Run 468
Average pace: 5:23/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CW)
Distance: 10:02 km
Time: 54:05
Weather: High cloud, hazy sun
Temp: 12-14ºC
Wind: light
BPM: 165
Stride: n/a
Weight: 154.6 pounds
Total distance to date: 3730 km
Devices/apps: Apple Watch and iPhone 6
The best part about today’s run is no bears interrupting it.
The weather was nice but cool, starting at 12ºC and rising to 14. I wore my long-sleeved t-shirt but would have been fine in a regular t-shirt, I think.
I started out brisk as the weather, hit my usual two km slowdown and settled into a steady pace until I got to the bridge at Deer Lake Brook. Approaching along the trail on the other side was a serious-looking runner. Even though he was on the “wrong” side (my side) I decided to shift over to avoid an awkward mid-bridge collision. Instead of climbing the stairs, though, he simply tagged the lowest one with a foot, then spun around and headed back, becoming my spirit/jogging guide by default. Initially he pulled a little ahead but I managed to keep pace well enough. I lost sight of him on the twisty part of the trail just before the athletic fields and figured he had pulled ahead, but lo! He had actually slowed, I closed the gap and then maintained distance until he turned off at Still Creek.
This may be partly why my pace was faster today, as having someone running ahead of me kicks in that ol’ competitive spirit (unless they’re absurdly faster, in which case I simply stick my tongue out at them as they blow past, wishing them well). I ended with a pace of 5:23/km, my best 10K of the year, besting my previous best by five seconds. Not too shabby.
As it was my first 10K in a few weeks I’m expecting to be sore and tired. The tired part has already hit, the sore part will likely come tomorrow morning.
It was not as crowded on the trail as I had feared and everyone was observant and attentive and no dogs off leash or bears off leash. Yay. There were plenty of joggers, including a curiously large number of young male joggers wearing short shorts straight out of the 70s. Are they becoming a thing again? I’m not objecting, just curious.
Also, the call of nature came in the form of the world’s biggest unprovoked would-be bowel movement. This happened a few times, fortunately when I had already completed the run and was walking home. Still, having this near-impossible urge to go and nowhere to, well, go, makes for an uncomfortable walk home. But I made it, sparing all a gruesome ending to the story.
Overall, this was a surprisingly good run. I think more than anything it’s just a relief to be running in conditions where the outside temperature is not close to my internal temperature.
