bad news: The new Speedgoats are a complete bust. Not only did the color bleed, it’s even worse than the first pair. My socks look like they’ve been tattooed or branded:

accidental sock tribute to Prince

On top of that, the right shoe was chafing against one of my toes, leaving the skin raw. It actually hurt more than my leg. At this point I would refuse another replacement pair. I’ll just put up with these until the bleeding stops (8 or 9 runs) and then get a different brand next time. This sort of quality control (“lol quality control??”) is not acceptable.

I got out fairly early, starting the run at 9:53 a.m. It was already 16ºC and went up to 20 by the end of the run. I actually felt sweat run down my face, not something I normally expect for the first day of May.

The trail was not overly crowded and I’d say there may have been slightly more runners than walkers. Apparently some event was taking place at the rowing pavilion or nearby as its parking lot was completely full. Whatever it was, all the people were squirreled away off the trail, which was okay by me.

I’m not sure what to expect on Tuesday’s run and haven’t decided if I’ll try the less familiar Langara trail or go back to the Brunette River trail, which is a gentler run.

Migrant color is not a shoe feature you want

I picked up my new Hoka Speedgoat shoes today (note: if you live in a condo, do not have Purolator deliver to your home address unless you also work at home because you will never see the delivery person or your package. Instead, have them take it to a local depot whose business hours coincide with your work schedule, forcing you to go there on the weekend, a day before the five-day holding period ends, after which the package gets transferred to Purgatory, as described in Dante’s Inferno). These are replacements for my original pair which had a nasty issue with color bleeding. Most of my running socks are now blue/white instead of just white.

The overall color is much more subdued yet also has a zany neon-like strip along the bottom to keep it from looking staid:

Hoka Speedgoat Astral Aura/Acid

The color is officially called Astral Aura/Acid, to which my reaction is to nod my head and back away slowly. Still, I like the color scheme. However, the shoes came with this tag:

color migration

“Due to the nature of the material used some color migration may occur during wear.” Hmm, I say. This tag was not on the first pair of shoes. Nor have I seen it or anything like it on any other pair of shoes ever. It appears to be a direct warning that you will end up with color-stained socks (or feet if you go sockless). Questions come to mind, questions like:

  • why would anyone make a shoe using a fabric that bleeds color?
  • why if you absolutely need to use such a fabric would you not at least do something to mitigate the issue during manufacturing?
  • really, why would you do this?
  • seriously, this is a built-in flaw. Who thought this was a good idea?
  • did someone think this tag would stave off complaints when the color bleeding happens?
  • how many phrases did they go through before coming up with the wonderfully neutral-sounding “color migration”? The color doesn’t bleed or stain–it migrates, just like birds in the winter, except in this case it’s color instead of birds and it’s migrating to your socks instead of to the south, and it’s not just for the winter but forever unless you have detergent that works on migrating colors.

I’ll be wearing the shoes tomorrow so I’ll know soon enough how the potential migration goes. At least my feet will look nice as they’re getting stained.

Run 427: Tee’d off

UPDATE, August 21, 2022: Replaced golf course image with newer, larger image, added some additional tags.

Run 427
Average pace: 5:26/km
Location: Langara Golf Course trail (CCW)
Distance: 5.05 km
Time: 27:32
Weather: Sun and cloud
Temp: 15ºC
Wind: light
BPM: 160
Stride: n/a
Weight: 163.9 pounds
Total distance to date: 3437
Device used: Apple Watch and iPhone 6

For the first time since last June I ran somewhere new. It was somewhat exciting!

I have long thought about running the trail around the Langara Golf Course. It’s next to my workplace, which means during the week I can run at lunch and not have to spend part of the evening jogging when I’d much rather be loafing. The course is just long enough at 2.7 km that I don’t get the sensation of running in circles, which sometimes happened with China Creek Park’s 550 m loop. Except for a small paved stretch near the tennis courts, it’s a combination of packed dirt and gravel.

On the negative side, there is always the chance of getting clobbered by a stray golf ball.

