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.

Ending April with a few positive thoughts and shoes

I just had a bath and am infused with a warm feeling and I also smell good. I mean, even better than normal. I smell fantastic.

Because I am in such a soothed frame of mind and smell so great, here’s a list of small but positive things to end the month on:

  • the weather is very nice today. Sunny and warm, with a light breeze. Weather Underground is reporting 19.3ºC at 6:15 p.m. and is predicting a high of 24 for tomorrow.
  • they finally re-opened the north exit at the Lougheed Town Centre SkyTrain station. It’s been closed for a few years, with an awkward and slippery-when-wet wooden staircase serving as an alternate route in the interim. The remodeled exit has that “new exit” look to it. You know what I mean.
  • I shaved today and it is probably the closest, smoothest shave I’ve had in years. I can’t keep my hands off this incredibly smooth, sexy face of mine.
  • I got my replacement Hoka Speedgoats, yay! I’ll talk more about them in a separate post, because I need to pad things out tonight.
  • I had a chicken bowl. These are especially satisfying after walking for an hour.
  • I’m below 164 pounds and getting within sight of my weight loss goal. That much less to carry when running.
  • I finished my taxes and should get around $450 back. Better than a kick in the pants, as Grandpa used to say.
  • I am not aware of any beloved celebrities dying suddenly in the last 24 hours

 

* I have no idea if either of my grandfathers said this, but I’m sure someone’s grandfather did

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.

Discipline and writing…why does this sound familiar?

From one of my aborted attempts at reviving a journal comes this snippet on writing, which was penned (literally, as you can see) on my 25th birthday:

Waxing on writing with ink

In case the image stops working, here’s the text in convenient text form:

In truth, I like to write. A daily journal is an exercise in writing and an exercise in discipline. Everyday I must pour out thoughts on these pages, and attempt to be at least reasonably lucid and/or coherent. Through this daily regimen I will sharpen and hone my writing skills, I will cause the juices of creativity to practically sploosh out of my ears. Occasionally, I may even record something profound (do I have a straight face as I write this? I’m not tellin’).

This is culled from the first entry in the journal. It was followed by one more entry, after which none followed. Even all these years later I can appreciate the rich, flavorful irony reading through this paragraph of filthy lies.

On the one hand it’s nice that I recognized the need for discipline in writing back when I was still young enough to be at my sexual peak. On the other hand, I apparently didn’t keep a straight face while writing any of this (see: giving up on this very same journal after two entries). On the third hand grafted on Frankenstein-style, I have kept writing since that 25th birthday, even if the dry spells have occasionally been prolonged droughts.

More writing exercises and other writing…soon™.

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.

Book review: The Super Natural

The Super Natural: A New Vision of the UnexplainedThe Super Natural: A New Vision of the Unexplained by Whitley Strieber
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This one is kind of bonkers if you think the world and the universe around it are pretty much known things. If you’re less certain (just what is dark matter, anyway, and why is there so much of it?) then the you may find the ideas presented to be intriguing, even as the authors make no absolute claims on any of the evidence they bring forward.

The premise of The Super Natural is that the various unknown phenomena reported around the world–everything from UFOs to alien abductions, apparitions, implants, strange lights and more–are real and explainable, and point to a larger reality that most people lack the perception and skill to interact with in a meaningful way, or even at all. Further, they suggest the possibility of parallel universes that may intersect with ours at times. On top of that, there’s a lot of theory on what happens after you die and whether or not the soul exists. Finally, there is a common belief between the authors that some kind of intelligent plasma energy may be behind most of this.

Pretty bonkers, right?

Whitley Strieber is well-known for his books about what he calls the visitors, starting with Communion. His experiences have been largely ignored by mainstream media or openly mocked (he expresses regret for coming up with the phrase “rectal probe”, two words that have launched a thousand jokes over the past thirty years). His chapters largely consist of him recalling and expanding on experiences he has previously described, as well as bringing in some new ones. He offers theories but is very careful to commit to none of them, keeping his mind open to other possibilities. He doesn’t think the visitors are aliens from another planet, a common misconception people have with his experiences.

Jeff Kripal is a historian of religions and his chapters focus more specifically on the theories behind what may be going on, with different techniques offered as part of a “toolbox” for examining and cataloguing the unknown.

In a few instances the authors disagree on specifics but overall they present a united front in believing the likeliest explanations of all this weird stuff lies in intelligent plasma energy that exists perhaps in a dimension outside of ours and may be trying to teach those who are receptive what lies beyond our physical form and physical dimension. There are suggestions that these other beings live outside of normal space and time and to them we seem pretty primitive with our living and dying and not being able to fly around as spooky balls of energy. But the good news is they consider us teachable.

There are no good explanations on why these more advanced forms of life want to teach us or why they are being relatively coy about it (I say relatively because there are thousands of UFO sightings, for example, and even well-documented cases rarely get reported by conventional media, so while these various phenomena may be unknown, they are not exactly rare). Perhaps we’re just really slow learners. Maybe our nukes scare them. They still kind of scare me.

Kripal in particular also goes into detail about what is real versus fictional or imagined and how we may essentially make our own reality. One example he recounts is about an academic colleague who was making blueberry muffins (mmm). He finished mixing the wet ingredients then rinsed out and set the empty honey jar on the sink counter to dry. He went to get a tin of flour off a shelf and, surprised by how unusually heavy it felt, dropped it on the floor. He sifted through the spilled flour and found the honey jar, caked in the flour. He looked at the counter. The jar was no longer there. It had moved on its own. Neat! And weird.

Kripal explains:

Apparently, that is what the human mind-brain does when it is participating in a dimension of reality that is quite beyond our primitive “mental” and “material” categories of thinking (and our primitive science, which assumes the same division to work at all). It tells itself a story that involves otherwise impossible things and then acts out that story with physical objects. If those objects are available in the immediate environment, it uses them as props, like Dan’s honey jar. If they are not, it creates them “out of nowhere.”

He goes on to say these odd events happen to “mess with us” (that is a direct quote), to shake up our view of the world as one in which the mental and physical are separate things. It’s all very trippy, like trying to count to infinity.

In the end a skeptic is unlikely to be convinced by the evidence presented by Strieber and Kripal, but their ideas are interesting and entertainingly presented. The way they both hold back from making absolute claims seems less a dodge and more a genuine admission that they–and us–really don’t know for sure what it happening out there. But something certainly seems to be.

Meanwhile, I can’t even get the TV remote to teleport into my hand. If the mental and physical are really one, I wouldn’t mind at least a few perks before evolving into a super-intelligent ball of light.

View all my reviews

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?