Run 518
Average pace: 5:51/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CCW)
Start: 10:59 am
Distance: 10.03 km
Time: 58:49
Weather: Smoke haze, sun
Temp: 23-25ºC
Humidity: 57%
Wind: light
BPM: 148
Weight: 159.1 pounds
Total distance to date: 4023 km
Devices: Apple Watch, iPhone
Conditions were very similar to Saturday’s run, although by running in the morning the temperature was a wee bit cooler. This was enough to shave four seconds off my average pace in comparison, so I came in at 5:51/km, which is still very pokey.
The one anomaly was my BPM, which was an unusually low 148. I have no real explanation for this. It certainly didn’t feel like I was taking it easy, what with the thick smoky soup currently masquerading as the atmosphere making every step feel like it was taken on a gas giant.
It also smelled of gas, especially near the dam.
I sweated buckets and my eyes again were a little irritated by the end but once more I managed to get through the full 10K. It didn’t seem quite as horrible as Saturday, though the sun appeared to shine a little brighter, apparently due to a very mild influx of marine wind that isn’t enough to change the overall weather pattern.
Also, today is BC Day–a stat holiday–and unlike Saturday, there were a lot of people out. I passed by about eight other joggers at least and lots of pedestrians. People don’t mind fine particulate matter if it occurs on a paid day off, it seems.
Other than the terrible conditions, the run went decently. My left knee had a few moments where it threatened to bother me, but the moments passed and it was fine. The right heel was a bit sore starting out but as the run progressed it felt better and was not an issue.
It looks like the resurfacing gnomes were busy as work on the South Shore trail has been extended closer to the first boardwalk, which I’m assuming will be the end point. They also extended some of the work on the Avalon trail, which is being kept with a similar, if slightly coarser, surface material.
Speaking of the Avalon trail, I was coming down it, just about finished my run, and along came a woman slowly pedaling her bike. I told her bikes were not allowed on the trail (she was only a dozen meters or so past one of the many signs saying this). She acknowledged that I had said words to her, some possible form of communication, then kept riding. I hope she got knocked into a creek by an off-leash dog.
On Wednesday it looks like conditions will be much the same (boo) but with the bonus if having construction equipment coming and going around the rowing pavilion parking lot (they’ve torn up the road leading to it and will be resurfacing it soon), as well as likely having workers on the trail spreading huge piles of gravel that will be difficult to navigate.
But at least it won’t be cold.
