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.

Average pace: 4:36/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CW)
Distance: 11.50 km
Weather: Sun and variable cloud
Temp: 15ºC
Wind: moderate to strong
Calories burned: 771
Total distance to date: 1974 km

In a surprise twist, the weather was pleasant for today’s run, with the temperature a mild 15ºC and the sun even poking out periodically. I ran clockwise around the lake, establishing a strong pace up front. This turned out to be important as I flagged during the 6-7K stretch for no particular reason I can discern. Or maybe it was that strong pace up front wearing me out. Oops. The last four km was one of the most consistent I’ve had in a long time and that helped bring my average pace down to a zippy 4:36/km.

The run was otherwise unremarkable. Everything ticked along, there were no issues with wayward dogs, people hogging the trail or any of the other stuff that sometimes comes up. At the end of the run I noticed a park employee putting up a new sign at the entrance to the park. I couldn’t read all of it but the top said Canine Code of Conduct. Considering how often dogs are running around unleashed, I suspect the park’s received increasing complaints about them, hence the new sign. I’ll see what the rest of it says on the next run.

Average pace: 4:37/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CW)
Distance: 11.51 km
Weather: Sunny
Temp: 8-10ºC
Wind: light
Calories burned: 781
Total distance to date: 1951 km

I headed out at 9:30 a.m. for today’s run and it was a brisk 8ºC, rising to a still cool 10ºC by the end. Low cloud gave the lake a socked-in feeling, with the mountains and surrounding area blotted out.

As expected, my pace was much better. It took me a minute or so to step up but once I did I finished out the run without difficulty, coming in with a pace of 4:37/km, a full 16 seconds better than Monday’s effort. It didn’t hurt that I had to move just to get my hands warm initially.

En route to the run I was walking along the Brunette River trail and noticed several park employees with cameras by the river. I couldn’t see what they were looking at, moved on and a few steps later saw a couple down at the edge of the river, looking over it. Then I heard a huge splash and assumed it was the couple’s dog mucking up the recently rehabilitated stream. But no, upon closer inspection I could see several salmon heroically working their way upstream through an especially shallow stretch of water. Neat.

There were no fish sightings on the run, which is for the best because any fish I’m likely to come across there would be dead and stinky. There were quite a few people, though, including one group that looked to be a photography outing and another that seemed to be a big, spread-out group of walkers. They were a bit annoying, often arrayed in a way to completely block the entire trail. Some people never seem to think about the possibility of others existing in the same space as they do.

The cold seems to have also gotten rid of the flies as this was my first fly-free run in awhile. After nearly gagging on clouds of the buggers recently I can say I am glad they have moved on/disappeared/gone to a better place.

I am a bit wary of Friday’s run. It looks like temperatures will remain low and rain is quite likely. I don’t mind running in the rain that much but the iPod has been a pain to use lately and having to tote it around in a plastic baggie to try to keep it functional makes it that much worse. I must ponder possible solutions.