You can see parts of the trail below but most of it is hidden by trees (image taken from Google Maps):

Langara Trail
Langara Trail

Running counter-clockwise (as I did), the lower-right corner is where the trail starts sloping uphill. It’s not a steep incline but it is longer than the ones I experience at Burnaby Lake. My first loop my legs felt ablaze as I tried to maintain speed. My second loop I was in more of a rhythm and handled it better. I will likely use my TomTom on the next run so I can get an actual map showing where my pace goes from “yay fast!” to “legs now hate me forever.” I should point out that the left (west) side of the trail is almost completely on a similar but downward slope, which is almost a zany treat for a runner.

My right leg felt a bit sore afterward (and felt a bit sore after Tuesday’s run, though it felt fine on the run itself). I’m not too concerned as I am stretching before and after runs now and it doesn’t feel like the muscles are on the verge of being blown out. I am prepared to eat crow (or possibly a running shoe) on this if I am proven wrong, however.

With a new course, I wasn’t sure what to expect and it felt like I started too fast. It took me probably half the run to really settle into a comfortable pace and the uphill portion is going to be a drag on my times until I get used to it. Overall, though, I was pleased by the effort and my average pace of 5:26/km was in line with my other recent 5K runs.

And I indeed enjoyed some sweet, sweet loafing tonight.

The best worst running conditions: 2016 edition

I like running. Sometimes I don’t much like the weather conditions I run in. This is a list of those conditions, ranked from “pretty good” to “please make it stop.”

The original list is here: Bad running weather: the list (July 13, 2011)

The first update to the list is here: Bad weather running: the list (updated) (July 10, 2012)

15. Overcast and light breeze. This is actually ideal conditions. It is usually never too cold or warm when the weather is like this.
14. Moderate wind. Moderate wind is fine. I have a cap that stays in place now.
13. Warm sun. Warm is no big thing. I’m talking about 20ºC or thereabouts.
12. Light rain. You might think light rain would be nice but it really isn’t. You still get soaked and in the summer there’s no real way to dress for it. And it still feels cold(ish), even in mid-July.
11. Snow. I’ve only run once in light snow and it was fun. I’m thinking a foot of snow would probably be less so.
10. Cold rain. Cold rain means cold hands and if you wear gloves they need to be waterproof. Cold rain is never fun. Plus my nipples are weirdly sensitive to the cold now and cold rain is like torturing them. Poor little nipples. 🙁
9. Hard rain. This is really just light rain but cutting to the chase. It also has the potential to wreak havoc with any non-waterproof items you may be carrying and it’s hard to see if you wear glasses. I wear glasses.
8. Extreme cold. I’ve run in sub-freezing conditions and been fine. I’m thinking Arctic tundra-type cold here.
7. Heavy wind. The resistance means you work a lot harder to achieve the same result and my cap has to be on tight enough to cut off circulation so it doesn’t fly away.
6. Hot sun. My body feels like a furnace and I’m left parched as all get-out. Dry mouth and lips are yucky. By hot I mean high 20s and low 30s. Bonus if it’s also really humid so it feels like there is also no breathable air.
5. Hard rain and heavy wind. Likeliest weather to make me wonder to myself, ‘What was I thinking?’ when running.
4. Hot sun and heavy wind. Or “What would it be like to do a run on a windy day in the Sahara?” Heat dries you out, the wind makes it harder to run and dries you out even more. Bleah. This combination is, however, very rare.
3. Hail. Getting pelted by little ice rocks is unpleasant. I’ve been caught in hail twice and did not like it either time. Hail has moved from #7 to #2 on the list as a result.
2. NEW Cyclists. I have grown to loathe anyone on a bicycle, especially since the area where I run most frequently–Burnaby Lake–forbids bicycles, but cyclists show up anyway, sometimes in packs. They tend to be either little kids who will wobble suddenly and unpredictably in front of you, or jerks who power through as fast as they can pedal, oblivious to the presence or safety of others.

