GRISLY UPDATE: Well, not really grisly, I just wanted to be dramatic. I noticed after getting home that my right knee felt...funny. I gave it a good look-see and alas, there is an unmistakable Baker's cyst lurking in the back. It is a mystery how it developed so quickly, as my running has been very spotty lately. But maybe they do that. Anyway, we'll see how it evolves over the next few days while I not-run.
Also, who would want a cyst named after them? I mean, yuck.
Weirdly, I started today’s run at nearly the exact same time as Wednesday. Although it promised to be cloudy and slightly cooler, I opted again for a t-shirt and, again, was fine.
Conditions actually turned out better than expected, with the sun regularly appearing from behind the high cloud. At times, it even felt a tad humid, given the showers earlier in the morning.
There were two issues today: my left knee and my right knee.
The left knee felt a bit janky early on (I stretched before the run), in a way that made me feel like everything wasn’t quite in the right place. This sorted itself after a minute or so. Later in the run, something similar happened with the right knee, and it also sorted itself out in a minute or thereabouts. I’m very wary of knee issues after last year, but I don’t think these incidents are a cause for concern. I note them here just in case, so I can point to them and offer myself a Nelson Muntz-style, “Ha ha!” in case this is the beginning of another long episode of When Knees Go Bad.
Other than that, the run went well. I had the same middle sag, but turned in a better overall pace because I only lost a little speed on the second km. The trail was mostly clear and puddle-dodging was minimal. The “Strained” training status is likely a combo of my HRV status taking a nosedive in the last few days, along with my sleep score from last night saying I was awake too much and might not feel rested today. Or something. Who knows how all this stuff fits together.
And now, a weekend to rest ‘n recover.
Stats:
Run 862
Average pace: 5:46/km
Training status: Strained (!)
Location: Burnaby Lake (CW)
Start: 11:03 a.m.
Distance: 5:03 km
Time: 28:59
Weather: Sun and cloud mix
Temp: 10°C
Humidity: 81-79%
Wind: light
BPM: 152
Weight: 168.8
Total distance to date: 6190 km
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 255 Music, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: HOKA Speedgoat 5 (330/610/940 km)
