Brunette River, pre-run: October showers bring November…uh, showers.
It was already raining before today’s run, so off to the river trail I went. I was running (ho ho) late due to accidentally sleeping in, so I didn’t start until close to 11:30. I opted for two layers because of the rain, but in retrospect, I think one layer (the Echo hoodie) would have sufficed, though I didn’t get overly warm or anything.
I was a bit tired, though, maybe due to somewhat interrupted sleep last night, and didn’t have the same zip as Wednesday. I still finished with a perfectly cromulent pace of 5:42/km, and BPM was still below 150, albeit just at 149. Pretty good!
There were a few more people out than I expected, given the weather, but it mostly seemed to be dutiful owners walking their dogs. One other person was jogging. The weather itself was a mix of everything:
Rain
Light rain
Drizzle
Sun (only for a few minutes)
Cloud
This meant I didn’t get completely drenched, which was nice. Overall, a decent, if soggy wrap to the week.
Brunette River, post-run, looking the opposite way, with bonus heron.
Stats:
Run 975 Average pace: 5:42/km Training status: Productive Location: Brunette River Trail Start: 11:23 a.m. Distance: 5.03 km Time: 28:41 Weather: Light rain, drizzle, sun Temp: 12°C Humidity: 88-87% Wind: light to moderate BPM: 149 Weight: 163.2 pounds Total distance to date: 6,705 km Devices: Garmin Forerunner 255 Music, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation) Shoes: ASICS Trabuco Terra 2 (300/650/950)
With a late start and lingering concerns over the left knee, I decided to run the closer and easier river trail this morning. I tell myself it’s not really cheating, because it’s still 5 km of running, and it’s not like half the trail is a moving walkway that I just stand on while it whisks me along.
The left knee this morning was feeling better, no longer achy and only a smidgen stiff. As I started the run, I was hopeful.
And then, weirdly, turned in my best pace in many months, coming in at 5:35/km. Not only that, I also posted my best-ever 1 km pace since getting the Garmin watch about two years ago, at 5:18/km. To be fair, I only squeaked by the previous record:
Needless to say, though I’m saying it right now, the left knee was not a problem. I actually felt pretty good throughout the run and started strong, with an initial pace of 5:39/km. My BPM was a nice 147, there were only a few people out and about on the trail (I didn’t see any other runners) and the weather was perfectly cromulent–12C, no wind, and cloudy.
Overall, an unexpectedly good mid-week result.
Post-run view of the tree graveyard on the river.
Stats:
Run 974 Average pace: 5:35/km Training status: Productive Location: Brunette River Trail Start: 10:57 a.m. Distance: 5.03 km Time: 28:05 Weather: Cloudy Temp: 12-13°C Humidity: 80-78% Wind: light BPM: 147 Weight: 164.0 pounds Total distance to date: 6,700 km Devices: Garmin Forerunner 255 Music, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation) Shoes: ASICS Trabuco Terra 2 (295/646/941)
Music: The Turn of a Friendly Card, The Alan Parsons Project
View from Cariboo Dam, pre-run: Looks like summer, tastes like fall.
Today’s run was basically a repeat of Friday’s, with very similar results:
Same route
Sunny both days
Similar temperature, but a bit cooler today
Similar humidity, though a little lower
No wind both days
No bears!
Overall pace of 5:38/km only one second off Friday
BPM of 150 only 1 off Friday’s 149
So yeah, pretty much the same. I guess I am pleased with my consistency!
Today, the left knee was feeling a bit stiff before the run, and also a bit stiff after the run. During the run, it was fine. I will again monitor.
I wore one layer (my Echo hoodie), which was sufficient, though on the walk to the lake it was a little nippy in the shade (there was a lot of shade since I got an early start and the sun was still pretty low in the sky).
Overall, though, a fine start to the week, assuming my knees don’t fall off or something.
Birdge over Still Creek, post-run: The one that doesn’t bounce.
Stats:
Run 973 Average pace: 5:378/km Training status: Maintaining Location: Burnaby Lake (CCW) Start: 9:23 a.m. Distance: 5.03 km Time: 28:23 Weather: Sunny Temp: 11-12°C Humidity: 77-74% Wind: light BPM: 150 Weight: 163.4 pounds Total distance to date: 6,695 km Devices: Garmin Forerunner 255 Music, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation) Shoes: ASICS Trabuco Terra 2 (290/642/932)
Where: Piper Spit, Burnaby Lake (Burnaby), Tlahutum Regional Park (Coquitlam) Weather: Clouds and sun, 17°C
Piper Spit, Burnaby Lake
Blue sky and streaky clouds at Piper Spit.
We had an abbreviated day of birding because Nic was occupied with escaping a gay haunted house earlier. I like to think the ghost of Paul Lynde was constantly sassing the people trying to get out.
