The curse-these-laces (shoes, actually) run

Run 316
Average pace: 5:06/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CW)
Distance: 5.06 km
Weather: Sunny
Temp: 22-23ºC
Wind: light
Calories burned: 401
Total distance to date: 2689

I figured replacing the cheap laces that came with my Adidas Energy Boost® shoes with the nicely braided ones from my New Balance MT110s would solve my untied lace issue, as similar laces on my first pair of MT110s had never come untied in over 800 km of running.

I was wrong.

When I first tied up the shoes the left one (without the Nike+ sensor) felt a bit tight. As soon as I started running it immediately felt too loose, loose enough to come untied. But it didn’t.

Until I hit 400 m remaining. With only 400 meters to go I was not about to stop so I hoped I would not trip on the long, magnificently braided laces. I didn’t.

I think I officially hate the Adidas shoes now. I’m going to start shopping for replacements. The whole tongue/lace design just seems off, with the eyelets difficult to thread laces through, the tongue apparently being designed explicitly to loosen laces and the arrangement being such that the Nike sensor sits up higher on this shoe than on any others I’ve used.

As for the actual run, it was delayed by a day due to spending time with my partner and the weather was a fair bit warmer, with the temperature feeling like 25ºC or so. I could feel the difference and knew I’d be slower and I was. I still came in at a respectable 5:06/km and had an especially strong finish, perhaps eager to get the run over with before I fell flat on my face.

The hip wasn’t much of an issue at all but oddly enough the left upper thigh was aching noticeably, especially when I did the final sprint on the pedestrian overpass near the Burnaby Lake SkyTrain station. It feels fine now but I’m thinking at some point I may have actually pulled the muscle. Weird and annoying.

I am not especially looking forward to a longer run on Sunday as the last few have not gone well but will distract myself by thinking about new shoes.

The cooler and faster early June run

Run 315
Average pace: 5:03/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CW)
Distance: 5.05 km
Weather: Sunny
Temp: 19ºC
Wind: light to moderate
Calories burned: 400
Total distance to date: 2684

The second run of June proved to be a nice recovery after the rather yucky run on Sunday. It was cooler and my various body parts were all better-behaved, with the hip not really factoring at all. I finished with my third best 5K pace of the year at 5:03/km. Not too shabby. Everything felt fine after, too.

As an additional bonus, there were fewer slugs (less dodging) and fewer giant clouds of bugs (less inhaling giant clouds of bugs).

I did silently curse a cyclist who was just entering the trail as I was exiting but other than that, the run was blessedly uneventful.

The warm, sore and tired run

Run 314
Average pace: 5:24/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CCW)
Ran Spruce and Conifer Loops and Piper Mill Trail
Distance: 8.06 km
Weather: Sunny
Temp: 23-25ºC
Wind: moderate
Calories burned: 629
Total distance to date: 2679

I came down from the high of my best run of the year with a loud thud today.

I set out to do a full loop around the lake with sunny skies and a nice breeze blowing. With the temperature ranging from 23-25ºC but feeling higher it was significantly warmer than Thursday’s run and this was the main culprit in dragging my pace way down, to a sloth-like 5:24/km. I started out slower and by the end was basically plodding. I drank deeply at the faucet by the dam afterward. Bless its deliciously cool water.

There were a couple of other issues, too. Here is my Assorted Issues List in a Fancy Box:

[box title=”Assorted Issues List in a Fancy Box” box_color=”#329242″]
  • laces too tight on right shoe. This was meant to keep the Nike+ sensor secure. I’ll re-jigger then before the next run.
  • pad on left foot sore. This was mainly noticeable on the walk after, not so much on the run.
  • right hip still noticeable. The right hip was quiet for most of the run but I still feel it when starting and it was pinging a little past about the 6K mark.
  • right Achilles tendon sending out signals after 7K. This set off a tiny alarm bell as the right tendon has been fine. The little flashes of pain were not severe but I chose to stop the run at 8K as a precaution. The tendon felt perfectly fine walking after.[/box]

Overall this was a disappointing run but the reasons are all identifiable and for the most part should be the sort of things I either adjust to or will diminish and go away over time. The next run will probably be in the 5-7K range so I will be interested to see how much I bounce back from today.

