I’ve now watched a good portion of Cars and I still can’t get past the concept. I can accept talking fish, rats, ants and toys but for some reason talking cars stretch credibility too much. Maybe because the talking animals and toys still exist in a human world, whereas the cars exist in a bizarro world where they stand in place of humans. It begs obvious questions like ‘Where do baby cars come from?”
And I don’t want to know the answer.
Distance: 10.02 km
Weather: Cloudy
Temp: 15-18ºC
Wind: light
Calories burned: 700
Average pace: 5:24/km
Total distance to date: 791 km
Things I don’t normally see on a run that I saw today:
I started the run at my lightest weight of the year, a svelte 145.5 pounds.
The big question today was how would my knee hold up and the answer is: better than Wednesday, not as well as Monday. I could definitely feel it but it wasn’t enough to significantly slow my performance. In fact, the entire run was beset my minor discomforts, ranging from my lower back starting to ache, a brief flare-up in my left ankle and recurring heartburn/acid reflux (the latter may be due to a late slice of pepperoni pizza last night, though neither pizza nor pepperoni normally gives me heartburn). I was fearing my time by the end of the run but was pleasantly surprised that I actually came in one second faster than Monday’s 10K (5:24/km) and had my best first 2 km this year (4:53/km for 1K and 5:01/km for 2K). My strong start couldn’t overcome the flagging in the final 2 km, though. I was feeling pretty pooped by the end.
Joan also piped up to congratulate me on another 500 km toward my goal of reaching Mars. As always, thanks Joan!
On a final note, I mistakenly ran clockwise for the second run in a row. I normally alternate but for some reason got things mixed up today. No harm, but wanted to make it clear the chart is accurate.
Chart (blue indicates the run was done clockwise):
| km | Jun 18 | Jun 16 | Jun 13 | Jun 11 | Jun 8 | Jun 6 | Jun 2 | May 31 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 km | 4:53 | 5:05 | 5:02 | 4:59 | 5:04 | 5:05 | 5:00 | 5:05 |
| 2 km | 5:01 | 5:09 | 5:07 | 5:05 | 5:10 | 5:13 | 5:10 | 5:13 |
| 3 km | 5:04 | 5:13 | 5:10 | 5:10 | 5:14 | 5:20 | 5:16 | 5:18 |
| 4 km | 5:09 | 5:16 | 5:14 | 5:14 | 5:16 | 5:25 | 5:20 | 5:22 |
| 5 km | 5:13 | 5:19 | 5:18 | 5:18 | 5:18 | — | 5:23 | 5:25 |
| 6 km | 5:15 | — | 5:20 | 5:21 | 5:20 | — | 5:26 | 5:29 |
| 7 km | 5:18 | — | 5:21 | 5:23 | 5:21 | — | 5:28 | 5:31 |
| 8 km | 5:21 | — | 5:22 | |||||
| 9 km | 5:23 | — | 5:24 | |||||
| 10 km | 5:24 | — | 5:25 |
I freely admit that when I go out to see a movie, it’s because I want to see it on a freaking huge screen to better appreciate the spectacle of sound and light being presented. This means when I’m seeing a movie during the summer it ain’t gonna be an arthouse film. This year I’ve started with two superhero movies, both from the Marvel universe.
Thor
I know little about Thor the comic (comic book, that is, not stand-up comic, though that itself is an interesting concept). I know he’s some sort of viking dude with a hammer and that’s about it. The movie fleshes out his origin story, presenting Thor as a reckless warmonger lusting for blood with little thought to the consequence. A heavily made-up Anthony Hopkins plays his father who banishes him to Earth for being such a reckless boob (Thor lives on a snazzy viking planet and they have some kind of wormhole thingie that can shoot them hither and yonder across the galaxy. Nerds everywhere are cringing at my inability to give any of this stuff its proper names). Thor’s arrival is heralded by him getting hit by a van. This turns out to be a literal running gag. Over the course of the movie Thor goes through a character arc of sorts, which kind of surprised me, given I was mostly expecting lots of fighting and special effects (and there is plenty of both), turning into a wiser, more mellow kind of dude who is fit to be king, unlike his rat brother Loki, who plots to exterminate their enemies, Thor, dad and pretty much anyone who gets in his way.
