Exercise

The longer calibration run

Today under sunny skies and with the temperature a positively balmy 15ºC I headed back to Mercer Stadium to do one more calibration run.

My plan was to do four laps or 1.6 km and I completed the run with a corrected pace of 4:59/km. Pretty slow compared to a typical pace but being able to clock under five minutes after four months off is not too bad. The little Achilles tendon lump in my foot could be felt for the first lap or so but I didn’t notice it for the rest of the laps. My stamina felt a wee bit improved over the last calibration and this time I was able to calibrate to the actual distance I ran so in theory it should be accurate as all get-out.

The only incident of note was when a small kid (maybe 3 or 4) stood by the inner lane on the playing field. I watched as he was poised to directly enter my path. He father, a distance away, was calling for him to come over. The kid did exactly what you’d expect–he stepped off the field and into my path just as I approached. Fortunately I had expected the worst case scenario and scooted by in the next lane over without incident.

It still amazes me that any kid survives long enough to become an adult.

My next planned run is on Monday and will probably be a 2 km gate-to-gate dealie at the Brunette River trail. This will be my first official™ run of the year.

The second (mini) run of 2013

Take 2 of my calibration attempt was made under sunny skies at Mercer Stadium again. Once more, I opted for 800 m (two laps) and reminded myself to not screw up the calibration like last time.

In a hopeful sign, my lungs, while still burning fiercely, took ever-so-slightly longer to do do. Even better I actually set the calibration properly. The only point of concern is that calibration can only be set within a certain range. I ran exactly 800 m (on the inside lane, just as they recommend) but I could only adjust the calibration up to 770 m. This is still fairly accurate and I can probably boost the accuracy by running farther so I may adjust it again sometime in the weeks ahead. I was a bit surprised that it was off by as much as it was, reporting 200-300 m to go as I finished. My pace was 4:43/km, not bad for 4+ months off, except my fastest km is 4:15/km. Rusty!

The right foot is still sore from the injury (meaning if I press a finger into it I can feel it) but it seems to be a build-up of some sort and my doctor is convinced that stretching and running should be okay. It doesn’t hurt while I’m running so I’ll keep ramping up for now. Next time I’ll see if I can run for over five whole minutes!

The first (mini) run of 2013

Today was the day I finally started my road back to jogging regularly. Which is somewhat ironic, given that I don’t jog on roads.

Instead Jeff took me up to the zany looking track at Mercer Stadium (pictured below courtesy Google Maps, as I lack a blimp with which to fly over the track to take my own photos).

Mercer Stadium track

After four months to nurse my right Achilles tendon back to health my goal tonight was simple: don’t break anything and complete a couple of 400 m laps to calibrate my new iPod nano.

Some observations:

  1. It felt great to be running again.
  2. The actual running felt like agony, with my lungs on fire after a piddly 400 m lap.
  3. I defeated the entire purpose of the run by screwing up the calibration at the end. I had set the distance to 0.8 km (two laps) and at the end of the run when it pulled up what it thought I’d run vs. what I’d really run, I adjusted it to 0.40 km, exactly half the intended total. I couldn’t bear the thought of running again to fix it so it will have to wait until the next time, probably in a few days. My real pace was around 4:20/km, which is remarkably good for a four month layoff (and probably explains the lungs of fire, too).
  4. The problematic right foot did not hurt, though I could feel where it had been hurt. Ominous sign? Perhaps. The good news is it feels perfectly fine now.
  5. No more clickwheel. Woo!

Here’s hoping that the next run goes smoothly, that I calibrate my iPod properly and that the properly-calibrated data uploads to the Nike+ site without blowing everything up.

Walk this way (around Burnaby Lake)

I did one more Big Walk® around Burnaby Lake before my first tentative steps back into running next weekend.

The weather was sunny after several days of monsoon-like weather thanks to the Pineapple Express. I took advantage and found it to be mild, with little wind and most of the big puddles already having dried up along the trail. Even the cyclists and dogs off-leash didn’t bug me. It was a nice hint that spring is on the way after The Rains.

My favorite “rules are not for me!” moment came when crossing north on Roberts Street, near the rowing pavilion. As you approach the resumption of the trail on the other side of the road there is an especially giant sign that states DOGS MUST BE LEASHED AT ALL TIMES. I watched a woman stop and remove the leash from her dog in front of this sign. I don’t know if she was going for bonus irony points or what. At least the dog was well-behaved.