The later start, combined with fall, meant golden light and plenty of it!
We had barely (bearly?) left the Avalon parking lot before a woman advised us of a mother bear and two cubs near the equestrian area, which is…right next to the parking lot. Fortunately, we were heading the other way and our visit remained bear-free.
At the dam, we observed a heron that was acting a bit odd, exchanging its usual statue-like state for twisting its head and looking up, as if beseeching the sky to rain little fishies on it, or something.
Along the trail, we saw some towhees and song sparrows, and as a special bonus, some ruby-crowned kinglets. I got several terrible shots, but if you’re a bird expert, you might be able to ID them as ruby-crowned kinglets.
Alas, we did not see any new migrants at Piper spit, but the coot population has grown. We saw coot conflict, coot love and coots just being coots. A lone Northern shoveller and hooded merganser were in attendance, and the dowitchers actually came closer, which was nice of them. We saw a kingfisher as it was flying (way) off, and Nic has several blurry photos to prove it! The mallards have now mostly caught up to the wood ducks, looking shiny and iridescent again.
Despite a lot of shadow and only intermittent sun, it was a pleasant return to the lake.
Tlahutum Regional Park
Golden hour arriving at the Coquitlam River.
Golden hour was seriously kicking in by the time we left Tlahutum, only about 15 minutes before sunset. We saw some gadwalls, mallard, crows and a very golden golden-crowned sparrow sitting by itself in a lone tree. I spotted a rare sight–a Northern harrier in plain view, sitting on a post by a canal. Just as I started to focus on what would have been a very spiffy shot, it took off, but I did get a few decent shots of it in low flight.
The main pond is showing distinct signs of fall, with the lily pads in full retreat. The ducks there still tend to gather at the far side, though.
As we left, we wrapped up with our first sunset-adjacent shots of the year, which will be increasingly easier to do over the next few months. Hooray for short days1Note: I do not actually like short days.
Our next birding may be back at Reifel, where we will hopefully see some of these so-far shy migrants. If not, I’ll write a stern letter to The Birb Migratory Committee to complain.
The Shots
Shot with a Canon EOS R7 with 18-150 mm kit lens and 100-400 mm telephoto.
A few shots:
I am coot.My best shot of the Northern harrier.Golden hour arrives at Tlahutum.
The weather has been pretty typical of early October so far, though. Summer was also surprisingly normal, not too hot or humid. I do wonder if we’re being set up for an extended period of The Rains or lots of snow (boo, hiss). For now, though…it’s fine!
Image tweaked in Luminar to make it a little more dramatic. No clouds were harmed in the process.
Lee paints realistic scenes, typically urban structures in odd settings, such as a tenement building in the middle of a grassy field, or even weirder than that. I love the style and the absurd juxtapositions.
View from Cariboo Dam, pre-run: The return of blue skies.
Hooray, no rain!
This past summer has been rather bear-y at the lake, and I have directly encountered bears twice, with the most recent being just a week ago. With these bear encounters in mind, I decided to make a change with today’s run.
I opted to run counter-clockwise, but instead of continuing around the lake to head back home, as I normally would, I turned and headed back the way I ran. This was partly because the bears I’ve seen were on the south shore (while they can be anywhere, playing the odds seems like a good starting point), but mainly because the north side offers a lot more clear lines of sight, is closer to the rail lines and generally less bear-friendly, as such things go.
As part of this, I also opted to skip all three of the usual side trails. The main effect here is that I had to run a little closer to the actual 5K marker to finish the run. Sometimes change is good!
As for the run itself, the cooler conditions and slightly reduced humidity kept sweating to a minimum and the sun meant a few more people were out, but it was still pretty light, traffic-wise. I saw a decent number of fellow joggers, though. I think we are past the topless jogger season now, though you never know. Some guy is bound to think his abs are just too sexy to hide, regardless of the temperature.
Weirdly, I turned in my best pace in quite some time–5:37/km (the final lap was 5:21), with a BPM of 149. Very nice, and with no issues at all to report. I am pleased. I have no idea if skipping the side trails had any effect.
Also, I earned a new Garmin badge. I guess it’s time for new shoes!
Set to be replaced after 500 km, which I passed today.Still Creek, post-run. Still mostly green, for now.
Stats:
Run 972 Average pace: 5:37/km Training status: Maintaining Location: Burnaby Lake (CCW) Start: 10:08 a.m. Distance: 5.03 km Time: 28:17 Weather: Mostly sunny Temp: 13-14°C Humidity: 83-82% Wind: light BPM: 149 Weight: 164.6 pounds Total distance to date: 6,690 km Devices: Garmin Forerunner 255 Music, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation) Shoes: ASICS Trabuco Terra 2 (285/630/915)