The unexpectedly zippy and expectedly sluggy run

Run 313
Average pace: 4:59/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CW)
Ran Freeway Trail
Distance: 5.04 km
Weather: Sunny
Temp: 14ºC
Wind: moderate
Calories burned: 400
Total distance to date: 2671

The weather was nearly perfect for this post-dinner run, with the sky clear, the air crisp, the temperature mild and a nice cool breeze to top it off. I opted for a clockwise spin around the lake and again decided to stick to a shorter route, with the plan being to try a longer one on the weekend.

The Avalon Trail had enough slugs on it to qualify as a slug land mine field. I don’t think I’ve ever zigzagged on a straight stretch so much before. I toyed with the idea of detouring down the Freeway trail. On the negative side it would stretch out my run but on the positive i’m sure there would be few if any slugs.

I let my feel carry me where they would and took the Freeway Trail. As I’ve mentioned previously they have completely resurfaced the trail with new gravel but unlike the last time I ran it the gravel is now packed down firmly now, making the trail a much better running experience than before.

I saw surprisingly few people on the trail once I hooked back on the Burnaby Lake loop, save for the athletic fields where several groups were kicking and tossing various balls about. Despite the hip feeling much better I still opted to not extend the run, ending it at 5K. I had a little extra walking to do as a result but other than a giant cloud of gnats it was fine.

What surprised me was my pace. I suspect the switch to the uncomplicated Freeway Trail and still-improving hip were what led me to cutting another full eight seconds off my pace. The big news, though, was that I broke the 5:oo minute mark for the first time this year, with my average pace coming in at 4:59/km.

I am quite pleased by this.

I also swapped out the laces from my New Balance MT100’s and put them in my Adidas EB’s, whose unadvertised specialty is having the laces come untied. Not only did this mean the laces did not come untied (and likely won’t ever again) but the neon green makes the shoes 300% more stylin’. Yep.

The buggy, sluggy run

Run 312
Average pace: 5:07/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CCW)
Ran Spruce and Conifer Loops and Piper Mill Trail
Distance: 5.06 km
Weather: Clear
Temp: 19-17ºC
Wind: moderate
Calories burned: 401
Total distance to date: 2666 km (Hail Satan!)

After the previous soaking the sun was back out for tonight’s run, as were the bugs. I probably inhaled a few on the stretch toward Still Creek. Mmm, tiny nutritious flying bits. The trail was awash in many black slugs, suddenly reappearing in large numbers after almost completely vanishing. Welcome back, slugs! Sorry if I accidentally squashed any of you.

The hip continues to feel better and my start was the best of the past few weeks. If the improvement continues at this pace I’ll probably feel back to normal in the next week or two.

Right at the start of the run I had to make a detour onto the grass as a large gaggle of geese (mom, dad and at least six kids) sauntered onto the path directly in front of me. The goslings are still small, fuzzy and adorable. The grown-ups remain hissy and mean if you get close, so steering clear is the name of the game here.

The run was uncomplicated apart from a brief flirtation with a cramp just past the 4K mark. I finished under 26 minutes for the first time since the hip turned creaky, another promising sign. The weather was mild, with a pleasant breeze blowing most of the way. I will remember this fondly when it’s 30+ and humid enough to turn the air liquid.

Overall, another step forward to regular runs.

The cottony, gaggle of joggery and hip-py run

Run 310
Average pace: 5:08/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CCW)
Distance: 5.06 km
Weather: Cloudy, humid
Temp: 19ºC
Wind: moderate
Calories burned: 401
Total distance to date: 2654 km

Tonight I opted to walk to the lake then do a 5K to Still Creek and from there walk to the Burnaby Lake SkyTrain station.

Which I did!

The good news is my hip was the least bothersome it’s been in several runs. While I could feel it at the start it was much less noticeable than the previous run and I did not have to run for kilometers before it felt better. I feel my pace was probably affected more by the humid conditions, which sapped away at my stamina, than by the hip. My average pace of 5.08/km was a full seven seconds better than my previous 5K run on May 12. If the hip continues to behave I may be able to get back on track.

The humidity meant I worked harder while maintaining my pace and my lungs felt lightly ablaze as a result. As I jogged along the Cottonwood Trail it lived up to its name as the cotttonwood trees are starting to shed. It seems a bit earlier than usual but maybe not by much.