I used the iPod pedometer to track my pace and came in with the following stats:

2:23:53 duration
17.6 km distance
898 calories burned
18,746 steps taken

I was walking fast enough that any faster would have been a light jog. Things seem to have held together nicely both during and after the walk. Next weekend I’m heading to the resplendent gold and blue Mercer Stadium Track to do a simple calibration run fort the new iPod. It will probably be 2-4 laps or 800-1600 meters, enough to get the calibration and see if my Achilles tendon will weep in protest or behave itself. From there I will be doing a few short runs per week, starting with some 2Ks, moving up to 5Ks and finally back to my usual 10-11.5K runs. I don’t have a set schedule in mind, I’ll just ramp things up based on my stamina and pain/discomfort after each run. If all goes well I’m going to aim to beat last year’s mark by running 1,000K. Since I’ve already missed two months, I’l need to hit at least 100K each month going forward. If I stay healthy I can do it. If not, I can always lie lie lie.

On not sleeping, candy hearts and other things both sweet and sour

There’s nothing quite like the sensation of laying down to sleep and finding yourself unable to breathe. This happened a few nights ago when my über-cold left my nose completely stuffed up. I had to breathe through my mouth, which made me dizzy. I eventually fell asleep probably due to exhaustion. When I awoke in the middle of the night one of my nostrils had kindly opened up enough to permit semi-normal breathing.

Worst cold ever.

Also the last post I’m making about it. Colds are pretty boring to read about and if I could capture the misery of the past week in a way that was truly entertaining, I’d be rich. Hmm. I may have to think about this.

Onward to the rest of what should hopefully be a healthy remainder of 2013:

Valentine’s Day is coming up. My favorite manufactured holiday when I was a kid because of the candy. I was especially fond of chocolate-covered marshmallow hearts. Mmm. Now I prefer the day after when all the candy gets marked down 50%. I usually treat myself to something small that I can work off without too much guilt/effort.

Running: This is probably still about three weeks off. I’m going to start stretching exercises to make sure my tendon is ready. The first run will be a short test that will also serve to calibrate my new iPod nano. The best thing about it, apart from the electric green case…

iPod nano green

…is that it incorporates the Nike+ sensor/receiver so I don’t need to attach any extra hardware to my shoe (or the iPod). An added bonus is no more infernal clickwheel to deal with, especially one that refuses to function in the slightest bit of rain, making the end of a jog unusually difficult to, well, end. The test run will be done at a track to ensure maximum accuracy for the calibration. In the meantime I’ll try to return to the pool/gym at least a few times each week until the runs resume. Excelsior!

Diet: My weight has steadied out around 156-157 but should start going back down soon as I start packing a modest lunch to work and resist the siren song of the donut. My goal is to be back to my usual weight by my next physical, probably a few months from now.

This site: I have found a few themes I may be able to hammer into something serviceable for my needs. This is a long term project so I’ll probably work away at it a little at a time. I am planning on having a revamped site up before the end of the year.

I walked for 1060 calories today

While I am still not quite ready to return to running I decided to take advantage of the mild ‘n dry weather and do a simulated run around Burnaby Lake by walking the route. I estimated it would take around 3 hours and the pedometer on the iPod said it took 3:04 hours, so I trucked along much as I had anticipated. I even stretched the walk out a bit by taking the freeway trail (which I used for three weeks last summer when one of the boardwalks on the lake was being replaced). By the time I was heading back alongside the Brunette River I was getting tired and a little cranky.

The rounds on the elliptical  are helping but I’m clearly not in prime condition. Also I didn’t wear my spiffy new running shoes and instead wore my cheap-o ones that are designed for maximum discomfort. In all, not my best-planned effort but it’s always nice to eat ice cream guilt-free.

I managed to start the sequel to the head cold I had over Christmas last night and like many sequels, it sucks. It didn’t affect my walk but here in the evening I’m feeling tuckered and my throat is irritating me, even more than when I try to sing. I’ll probably head off to bed early and dream of the wonderfully creative things I may have done if I didn’t feel like poop.

In the meantime, here is a stock image of my new running shoes, the Minimus 1010s. They are much like my previous pair but are blue instead of glow-in-the-dark orange. I kind of miss the orange, actually. Reading reviews on the New Balance site, it sounds like I may be looking for another pair shortly after I resume my runs. That would be rather disappointing, as my last two pairs of New Balance shoes have been very durable.

 

Remembering my calves

Don’t worry, I still have my calves. They’re right where they should be–above my ankles and below my knees. I am remembering them in particular due to my first trip to the gym last Wednesday. My partner and I headed over to the Canada Games Pool here in New Westminster to do a basic cardio workout that would not stress my Achilles tendon but would help get my flabby self back in shape before I resume my runs.

The pool has a full-featured gym so I paid $48 for a 10-pack of visits and in return got a shiny ID card with requisite horrible photo that could be scanned upon entry. I did my first scan and was set.