Good triumph over evil in the end, of course, and Loki gets away with a Vader-esque escape, so he’s primed to be a main bad guy in The Avengers movie — and that’s what Thor feels like, a prequel of sorts to The Avengers, introducing Thor. But it works for what it is. Kenneth Branagh (!) keeps the action moving and gives the characters enough time to catch their collective breath and flesh out scenes that would otherwise feel like perfunctory bits between explosions. The off-kilter camera angles often used to establish shots on Earth might recall the same trick being used on the campy Batman series from the 1960s but here it works as an effective way to illustrate the fish-out-of-water nature of Thor’s presence on the planet.
Chris Hemsworth appears to have had a great time playing the title character and is thoroughly enjoyable as he alternates between bumbling about powerless on Earth and swaggering and swinging the hammer with gusto about on his home planet of Asgard. For some reason I didn’t even recognize Natalie Portman until well into the movie. Her plucky scientist Jane Foster is fairly rote and she does little to distinguish the role but she’s not bad, either and this will certainly look better on her resume than Your Highness. Tom Hiddlestone does a nice job with Loki, at turns menacing and slightly campy.
The effects are dazzling and well-rendered and the action is plentiful and satisfying. Comic book movies don’t have a very high bar to reach to be considered decent. After all, Electra and Daredevil both got greenlit and they’ve made two Fantastic Four movies, so by my account, Thor comes off quite well. A solid romp, I rate it 3.5 mystical hammers out of 5.
X-Men: First Class
After the fairly dismal X-Men 3: Everyone Dies and an okay-but-not great Wolverine movie, the powers-that-be at Marvel apparently decided it was time to reboot the franchise by going the prequel route and so we find X-Men: First Class set in 1962 and laying out the origins of the merry band of mutants led by Professor Xavier. The film plays up the early 60s angle right down to making the Cuban missile crisis the centerpiece of the story but never veers into Austin Powers territory in terms of costumes or design. In fact, there are a few fashion anachronisms, mostly with some hairstyles looking a bit too modern.
James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender are both well-cast as the younger Xavier and Magneto, respectively. While the film shows Magneto’s transformation into a ‘bad guy’, Xavier is given a completely different take as a sex-loving, beer-swilling kinda guy (who still has a highly developed moral code that causes him to ultimately part ways with Magneto).
I don’t have any serious coimplaints about the movie. It moves along well and although the supporting cast don’t get a lot of time to explore their characters, they all handle themselves well. It did seem Angel was given no real motivation to join with evil mutant Sebastian Shaw and I suspect the many-credited writers may have had something in there at some point that got cut. And speaking of Shaw, I’m unsure what to make of Kevin Bacon as the chief bad guy. I actually didn’t recognize him in the 1944 scenes where he appears as a Nazi doctor. Once he became Evil Kevin Bacon in 1962 I was less convinced because, you know…Kevin Bacon. They should have given him a big villainous mustache or something.
I’m usually not big on reboots, remakes or prequels but X-Men: First Class actually pulls off the origin story with intelligence, flair and, well, class. If the film does well, expect to see X-Men: Second Class get the go-ahead. Okay, maybe not with that title. X-Men: Top of Class? X-Men: Still Classy? They had four people credited on the screenplay, they can throw a couple of writers at coming up with a decent name for a sequel.
Distance: 5.2 km
Weather: Sunny
Temp: 20ºC
Wind: strong gusts at times
Calories burned: 363
Average pace: 5:19/km
Total distance to date: 781 km
Although it was sunny for the entirety of my run today it did not slow me down as much as I had feared, though my pace was off by a couple of seconds. I had planned a full 10K but right at the 5K mark my left knee felt like it was locking up. I debated briefly on whether to run at a slower pace and wait it out or call it there before my average pace went to poop. I called it at 5.2 km completed and am planning on another run tomorrow – my first back-to-back runs in many moons.
The knee is feeling fine now, so I don’t believe it’s hurt, just old and stupid.
