Run 490: Post-dinner and post-shoelace

Run 490
Average pace: 5:24/km
Location: Brunette River trail
Start: 7:02 pm
Distance: 5.02 km
Time: 27:11
Weather: Cloudy
Temp: 16ºC
Wind: light
BPM: 166
Weight: 166.9 pounds
Total distance to date: 3840 km
Devices/apps: Apple Watch, iPhone

Tonight was one of the first times since the switch to Daylight Saving Time that I actually ran after work. It is surprisingly (or maybe not so surprisingly) difficult to get motivated to run after working all day and coming home both kind of tired and a bit hungry.

But a small snack later and I was off.

Well, after replacing the shoelace that snapped just as I was about to head out. Both pairs of Horka Speedgoats have now suffered broken laces. Stupid goats. This compares to two pairs of New Balance MT110s that I ran over 1,000 km in with nary a fray in the shoelace fabric.

I scavenged a set of laces from a pair of runners I’m not using and they actually match fairly well. I then tied the right one too tightly, causing that foot to ache a little on top during part of the run. Whoops.

It was mild and cloudy, which also meant little wind. The sky seemed to threaten rain but held off.

I felt much more energetic than Saturday and that showed in my pace of 5:24/km, which is an astonishing 23 seconds faster than my previous run. The gentler and wider river trail lends itself to greater speed but I wasn’t expecting something quite so dramatic. Even my BPM was down to a more reasonable 166 (matching my current weight, sadly).

The trail was sparsely populated, with only a few people out. I know it is terrible in a way but I like having fewer people around when I run. Less chance of a collision, let’s say.

My music of choice was Billy Joel’s very-80s The Bridge. I always skip the song “Modern Women” because I can’t stand it. Just thinking about it sets my teeth on edge. Anyway, it came up and I double-tapped the pause button on the earpods remote, which means “skip to the next song.” Somehow it got interpreted as “fast forward” so I was subjected to the song but in a simulated chipmunk voice. This did not enhance it.

I turned to Siri on the watch to skip to the next song but Siri just shrugged and said, “I dunno what’s going on.” What was going on–or more precisely, not going on–was the Music app on the iPhone. It had crashed again, something it’s done a bunch recently. I figure this is because the phone and attendant contract are paid off and I’m being nudged to get a new one. I’ll have none of it! (for at least four months minimum)

Anyway, I’m pleased by tonight’s run. Thursday, which looks to be soggy and cooler, will be an interesting comparison.

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