Average pace: 5:05/km
Location: Brunette River trail
Distance: 5.05 km
Weather: Partly cloudy
Temp: 11ºC
Wind: light
Calories burned: 400
Total distance to date: 2576 km

I think it would probably scare me to watch video footage of what I do in bed.

I mean while I’m sleeping.

The reason I say this is because I woke up with what can only be described as old man’s hip. For whatever reason my right hip was sore, a ghostly premonition of what it might feel like when I’m 85. If it was a hint that I’ll make it to at least 85 I’m okay with that.

But for a run an old man hip is not hip, not at all.

Fortunately I was able to work it out and managed to maintain a decent pace along the river. My left calf was feeling a bit tender/sore around the shin so I’m not sure if I’m unconsciously shifting my weight to it or if it’s also going through some other old man thing. The right leg and foot continue to be fine.

With the allegedly energy boosting shoes remaining firmly tied I managed an average pace of 5:05/km, one second off the previous run and a bit short of my best but still second fastest for the year.

My next run on the weekend should be an uninterrupted 7K. I’m expecting the average pace to shoot up with the longer length and will venture a prediction now of around 5:18/km.

Average pace: 5:18/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CCW)
Ran Spruce and Conifer Loops and Piper Mill Trail
Distance: 5.05 km
Weather: Sunny
Temp: 13-14ºC
Wind: light
Calories burned: 400
Total distance to date: 2561 km

After avoiding a run yesterday due to the day-long downpour, I ventured out today under sunny skies and in mild conditions. I once again wore my New Balance MT100s, hoping to improve on my previous pace with the minimalist shoes.

As I walked along the Brunette River trail I noticed something odd on the trail up ahead. After a few moments I realized it was a tree. Trees are not normally found on the trail. Along the trail, yes. Right across them, not so much.

Apparently a combination of soggy soil and perhaps just enough wind was enough to cause a very tall tree on the other side of the river bank to topple over. It was tall enough to reach across the rover, the opposite bank, the trail (which is actually a gravel service road) and then some. It had cracked apart in several places after thudding onto the ground.

I hopped over and hoped it was not a sign.

It wasn’t. But I had a lousy run, anyway.

I started out slower again but the first km was actually three seconds better than the previous run–a good sign! Then at exactly the 1 km mark (it was just announced on the iPod) I was struck by a nasty stitch in my left side. I slowed but it persisted and by the end of the second km I was six seconds off the previous pace. Later I developed a stitch in my right shoulder, of all places.

I ended up with a mediocre pace of 5:18/km. The last four runs look like this:

• 5:07
• 5:12
• 5:14
• 5:18

This is not a good trend. I dislike it.

The shoes didn’t feel too bad, actually, but clearly my legs and feet are still adjusting as I could feel my upper leg muscles getting worked out, no doubt due to the different stance I was using/forced into.

The walk home was less than pleasant as the pad of my left foot acted up and without sufficient support from the shoe it was fairly cranky most of the way back.

I’m going to put the MT110s back on the shelf for now and get a nice pair of regular trail runners to replace my wearing-out Nikes. Eventually, maybe after I’m comfortably doing 10K runs again, I may try going back to the minimalist shoes.

Re: the cyclists. I am seeing multiple cyclists pretty much every time I run at the lake now. This annoys me because more of them are riding fast, which is the perfect way for collisions to happen, as cyclists ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE ON THE TRAILS AROUND THE LAKE.

Clearly the many signs saying “No bicycles” are no longer working. My concern is that as word gets around that you can bike around the lake without consequence, more people will do so. I don’t think the Parks Board is doing any actual enforcement or they’re busting people (“Set your bike down and put your hands on that tree!”) when I’m not there.

Anyway, it’s annoying. There are very few places where bikes are not permitted and this is one of them. It’s one of the things I like about Burnaby Lake–I never have to keep an eye out for some idiot madly whizzing by on a bike. It seems that’s come to an end now. Alas.

Average pace: 5:14/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CW)
Distance: 5.05 km
Weather: Light showers
Temp: 14-12ºC
Wind: light
Calories burned: 401
Total distance to date: 2556 km

Today I switched to my New Balance MT100 minimalist shoes, as my Nikes are starting to show visible wear in the heels. I was a little concerned how it would go having not run in minimalist shoes for so long but overall it was fine. My left foot was a little sore even before heading out (the usual with the pad) but during the run it felt fine and while a bit sore after it actually got better the closer I got to home.

My pace was two seconds slower compared to Sunday, not a big surprise since switching shoes is usually a good way to slow yourself down. Interestingly the biggest drop came in the first km when I was clearly re-adjusting to having less cushioning.

The weather was cooler and light showers peppered the run from time to time. It didn’t actually start to come down steady until I was two blocks from home–enough distance to get reasonably soaked. I anticipated this and wore my weather-proofed run jacket and it sufficed in keeping the wet stuff on the outside.

I am pondering a 10K run for Thursday but am still undecided.

Average pace: 5:20/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CW)
Distance: 5.03 km
Weather: Sunny
Temp: 12ºC
Wind: light
Calories burned: 398
Total distance to date: 2536 km

Circumstances prevented me from running on Friday as I would have according to my Run Schedule-0-Matic® and then again on Saturday, meaning I had three full days off before running again today.

Logically you might think three days of rest would result in a better run but with my body still getting used to jogging again, three days is instead just enough time to start losing what little edge I’ve developed in the past few weeks. I also always seem to do worse with a route change-up.

When I started off running clockwise around Burnaby Lake I couldn’t immediately tell if I was slower. My left foot was feeling a bit stiff but worked itself out. I kept on and then developed the dreaded stitch. Much like the previous one it never really went away and when I had about 500m to go it was bothering me enough that I was briefly tempted to stop running altogether. I pressed on and even got a little bit of that homestretch spurt going but in the end my pace fell back to a pokey 5:20/km.

I couldn’t blame conditions, either, as it was mainly sunny, mild and with a light and pleasant breeze blowing.

I did achieve a milestone for this year, though–my first week with three runs, just like in the olden days. Woo. And I’m still feeling the after-effects of the runs less and less with each outing. Woo x2.