The run was otherwise unremarkable. I am coming home dusty instead of muddy now, which is actually kind of nice.
Chart (blue indicates the run was done clockwise):
| km | Jun 16 | Jun 13 | Jun 11 | Jun 8 | Jun 6 | Jun 2 | May 31 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 km | 5:05 | 5:02 | 4:59 | 5:04 | 5:05 | 5:00 | 5:05 |
| 2 km | 5:09 | 5:07 | 5:05 | 5:10 | 5:13 | 5:10 | 5:13 |
| 3 km | 5:13 | 5:10 | 5:10 | 5:14 | 5:20 | 5:16 | 5:18 |
| 4 km | 5:16 | 5:14 | 5:14 | 5:16 | 5:25 | 5:20 | 5:22 |
| 5 km | 5:19 | 5:18 | 5:18 | 5:18 | — | 5:23 | 5:25 |
| 6 km | — | 5:20 | 5:21 | 5:20 | — | 5:26 | 5:29 |
| 7 km | — | 5:21 | 5:23 | 5:21 | — | 5:28 | 5:31 |
| 8 km | — | 5:22 | |||||
| 9 km | — | 5:24 | |||||
| 10 km | — | 5:25 |
Distance: 10.03 km
Weather: Mainly cloudy
Temp: 17-19ºC
Wind: strong gusts at times
Calories burned: 680
Average pace: 5:25/km
Total distance to date: 776 km
Two of my least favorite running conditions converged today as I prepared for my first 10K of the year: wind and dogs.
The wind was quite strong for the start of the run but settled down before the midway point and I managed to avoid an SLC (sudden loss of cap). I did, however, encounter a ULI (untied lace incident). This one was notable in that instead of feeling loose over a period of laps and then coming unwound, it pretty much spontaneously untied itself. I regained my rhythm quickly after pausing to re-tie.
My pace up to the 8K mark was actually ahead of my previous run but moving out beyond that I began to tucker a bit and ultimately finished with a still-respectable pace of 5:25/km. Body-wise my left knee was hurting not in an injured way but more in ‘that darned possibly arthritic knee’ way. I may investigate ways to minimize the discomfort during runs, though so far it hasn’t proven to be a problem with the actual end result.
The combination of warm temperature and wind left me fairly patched by the end and fortunately the fountain was both working and not filled with bees. I hate bee-filled fountains (see previous entries from last summer). The port-o-potty also returned after being hauled away last fall. It’s now positioned next to the trail alongside 7th Avenue and is also across from a construction site which also has port-o-potties. I’m assuming it’s intended for park users despite no signs because the door is facing toward the field. And it’s hard to imagine a port-o-potty going rogue, even if only across a street. I shall make use of it should I forget to go before a run and my world’s tiniest bladder calls out for relief.
There were two exercise groups out today and at several points I had as many as three people jogging ahead of me. One of them was a younger kid when I was about 3 km in. I slowly gained on him in that classic tortoise and the hare thing and for about half a lap had left him behind. Suddenly he darts past me on the left and when he’s gotten far enough ahead to be fully in my point of view, the little bastard raises his arms in triumph, Rocky-style. I knew better than to try to catch him, though. He was sprinting and before reaching the next curve had stopped altogether.
And it seems a jog doesn’t go by now without an annoying dog owner being present. I’m not referring here to the guy who walked into the park and lit a cigarette (no smoking) and immediately let his dog off leash (not an off-leash park) as he stayed in the field and out of my way. Instead a pair of down owners took up spots on the path near the fountain and chatted water cooler-style. The woman was on one side of the path, her dog on the other, the leash strung between them like a tripwire. She made some desultory effort to reel the dog in, something that clearly wasn’t going to happen in time given my velocity and for the second time in the same run I came to a complete stop to avoid landing on my face. I ignored the owners and grumbled under my breath as I proceeded on. They eventually moved farther along the path but I lapped them two more times before they actually moved off the path to continue their conversation about whatever it is annoying dog owners talk about (“You know, Fred, why do these annoying joggers have to jog here when there’s plenty of street right over there?”). I offer a small but what I like to think is a handy tip for dog owners bringing their dogs to a park with a designated jogging path: If you are walking on the path, do not block it in its entirety. And if you’re going to stop walking, move off the path into the other 95% of the park that is available to you instead of GETTING IN MY DAMN WAY. Okay, technically that’s two tips.