And the worst weather to run in is:

1. Dogs. Still #1. See here. I’ve had a dog knock me down while running. The weather has never done this.

Run 426: A slightly longer evening run instead of a nap

Run 426
Average pace: 5:30/km
Location: Brunette River trail and Burnaby Lake CCW
Distance: 7.02 km
Time: 38:38
Weather: Cloudy
Temp: 14ºC
Wind: light
BPM: 158
Stride: n/a
Weight: 163.9 pounds
Total distance to date: 3432
Device used: Apple Watch and iPhone 6

I was nodding off coming home from work on the SkyTrain today. It started fairly early, my head drooping somewhere between Main Street and Broadway stations. It was a run night and I wanted a nap night instead.

But I got home, had a slice of toast and peanut butter for fuel, changed and headed out for my first longer evening run, a 7K route ending near Still Creek at Burnaby Lake. I stretched before starting and encountered no issues on the run. Being both cloudy, cool and early evening, it was fairly quiet on the trail.

My overall pace of 5:30/km is right between my better 5K and 10K times, with the first km being close to breaking the 5 minute mark at 5:06 (I was not trying to break this mark, as steady ‘n safe remains my preferred run style for now).

When I finish this route I usually walk toward the Burnaby Lake SkyTrain station then do a little jog on the overpass, which is this thingy here:

Burnaby Lake overpass
Pedestrian/cyclist overpass on Winston St. (photo courtesy of Average Joe Cyclist blog)

It doesn’t look very tall and it’s not, really, but there’s something about the curving incline at the start (as you approach from Burnaby Lake) that triggers my latent acrophobia, so I usually dart over it. Tonight was the first time in awhile when I did not slow down nor feel winded after sprinting up the incline. Progress! I then missed the train, which arrived as I sprinted but left before I could close the gap. At least the fare gate played nice with my sweaty Compass card.

Overall, this was a pleasant run without surprises, either good or bad. I’ll take it.

Run 425: Curiously faster

Run 425
Average pace: 5:35/km
Location: Burnaby Lake CW
Distance: 10.01 km
Time: 56:01
Weather: Sun and cloud
Temp: 12ºC
Wind: moderate to strong
BPM: 163
Stride: n/a
Weight: 164.5 pounds
Total distance to date: 3425
Device used: Apple Watch and iPhone 6

Today was not a pseudo-summer day. In fact it was slightly cooler than normal. Such is life on a planet where the climate is pretty much doing whatever it wants these days. A good breeze convinced me to wear a long-sleeved shirt and it proved wise, even when the sun did pop out occasionally afterward.

I made an effort to run earlier and did a little better that usual on Sunday, wrapping the run up by 11:29. There were probably fewer walkers but there were even more runners. I had to wait for two to finish just to use the potty (note: they went separately). I spotted one or two dogs off-leash but most were secure and a number were jogging alongside their owners, which can look anywhere from cute to “I think that dog is about to expire.”

I again started with a deliberate pace in mind (and stretched before heading out). Just as I was reaching the bridge at Deer Lake Brook, my right leg started to hurt. Not a lot but enough to raise a tiny red flag. I moderated my pace and that seemed to help. Around 500 m later I bunched up with several other runners. One woman in particular was pretty much matching my pace so I had to quickly decide to either reduce my speed to let her get ahead and create a gap between us, or speed up, pass her and maintain speed long enough to create the same gap. The latter would be tougher and I was mindful of The Leg.

Still, that’s the way I went. But I did something a little different as I sped up–I lengthened my stride (this is where the TomTom would have been handy as I’d be able to see where it changed and by how much). My idea was to increase my speed without unduly straining my legs by increasing my stride without overextending it. I think it actually worked! For a time I felt lighter and faster and it was kind of neat. Then I got tired, the woman began gaining ground and before I was humbled by her sprinting by, we reached a split in the trail and she hooked left away from the lake.