The gym area was surprisingly busy but we managed to find a pair of free ellipticals next to each other. Jeff also found a nice young instructor named Ryan who went over the basics of using the machine, as I had never been on one before. It seemed pretty straightforward. I got on, started the timer and began a 25 minute workout. I raised the tension up a bit to 3 (from 1) and reduced the incline down to 3 (from some value I can’t recall). This was done to better simulate a cross-country run instead of a jog up the side of a cliff. Within five minutes my calves were aflame. This is why you exercise regularly, to avoid your muscles crying out in horror at what you are doing to them. Fortunately they warmed up quickly and were fine the next day. I experienced a bit of minor soreness in my upper leg muscles but that was all. Given that my last run was in mid-November I consider this a rousing success.

I opted for only 20 minutes of workout instead of the full 25, not wanting to max it out the first night. I burned 173 calories–enough to take care of the ice cream I’d had for dessert earlier. I burned a few more when Jeff and I played a few rounds of ping pong, shot some hoops and then sweated in the whirlpool. In all it was actually kind of fun and I’m looking forward to our next trip. I may bring my iPod along for the elliptical part, though. It will distract me from constantly looking at the timer counting down, the analogy for which is indeed a watched pot that never boils.

The Big 2012 Running Summary Thing

The good news is I should be running again in about a month, with my Achilles tendon all healed up and ready to go.

The bad news is that means a lot more boring posts about running for everyone to read! At least I’m honest enough to admit I’m the only one fascinated by them.

Despite ending on an injured note, 2012 was by far my best year for running. I improved in every area and ran every month except for December. My only regret is that I missed hitting 1,000 km by a single measly run. So close!

The stats, as pulled from my Nike+ profile:

988.96 km total distance
4:57/km average pace
68,844 calories burned

73% of runs in the afternoon
15% in the morning
12% in the evening

Number of months I ran 100+ km: 7

Month when my overall average pace dropped below 5:00/km: June

Best month: September (4:38 average)

I don’t know why I added the random bold. I just like it.

Here’s to 2013 besting 2012, running-wise!

No runs plus Nanaimo bars = fat

After my run on Halloween I decided that heading out for another run in two days would be even scarier than the ghosts and witches I’d seen decorating the neighborhood, mainly due to my right Achilles tendon still being sore.

I’ve decided to rest it until at least this Saturday, November 10th. That will give me a week and a half for the tendon to recover. I think that may be enough time but we’ll see. If I still feel I am not up for a full run on Saturday I’ll probably at least do a walk as the low impact nature of that shouldn’t aggravate the foot.

The combination of not running and snacking has seen me inch above my maintenance weight for the first time in months. Granted it’s only by 0.2 pounds so far but still, it took me weeks to gain back the three pounds I’d lost from the flu. Now I seem to be having no trouble at all with the whole gaining thing. I’m trying to exercise (ho ho) a little more restraint when it comes to nibbling on calorie-laden goodies.

The waterworld run

Average pace: 4:42/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CW)
Distance: 11.05 km
Weather: Rain
Temp: 12-13ºC
Wind: light to moderate
Calories burned: 749
Total distance to date: 2042 km

Today’s run was done under a heavy rainfall warning for the area. As on Monday I donned my cycling jacket and this time it came in handy as it rained the entire run. I was lucky in that although it was a steady rain it also turned out to be light. It was also fairly mild. I stayed dry under the jacket except for the sweat again getting trapped in my shirt. It wasn’t as bad as on Monday, however.

My only goal was to do better today, knowing the Achilles tendon would still be sore. It was and again it slowed me down but I achieved my goal and finished with a pace of 4:42/km, five seconds better over Monday. The tendon again felt much improved after it warmed up and stretched. I am using some stinky Rub-A535 on it now to see if that helps post-run.

The trail was an interesting spectacle. I’ve never run around the lake at this time of year so this was my first time doing so not only after heavy rain but during rain as well. The puddles on Monday had grown significantly, many others had joined them and at least four to six areas were impossible to pass without dipping your toes in copious amounts of water. None of this bothers me as I’d experienced soggy conditions frequently at China Creek but it was fun (?) to see how the weather was reshaping the trails at Burnaby Lake. Notable sections included the recently shored-up section near the athletic fields. The parks crew had covered nearly the entire section with fresh gravel, raising it up. The raising was somewhat in vain as several broad swaths of water were running over top of the area, not unlike a river. Splish splash went I through it.

The section that always floods alongside the fields had the appearance of a small lake. I skirted wide around it, knowing that the field’s edge would be similarly soggy, just hidden by the grass. As it turns out the whole damn thing was soggy. Gloop glop went I through the water and mire. Numerous other spots presented similar if smaller hazards.