Chart (blue indicates the run was done clockwise):
| km | Jun 13 | Jun 11 | Jun 8 | Jun 6 | Jun 2 | May 31 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 km | 5:02 | 4:59 | 5:04 | 5:05 | 5:00 | 5:05 |
| 2 km | 5:07 | 5:05 | 5:10 | 5:13 | 5:10 | 5:13 |
| 3 km | 5:10 | 5:10 | 5:14 | 5:20 | 5:16 | 5:18 |
| 4 km | 5:14 | 5:14 | 5:16 | 5:25 | 5:20 | 5:22 |
| 5 km | 5:18 | 5:18 | 5:18 | — | 5:23 | 5:25 |
| 6 km | 5:20 | 5:21 | 5:20 | — | 5:26 | 5:29 |
| 7 km | 5:21 | 5:23 | 5:21 | — | 5:28 | 5:31 |
| 8 km | 5:22 | |||||
| 9 km | 5:24 | |||||
| 10 km | 5:25 |
Distance: 7.45 km
Weather: Mix of sun and cloud
Temp: 18ºC
Wind: breezy at times
Calories burned: 506
Average pace: 5:23/km
I had a better-than-expected start to the run, coming in at under 5 minutes for the first km in a long time (4:59/km, to be exact). This is never an official goal for me but it is a nice psychological boost when it happens, so yay! I also had a strong finish with the final 450m clocking at a relatively brisk 5:10/km. My pace in the middle did slow a little vs. the previous run and I chalk that mostly to the sun coming out. I swear that thing is like a vampire to my energy level. I don’t swear enough to wish it gone, however. Please don’t go, sun! You have been precious and rare this spring!
I think it’s also safe to say now that running clockwise (reverse) is not affecting me in any material way, except to hopefully reduce the chance of injury.
The ‘should I be annoyed by this?’ part: A couple were at the park with two dogs, one was a large adult that looked like some kind of Doberman mix, the other a tiny and adorable Malamute puppy. Neither were on leash (can you see where this is heading?) A young woman was jogging counter-clockwise on the trail and we had passed several times. As I jogged up the southern stretch of the trail from the east, she came along from the west, the couple and their dogs between us, in the field just on the edge of the trail. Suddenly the puppy runs after the jogger and manages to get right into her feet, causing her to fall down — not hard and not totally, as she managed to stay partly upright. She took a few moments to play with the puppy (it was adorable, after all), then went on her way, all smiles — as was the owner.
On the next lap the incident repeated itself, though the jogger was more aware this time and stopped before the dog could get underfoot. After this the jogger disappeared and the puppy was briefly put on a leash.
I found the behavior of the couple annoying. After their dog had knocked the person down the first time they should have a) moved away from the trail or b) put the dog on the leash immediately. The park isn’t off-leash, anyway. In either case, it strikes me as odd that a puppy knocking down a jogger is somehow amusing. I guess it’s like what Mel Brooks once said: Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall into an open sewer and die.
Or something like that. I gave the puppy a seriously wide berth.
I am tentatively planning my first full 10K of the year on Monday. Here’s hoping it goes well.
Chart (blue indicates the run was done clockwise):
| km | Jun 11 | Jun 8 | Jun 6 | Jun 2 | May 31 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 km | 4:59 | 5:04 | 5:05 | 5:00 | 5:05 |
| 2 km | 5:05 | 5:10 | 5:13 | 5:10 | 5:13 |
| 3 km | 5:10 | 5:14 | 5:20 | 5:16 | 5:18 |
| 4 km | 5:14 | 5:16 | 5:25 | 5:20 | 5:22 |
| 5 km | 5:18 | 5:18 | — | 5:23 | 5:25 |
| 6 km | 5:21 | 5:20 | — | 5:26 | 5:29 |
| 7 km | 5:23 | 5:21 | — | 5:28 | 5:31 |
Distance: 7.5 km
Weather: Cloudy, some late hazy sun
Temp: 17ºC
Wind: medium breeze
Calories burned: 509
Average pace: 5:21/km
Today’s result was unexpected after Monday’s timid pace. I started out decently with a 5:04 first km and maintained a good pace throughout, even picking it back up to 5:13 for the last half km. I concentrated on form, landing and taking off from the pads of my feet and not the heels and with about 10 minutes left in the run my shin muscles were starting to feel a bit tired — sore but not injured. Or at least I hope so! As always, I will evaluate again before my next run.