The one semi-annoying part of the run came just past the halfway point as I rounded a corner on a fairly narrow stretch of the trail. The vegetation is now pretty lush, which means visibility can be a bit restricted along bends due to tall grass and such. As I came around the corner referenced above, a group of eight or so joggers approached from the opposite direction, spread across the width and breadth of the trail. This meant there was no room for me.I nearly slammed into a pair of them until all parties swerved out of the way.

But come on, if anyone should know how to sensibly jog on a shared path, you’d think it would be someone who jogs with a group. Apparently not, though! Either that or they were utterly convinced they would encounter no other people on the trail so it was A-OK to take up every inch of available space.

Grr.

Still, a minor and brief annoyance on what was otherwise the best run in several weeks. Overall I say yay.

The post-post flu run

Average pace: 5:15/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CW)
Distance: 5.05 km
Weather: Sunny
Temp: 23ºC
Wind: light
Calories burned: 400
Total distance to date: 2632 km

For my second post-flu run I decided to stick to another 5K and follow the same route as before, allowing for easy comparison.

I was encourages early with the hip feeling better after avoiding sleeping on my right side for several nights. It was quite warm again and buggy (one flew directly into my mouth and banged into the back of my throat. I expelled it with impressive vigor and precision) but I pressed on and ended with a pace of 5:15/km, a bit slow for a 5K but a solid eight seconds better than Tuesday’s effort, a solid showing that I am on the mend and all that.

Bonus: My shoe laces stayed tied.

Other bonus: no geese hissed at me. This has happened twice recently.

My next run will likely be Sunday. Here’s to it being hip in a good way.

 

The post-flu hobbly untied lace run

Average pace: 5:23/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CW)
Distance: 5.05 km
Weather: Sunny
Temp: 21ºC
Wind: light
Calories burned: 400
Total distance to date: 2627 km

How tonight’s run sucked, let me count the ways:

  1. Warm. 21ºC seems balmy but it was surprisingly humid. Admittedly it wasn’t a huge issue.
  2. My shoelace came untied yet again, this time in the first km and on the left shoe for variety.
  3. Bugs. They were out in force, probably because of the combo of recent rain and now warm temperatures. Bonking off my head and face.
  4. Old man hip. Not as bad as it’s been but still sore. It got better as I ran, with surprising results (see below).
  5. Post-flu. Probably the biggest factor. Two days ago I was bedridden with a nasty case of stomach flu. I missed Sunday’s run and didn’t want to miss another, so today I ran, anyway.

Given the flu and hip points, I opted for a 5K again and came in at a positively sluggish pace of 5:23/km. The first km has a strange drop in it which may be where I stopped to retie my lace. I didn’t pause the run because the last time I did that I screwed up and killed the run altogether. The untied lace is the third time this has happened and is pretty bad for a pair of top-end shoes. Adidas obviously thinks you should replace their sucky laces with better ones. I will do this soon, being careful not to use Adidas laces in the process.

The post-flu had probably the biggest effect on the run. I just didn’t have the usual gas, even taking into account the hip. The next run should be better.

As for the hip, it felt better than the previous run but still not great. As I warmed up it became less of an issue and I finished with a truly rare finish–my final km was the fastest, with an average of 5:13/km compared to the 5:21/km of the first km.

Here’s to better runs ahead. (please)

The still sore shorter run

Average pace: 5:12/km
Location: Brunette River trail, Burnaby Lake (CCW)
Distance: 5.1 km
Weather: Partly cloudy
Temp: 15ºC
Wind: light
Calories burned: 404
Total distance to date: 2622 km

With the hip being anything but I elected to play it safe and do a shorter run, nipping down the river trail and around the first two loops of the lake before circling back on the main trail to complete 5 km. My pace was a bit slow for a 5K at 5:12/km but not unexpected, given my dippy hip. I may go in to have it prodded and poked if it doesn’t start improving soon. The left upper leg muscles are also a bit sore after I started extending my runs, so I can appreciate the variety of different problems on different legs.

Endurance was fine and I actually had a decent finish after I warmed up. Not bad overall, given the circumstances.