The most surprising part of the run came at the end when I checked my time and pace. BPM was nearly identical to the last 10K but my total time was faster by a whopping 2:35 minutes. My average pace went from 5:50/km to 5:35/km. I’m not sure how I managed this dramatic improvement except the first km was zippier than normal at 5:10/km and the 5km mark was also significantly faster than the km before and after–this is where I turned on UltraPace mode. I was definitely beginning to tire in the last km but held it together long enough to keep the overall pace up.

Despite the warning signs from The Leg, this was still a very nice run. I will keep stretching and do what I can to minimize the risk of yet another injury.

Run 424: A nice mid-June run in mid-April

Run 424
Average pace: 5:22/km
Location: Brunette River trail
Distance: 5.02 km
Time: 27:02
Weather: Sun and high cloud
Temp: 19ºC
Wind: low
BPM: 158
Stride: n/a
Weight: 166.9 pounds
Total distance to date: 3415
Device used: Apple Watch and iPhone 6

Another curiously warm early evening run. My goal was the same as it has been the last few runs, which is to maintain a steady but not especially blazing pace, all the better to keep my lower body intact. I figured since it was actually for-real warm out that I might naturally run slower anyway.

I was wrong. Instead, although I was fairly steady, I improved to an overall pace of 5:22/km, my best for a 5K this year. The right leg felt slightly creaky but not actually sore. Paradoxically, my BPM was back down again, to 158. I guess my body is finally getting used to running again.

Also, no dogs. Yay. Sorry, dogs, you’re just a tad too unpredictable in your unleashed state, which many of your silly owners leave you in.

Not much else to report, just generally pleased again by the results.

Note: The original post showed the temperature as 194ºC. This has been corrected to 19ºC. Running in temperatures approaching 200 Celsius is neither recommended nor endorsed.

Run 423: The Sun Run at Burnaby Lake

Run 423
Average pace: 5:50/km
Location: Burnaby Lake CCW
Distance: 10.02 km
Time: 58:36
Weather: Sun and high cloud
Temp: 14ºC
Wind: low
BPM: 162
Stride: n/a
Weight: 166.2 pounds
Total distance to date: 3410
Device used: Apple Watch and iPhone 6

It was sunny and warm today and despite the official reported temperature of 14ºC both at the beginning and end of the run, I’m pretty sure the watch was being kooky and it was warmer than that, probably closer to 16 or 18. It was not overly warm, though, just enough to get a very light sweat going.

Today was the actual Vancouver Sun Run so I wasn’t sure how it would affect crowds at the lake. As it turns out there were quite a few people, walkers and joggers alike. And one cyclist who zoomed past me on the Avalon Trail. Grr. There were a few minor incidents of trail-clogging but nothing significant. The side trails proved to be a good choice today as I encountered no one on all three (note, unless otherwise stated, a full 10K loop of the lake will always include the three side trails as they generally get a lot less traffic).

My pace was a lot more deliberate vs. last Sunday as I didn’t want a repeat of the soreness in the upper right leg and on that count, I was successful, as the leg felt much better. I ended up only two seconds off last Sunday, which is still ahead of most of my longer runs this year, so it’s all good.

I also successfully changed music using Siri mid-run. This always feels like a major triumph to me because I expect Siri to automatically garble anything I say while jogging. Stranger still, I felt three of the ten taps that mark off the kilometers while running, the most ever. I also got an annoying Slack notification mid-run and am a bit puzzled why it practically vibrates the bone in my wrist while the ones specifically for running are these minimalist little taps. It seems legitimately backward. I’d say there’s probably a setting but the watch actually has very few and I’ve already turned all the “taptics” up to 11.

The left foot felt a little sore on the walk back but nothing major. My BPM was up slightly from the previous 10K but that is almost certainly due to the warmer weather and greater exertion required.

Overall, I am pleased with today’s effort. I’m also beginning to stretch now in an effort to reduce further injury. I’ll be sure to report any ironic stretching-related injuries here.