My overall pace of 5:21 note only eclipses the 5:28 of my previous 40 minute run, it comes close to matching the best time for any run of 40 minutes or more. This without especially trying to push hard. I think I am finally at the point where I’ve made up for the months off from running. Here’s hoping I can remain healthy and jump back into the 10K runs soon.
Also, Joan congratulated me for another 500 km. I am now past navigating the planet. Joan has me on a course across the universe now.
Chart (blue indicates the run was done clockwise):
| km | Jun 8 | Jun 6 | Jun 2 | May 31 | May 28 | May 26 | May 23 | May 20 | May 18 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 km | 5:04 | 5:05 | 5:00 | 5:05 | 5:07 | 5:01 | 5:03 | 5:15 | 5:13 |
| 2 km | 5:10 | 5:13 | 5:10 | 5:13 | 5:14 | 5:13 | 5:15 | 5:24 | 5:23 |
| 3 km | 5:14 | 5:20 | 5:16 | 5:18 | 5:19 | 5:19 | 5:21 | 5:31 | 5:30 |
| 4 km | 5:16 | 5:25 | 5:20 | 5:22 | 5:23 | 5:24 | 5:25 | 5:35 | 5:35 |
| 5 km | 5:18 | — | 5:23 | 5:25 | 5:24 | 5:24 | 5:26 | 5:37 | 5:37 |
| 6 km | 5:20 | — | 5:26 | 5:29 | |||||
| 7 km | 5:21 | — | 5:28 | 5:31 |
Distance: 4.82 km
Weather: Sunny
Temp: 21-23ºC
Wind: light
Average pace: 5:27/km
What better way to show how delightfully absurd our weather has been than to note that the temperature for today’s run was more than double that of the run on Thursday.
I was originally going to run on Saturday but I could feel that ominous ting in my left shin (and my right to a lesser extent) after Thursday’s outing, the kind of ting that usually sees me update five weeks later to note that I haven’t been running and instead have been nursing a shin splint or rickets or something.
With three days off and a warm ol’ sun out for a change, I was concerned about how the legs would hold up and whether my pace might suffer, even if the legs were fine. I could feel both shins as I started out — not in a painful way, more of a sore/still not 100% tuned up-way. That feeling subsided as I kept running, though curiously my left knee (which may be somewhat arthritic now) seemed to bother me more). About 15 minutes in the warmth of the sun felt less like a melodic Beach Boys song and more just hot. Complicating matters further were a gaggle of kids from an elementary school running practice relays. Today was a clockwise run so I was running against them and it’s amazing how many did not understand the idea of left/right when it came to passing by each other. Fortunately no collisions were had.
I stopped the run early at the 26 minute mark (I meant to go a full 5K at least but guessed slightly off) because I was too hot, the kids were bugging me and I was unsure about the legs. I think they’re okay. I will poke and prod tonight and see how they feel after.
The one good note is that my pace did not suffer as much as I thought it would. My opening km came in at a decent 5:05 and my overall pace of 5:27/km was actually a bit faster than my previous (but longer) run. This suggests that the legs are probably holding up, as my past experience has been that a significant drop in pace is one of the sure signs that you done hurt somethin’.
We shall see for certain on Wednesday!