By the end my feet were thoroughly soaked but thanks to the gravel there was little mud on my legs (unlike China Creek). And in a small act of mercy the rain stopped for the walk home, so I was mostly dry by the time I got home. Yay!

Date Average Pace
October 31 4:42 (11K)
October 29 4:47 (11K)
October 25 4:34 (11K)
October 22 4:34 (11K)
October 19 4:38 (11K)
October 17 4:31 (11K)
October 15 4:36 (11K)
October 12 4:38 (11K)
October 10 4:37 (11K)
October 8 4:53 (11K)
October 2 4:33 (9K)

The puddle-jumping run

Average pace: 4:47/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CCW)
Distance: 11.29 km
Weather: Cloudy
Temp: 12ºC
Wind: light
Calories burned: 766
Total distance to date: 2031 km

Ran Piper Mill trail, Spruce and Conifer Loops.

With the Achilles tendon feeling a tad tender I decided to skip the last run of the week to get an extra day of rest. Today looked to be wet so I decided to wear my water-resistant cycling jacket to try to keep dry.

Naturally, the rain stopped and I didn’t need it. I’m not complaining, though it was a little warm with the jacket on and it ended up trapping sweat that would have wicked away otherwise.

The Achilles tendon did prove to be an inhibitor. It was stiff and sore and that acted as a cap on my run speed. As I progressed around the lake and it limbered up it started to feel better but I was still well below my current pace and finished at 4:47/km.

The other notable part of the run was the condition of the trail with a heavy storm having just passed through the area. I was doing some regular puddle jumping and both the Conifer and Spruce Loops had numerous twigs and branches strewn about. On the plus side, the collapsed section of trail on the south shore that resulted from a tree collapsing was finally shored up with fresh gravel.

I am hoping and expecting Wednesday’s run to be better.

Date Average Pace
October 29 4:47 (11K)
October 25 4:34 (11K)
October 22 4:34 (11K)
October 19 4:38 (11K)
October 17 4:31 (11K)
October 15 4:36 (11K)
October 12 4:38 (11K)
October 10 4:37 (11K)
October 8 4:53 (11K)
October 2 4:33 (9K)

The fastest 1K run

Average pace: 4:34/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CW)
Distance: 11.53 km
Weather: Sun with some scattered cloud
Temp: 8-14ºC
Wind: moderate
Calories burned: 782
Total distance to date: 2020 km

I had to run a day late after a pair of interviews on Wednesday gobbled up my jogging time. That turned out to be a good thing, weather-wise, as today was sunny and yesterday was not.

I headed out shortly after 10 a.m. and when I got to the lake I spent a minute watching a park employee use a net on the lake side of the dam to scoop salmon out of the pen where they end up after climbing the fish ladder and toss them into the lake proper for spawning/dying. Kind of neat and weird at the same time. Why would they block the access to the lake for the fish? Dying fish, no less! But I am not a fishologist so perhaps there is a sound reason to this method.

As for the run itself, it started out brisk at only 8ºC but I had vowed to stick to my long-sleeved t-shirt and shorts and that was fine. I did keep track of how cold my hands were, though. It went something like this:

2K: hands are cold, feel like ice
4K: hands are cool
6K: hands are edging toward feeling neutral
9K: hands are warm, starting to sweat slightly
1K after run: hands are cold, feel like ice

As I started clockwise I got that extra bit of momentum from the small hill on the south side of the dam. As I headed down the Avalon Trail I decided to step on the gas a little. I’m not sure why, really, it just seemed like the right thing to do. I ended up having my fastest 1K ever at 4:15/km.

The rest of the run also went well and unlike most runs the latter half was remarkably even, with no notable dips anywhere from 6-10K. I ended with the usual upward blip in speed. The overall pace was exactly the same as Monday — 4:34/km. Talk about consistent. Joan also came on to congratulate me on another 500 km completed, only 20 km late. Thanks, Joan!

One minor note of discomfort, though it didn’t slow me down: the Achilles tendon on my right foot felt a bit sore. It is still a bit sore today if I am not walking around and keeping the muscles limber. It isn’t a serious issue and I also don’t think it’s from running but rather something weird going on with my feet when I’m in bed. I’ve actually woken up to find my feet sore. I have no idea why. I’m almost afraid to find out what’s happening. 😛 In any case, I note it here in case it becomes an issue.

Date Average Pace
October 25 4:34 (11K)
October 22 4:34 (11K)
October 19 4:38 (11K)
October 17 4:31 (11K)
October 15 4:36 (11K)
October 12 4:38 (11K)
October 10 4:37 (11K)
October 8 4:53 (11K)
October 2 4:33 (9K)