Run 422: The no news is good news run

Run 422
Average pace: 5:26/km
Location: Brunette River trail
Distance: 5.03 km
Time: 27:27
Weather: Sun and cloud
Temp: 12ºC
Wind: moderate to high
BPM: 159
Stride: n/a
Weight: 167.3 pounds
Total distance to date: 3399
Device used: Apple Watch and iPhone 6

After the soreness of Sunday and the weird explosion of pain Tuesday morning, I headed out for tonight’s run with a bit of trepidation. Fortunately the right leg held up and only felt a bit stiff afterward.

It was brisk and a good breeze was blowing but it made no difference once I got started and got all sweaty and junk. I deliberately used caution, aiming for a slower but steady pace and in the end I paradoxically beat my last 5K pace (a statistical tie at 5:26/km but still). My BPM also dropped back down to 159, It seems the key to a good run is to not be stupid and macho. Who knew?

Run 421: Hey Siri, start a 10K run

Run 421
Average pace: 5:48/km
Location: Burnaby Lake CW
Distance: 10.03 km
Time: 58:15
Weather: Cloudy
Temp: 11ºC
Wind: low
BPM: 161
Stride: n/a
Weight: 165.6 pounds
Total distance to date: 3394
Device used: Apple Watch and iPhone 6

Today I planned an 8K run then just before starting I thought I remembered today was Sun Run day so I wanted to participate by proxy and ended up doing my first 10K run of the year.

The Sun Run is on April 17th.

The weather was cooler and cloudy, which was actually nice for a longer run. I started out feeling comfy but by the midway point my right hip/groin was starting to ache. After several km it seemed to peak and then settled down into more of a distraction. To compensate my left calf/shin started to hurt. Clearly my legs are still adjusting to this whole regular running thing again.

By the end of the run the left leg was fine but the right hip still felt sore. It still feels a bit sore even now as I write this at 8 p.m., some eight hours after the run. It’s feeling better all the time, so I’m not overly concerned…yet.

The good news, though, is my pace was even better than last week’s 8K, breaking the 5:50/km mark for the first time this year at 5:48/km and in terms of cardio I never felt I was laboring or uncomfortable.

This also marked my first completely hands-free run. I started my music and run via Siri and when the music ended and I was still running, I was able to successfully tell Siri to start playing another album, proving technology can still be awfully handy at times, while also demonstrating that despite being in the middle of a run, I was able to speak and still be understood, as opposed to hoarsely gasping out gibberish while I struggled to keep moving.

Strangely, for the first time during a run I felt the tap from the watch indicating another km completed, but only once at the 3K mark. Why I felt it then and then only I cannot say.

The conditions attracted a lot of runners, some walkers (the human kind, not AT-STs) and one little kid shakily riding his bike downhill toward me. Parents, this is why bikes aren’t allowed on the trail. There were also a few dogs sans leash but fortunately no incidents to report.

Despite the sore hip, I’m still pleased overall that I’ve once again hit the 10K mark. I’m not overly concerned about speed or PRs as I was in the past so my main focus going forward is on staying comfortable, injury-free and getting out regularly, rather than going faster and faster until I blow something and sit out for another four to six months.

Run 420: I’ve been high

Run 420
Average pace: 5:27/km
Location: Brunette River trail
Distance: 5.01 km
Time: 27:24
Weather: Sunny
Temp: 16ºC
Wind: low
BPM: 158
Stride: n/a
Weight: 168.6 pounds
Total distance to date: 3384
Device used: Apple Watch and iPhone 6

A runner’s high, that is.

The early summer-like conditions returned and tonight’s run was close enough in terms of time/pace for me to call it a draw in comparison to Tuesday. On the improved side, my right leg did not bother me and I generally felt more comfortable and relaxed.

My BPM was up slightly at 158 but it’s still well below where it has been, so this may in fact not be an anomaly.

Only one dog off-leash tonight and it was reasonably well-behaved. I still secretly gave the owner a dirty look.

There’s not much to add so for a delightful change of pace I will not pad things out unnecessarily.