Chart (blue indicates the run was done clockwise):
| km | June 6 | June 2 | May 31 | May 28 | May 26 | May 23 | May 20 | May 18 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 km | 5:05 | 5:00 | 5:05 | 5:07 | 5:01 | 5:03 | 5:15 | 5:13 |
| 2 km | 5:13 | 5:10 | 5:13 | 5:14 | 5:13 | 5:15 | 5:24 | 5:23 |
| 3 km | 5:20 | 5:16 | 5:18 | 5:19 | 5:19 | 5:21 | 5:31 | 5:30 |
| 4 km | 5:25 | 5:20 | 5:22 | 5:23 | 5:24 | 5:25 | 5:35 | 5:35 |
| 5 km | — | 5:23 | 5:25 | 5:24 | 5:24 | 5:26 | 5:37 | 5:37 |
| 6 km | — | 5:26 | 5:29 | |||||
| 7 km | — | 5:28 | 5:31 |
Distance: 7.34 km
Weather: Steady rain
Temp: 10ºC (!)
Wind: n/a
In 19 days it is officially summer. Today I ran in a steady rain with the temperature at noon hovering a smidgen above 10ºC. This after Environment Canada announced their summer forecast predicting drier and hotter-than-normal conditions for BC. LIARS.
While the puddles expanded on each lap, my run went well, with the first km coming in at a brisk 5:00/km and my overall pace 5:28, three seconds faster than the prior 40 minute run. A few other joggers showed up right near the end but I mostly had the park to myself. The guy I think of as Kung Fu Master, the one who spends his time balancing on the fence tops in and around the park, was there doing his thing and for the first 10 minutes or so a kid about 14 years old, bedecked in rain gear, stood statue-like in the rain watching KFM carefully balancing himself. He was utterly transfixed. At some point he probably realized he was also getting soaked to the butt and moved on.
I had a momentary scare when my foot slipped in the muck on the terrible southeast corner of the trail and my ankle twisted inward but recovered quickly without further incident. About midway through I did have an ULI — Untied Lace Incident. I paused to tie the lace back up and was good after that. A minor cramp showed up with a few minutes left but dissipated quickly. As is usually the case in a rain-filled run, I couldn’t get the iPod to stop due to it being slick with precipitation and ran farther than intended. It’s not a bad thing, just annoying when technology tells you, ‘No.’
At least you don’t notice the sweat in a torrential downpour. Yeah.
Chart (blue indicates the run was done clockwise):
| km | June 2 | May 31 | May 28 | May 26 | May 23 | May 20 | May 18 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 km | 5:00 | 5:05 | 5:07 | 5:01 | 5:03 | 5:15 | 5:13 |
| 2 km | 5:10 | 5:13 | 5:14 | 5:13 | 5:15 | 5:24 | 5:23 |
| 3 km | 5:16 | 5:18 | 5:19 | 5:19 | 5:21 | 5:31 | 5:30 |
| 4 km | 5:20 | 5:22 | 5:23 | 5:24 | 5:25 | 5:35 | 5:35 |
| 5 km | 5:23 | 5:25 | 5:24 | 5:24 | 5:26 | 5:37 | 5:37 |
| 6 km | 5:26 | 5:29 | |||||
| 7 km | 5:28 | 5:31 |
Okay, I was actually just running clockwise, which is opposite the way I usually run. Or no longer the opposite now, as I’m alternating direction on each run.
Distance: 7.28 km
Weather: Hazy sun, sunny
Temp: 16ºC
Wind: light
This week I’ve shifted my run days from Monday/Wednesday/Friday to Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday. One reason is just to deviate from routine for a change, the other was to give me an extra day of rest in preparation for a 40-minute run today. Dun dun dun!
I did about as well I had hoped for — my pace up to the 5K mark was nearly identical to previous runs at 5:25/km while I slowed down to 5.31/km overall, not bad for the additional 2.28 km added to the run. My legs were a little tired for that extra part of the run but felt fine afterward. I think I’ll maintain the 40 minute runs this week and consider bumping up to the full 10K next week.
For a change of pace I was not congratulated at the end by the Nike+ program for completing another 500 km. I was disappointed. I’ll never reach 2,000,000 km this way! I’m pretty much used to running clockwise now, though I think I still prefer the usual counter-clockwise. The trail was in decent shape after a light shower earlier in the afternoon.