The Return of the Old Man Hip Run

Average pace: 5:14/km
Location: Brunette River trail, Burnaby Lake (CCW)
Distance: 8.13 km
Weather: Sunny
Temp: 18ºC
Wind: light
Calories burned: 644
Total distance to date: 2617 km

Conditions were pleasant for tonight’s run, unlike the extremes of the previous two runs. My leg muscles were a little sore from the first 11K run of the year but worse was the soreness of the right hip as the spirit of some cranky old man apparently invaded again. I felt sluggish starting out and was generally a bit tired, anyway.

I decided to do a shorter route that would take me along the river trail, over the north side of Burnaby Lake to Still Creek and from there to the Burnaby Lake SkyTrain station. This turned out to be a little over 8 km, which is still respectable for a weeknight run. My pace was a tad better than the monsoon run at 5:14/km but slower than my best 7K (5:10/km).

On the good side I did manage to maintain a very steady pace and felt much better toward the end, finishing with my usual final km push. On the bad side was the hip. I would love to know what’s going on there. Bruised bone? Achy muscle? Voodoo? I’m not concerned at making it worse by continuing to run at this point but I am keeping a watch on it.

I’m undecided on what to do on Thursday: skip the run to rest up, do a shorter 5K or just go all-out and see what the heck happens.

The weirdly cool and incredibly wet early May run

Average pace: 5:15/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CW)
Ran Spruce and Conifer Loops and Piper Mill Trail
Distance: 11.05 km
Weather: Heavy rain
Temp: 10ºC
Wind: light
Calories burned: 876
Total distance to date: 2609 km

The Weather Underground site cheerfully described today’s weather as “light rain”. Perhaps they define light differently than most people. When I stepped outside for my run today a steady rain was falling. It continued to fall on the walk to the lake, the run around the lake and the walk up to the SkyTrain station because there was no freaking way I was walking all the way back home, even though it was impossible for me to get more drenched than I already was.

The rain actually got heavier as the run progressed. The trees around the trail roared as the fresh spring leaves got continuously pelted by the drops. Because it was raining before I even headed out I opted to put my fare card in a plastic baggie and wore my water-treated running jacket.

By the third block from the condo I could already feel the rain soaking through the sleeves. In the end I’d have been no worse off to just wear my long-sleeved t-shirt.

It was also unseasonably cool, around 10ºC for the run. This wasn’t a problem once I got started but my hands felt legitimately cold at the start. After the run, the cool temperatures turned my damp skin clammy and cool. I was glad to get home and into a nice warm tub.

The run itself went fine. Stamina was not an issue with the cooler temperature, and the only small issues were my right hip feeling a bit sore midway, though it worked out (still no idea how I tweaked it) and the left foot was just starting to get a little cranky at the end but never became a problem.

My pace for the 11.05 km was 5:15/km, three seconds better than the previous 7K run and only five seconds slower than my best 7K. Not bad for my first full loop around the lake.

The weirdly summer-like early May run

Average pace: 5:18/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CCW)
Distance: 7.03 km
Weather: Sunny
Temp: 27-29ºC
Wind: light to nil
Calories burned: 557
Total distance to date: 2597 km

I love to complain about the heat when I’m running. Heat is bad. It makes you sweat excessively, slows you down and makes a normal run feel much harder (because it is). But during the summer of 2012 I found that by sticking to my routine I was able to acclimate to the hotter temperatures and while I can’t say I’m a fan of running when it’s in the high 20s or around 30 degrees, it no longer makes much difference to my pace.

But the process of acclimation is one that has to build up each year. This normally happens naturally, as temperatures slowly rise through April, May and June. By the time summer officially begins we are near maximum temperature, barring a few token heatwaves lasting a couple of days.

Such acclimation has not been possible with the temperature freakishly high the past few days. While it was much warmer than usual for Tuesday’s run, today’s was downright uncomfortable, with the temperature ranging from about 27 to 29ºC. I would normally expect to have two more months to build up to these sorts of temperatures.

All of this is to say tonight’s run was yucky.

My feet and legs behaved themselves but I felt sluggish. The air along the trail had that mid-summer thickness in places, where just breathing seems harder than it should be. For the first time in a long time I simply wanted the run to be over. When it ended my pace was 5:18/km, a full eight seconds slower than the previous run.

It looks to be cooler for the weekend so my time should improve. On the other hand I’m planning on a full loop around the lake so my time will probably be worse. But at least Mother Nature will not be to blame this time.