Chart (blue indicates the run was done clockwise):
| km | May 31 | May 28 | May 26 | May 23 | May 20 | May 18 | Jan 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 km | 5:05 | 5:07 | 5:01 | 5:03 | 5:15 | 5:13 | 5:04 |
| 2 km | 5:13 | 5:14 | 5:13 | 5:15 | 5:24 | 5:23 | 5:20 |
| 3 km | 5:18 | 5:19 | 5:19 | 5:21 | 5:31 | 5:30 | 5:31 |
| 4 km | 5:22 | 5:23 | 5:24 | 5:25 | 5:35 | 5:35 | 5:36 |
| 5 km | 5:25 | 5:24 | 5:24 | 5:26 | 5:37 | 5:37 | 5:37 |
| 6 km | 5:29 | ||||||
| 7 km | 5:31 |
Sunny
Temp: 13-15ºC
Wind: W 15 km/h
Still unseasonably cool but with the sun out it was more than warm enough out for today’s catch-up run. Despite it being sunny and the last week of May I still saw some guy at the park wearing a heavy black winter jacket. Dude, it’s 13, not -13! As is typical of Vancouver, another guy was sitting at the edge of the field, tanning his shirtless and incredibly pale upper body.
The opening km of today’s run was slower (5:07/km) than the previous (5:01/km) but the end result was the same – 5:24/km, although the Nike+ site decided to round up the result yet again (to 5:25). I’m sticking to 5:24, dangit. And Joan Benoit Samuelson congratulated me for completing another 500 km, the fourth time she has done so in the last five runs. By the end of next month I figure I will have run enough to have circumnavigated the globe. Thanks, Joan!
The last couple of km I was beginning to feel a little tired but was actually maintaining a slightly better pace than the previous run. I seem to have reached a peak with the 5K runs, though, and will have to consciously push harder to improve my times or contemplate switching to 8 or 10K runs. I’ll make a decision by Monday.
Chart (blue indicates the run was done clockwise):
| km | May 28 | May 26 | May 23 | May 20 | May 18 | Jan 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 km | 5:07 | 5:01 | 5:03 | 5:15 | 5:13 | 5:04 |
| 2 km | 5:14 | 5:13 | 5:15 | 5:24 | 5:23 | 5:20 |
| 3 km | 5:19 | 5:19 | 5:21 | 5:31 | 5:30 | 5:31 |
| 4 km | 5:23 | 5:24 | 5:25 | 5:35 | 5:35 | 5:36 |
| 5 km | 5:24 | 5:24 | 5:26 | 5:37 | 5:37 | 5:37 |
My shin was tinging a bit (tinging is the best word I can think of to describe it) after Monday’s run so I decided to give it an extra day to evaluate before running again. It turned out to be a good decision not because of a potential injury but because the weather yesterday sucked corn dogs, with the official weather recording 9.7 mm of rain. It dried out sufficiently that the trail today was dry and in about as good a shape as it gets these days.
I’m going to try to use a standard format for the weather. I’ll see if I can stick to it. Thus:
Cloudy with some sun
Temp: 11-14ºC
Wind: light
I ran clockwise and was pleased that Monday’s performance did not appear to be a fluke, as my legs and stamina both held up. I shaved a few seconds off the first km, coming in at a fairly zippy 5:01/km and also knocked two seconds off my previous average pace, dropping to 5:24/km from 5:26. The legs feel fine now, so I should be in good shape going forward. If my times remain where they are or improve, I’ll start giving thought to ramping back up to full 10K runs again.
Chart (blue indicates the run was done clockwise):
| km | May 26 | May 23 | May 20 | May 18 | Jan 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 km | 5:01 | 5:03 | 5:15 | 5:13 | 5:04 |
| 2 km | 5:13 | 5:15 | 5:24 | 5:23 | 5:20 |
| 3 km | 5:19 | 5:21 | 5:31 | 5:30 | 5:31 |
| 4 km | 5:24 | 5:25 | 5:35 | 5:35 | 5:36 |
| 5 km | 5:24 | 5:26 | 5:37 | 5:37 | 5:37 |