2.5K

Run 895: Stinky river

Brunette River, pre-run. Back to normal levels, looking evermore fall-like.

I started out quite late today because a) I wasn’t really feeling it and b) I wrapped up a treadmill workout last night around 9:30 p.m. and didn’t want to head out for a run only 12 hours or so later.

But I did head out and remembered that I only had to do the “other half” of the 5K I started on Monday. I opted to do this on the river trail to save time.

I felt fine for the first km, and nearly hit the 2K mark at the other end of the trail. I zipped just past the gate, then turned around and wrapped things up. It was in this final 500 m or so that I began experiencing some mild cramping in my lower abdomen, but I felt something similar before getting up this morning, so I think it was not directly related to the running.

As for the running part, it went well! I finished with a very zippy pace of 5:31/km, a full 11 seconds improvement over Monday, so I am clearly improving in my recovery from the cold or whatever it is I had. I never pushed too hard, but I did try to maintain pace. My BPM was also lower than Monday, as befits the river trail, at 148, so that was nice to see, as well.

I wore my heavier long-sleeved MEC t-shirt, which proved to be more than needed. I think the lighter Nike shirt would have been fine, or even a short-sleeved shirt, as it was warmer than expected, and not windy.

Overall, though, a nice wrap-up for the week.

Oh, and the stinky river was due (I believe) to the increasing number of dead trout and salmon that have tried, but failed, to make it up to Burnaby Lake to spawn. I noticed several fishy corpses in the water, and there’s probably more along the shore I couldn’t see.

Trees no longer in the water.

Stats:

Run 895
Average pace: 5:31/km
Training status: Maintaining
Location: Brunette River Trail
Start: 3:01 p.m.
Distance: 2.50 km
Time: 13:49
Weather: Cloudy
Temp: 13°C
Humidity: 70%
Wind: light
BPM: 148
Weight: 167.1
Total distance to date: 6,330 km
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 255 Music, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: HOKA Speedgoat 6 (115/224/339)

Run 894: Post-storm, post-cold, post-tree

View from Cariboo Dam, pre-run. Calm and cool.

Stuff happens and suddenly it’s been 12 days since I last ran.

Just hours after posting my best pace in two years, I felt a scratchiness in my throat and then got a full-blown cold, with all attendant symptoms. I pondered running this past Friday but decided I wasn’t ready.

Today, I was, but not quite fully ready. I opted to do a mini-run of 2.5 km to get back into it and it went well, but I can feel my lungs are still not back to 100%. I think I could have done 5 km, but didn’t want to push it and feel miserable after. My pace was 5:42/km, which is pretty decent after such a long layoff and not yet fully recovered.

Conditions were decent, with clouds and a few bits of blue sky poking out here and there. There was little wind, which helped, with the temperature being down to only 10C when I started. I wore a long-sleeved shirt and two layers, more concerned about not getting cold than I was being overdressed. I may have been fine with the long-sleeved shirt, but I was definitely not too warm.

Signs of the storm that swept through the last two days were everywhere, with twigs and other tree bits scattered all over the trail, some almost too big to move by hand (but which were not directly in the way). One exception came when I approached the intersection of the main trail and then turnoff to the Piper Mill Trail. A barricade was in place closing off the main trail due to “hazard tree”. Presumably, “hazard tree” being down and not yet cut up and moved out of the way.

TRAIL HAZARD CLOSED TREE

I am pretty sure I know which tree came down and if I’m right, it was a huge old tree that has been leaning over the trail at a 45-degree angle for many years. Every time I’ve walked under it, I’ve always thought it was one big storm away from coming down.

I’ll probably be able to confirm in the next few days.

Overall, though, the run went decently, particularly with so many days off. I’ll do the other 2.5 km next time, then go back to my regular routine. Here’s hoping I catch a few more breaks in the weather.

View from Piper Spit, post-run. Light and dark, with ducks.

Stats:

Run 894
Average pace: 5:42/km
Training status: Strained1
Location: Burnaby Lake
Start: 10:50 a.m.
Distance: 2.50 km
Time: 14:17
Weather: Cloudy
Temp: 10-11°C
Humidity: 89%
Wind: light
BPM: 151
Weight: 166.5
Total distance to date: 6,327.5 km
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 255 Music, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: HOKA Speedgoat 6 (112.5/220/332.5)

Run 866: Son of son of baby run

View from Cariboo Dam, pre-run

My goal today was simple: Run a short 2.5 km loop, completing the 5K I started on Wednesday.

I did this, but then:

  • Ignored the short loop part and just ran the full 2.5K, going clockwise.
  • I spotted myself 500 meters, then began tracking a 7K walk around the lake.
  • And obviously walked the 4 km back from the lake.

Conditions were pleasantly warm, around 20C, and humidity was high enough to stave off dry mouth. I started out with a spring 5:38/km pace, but knew that wouldn’t last. Fortunately, with only a 2.5 km run, it didn’t have to. My second km slipped to 5:48/km, and I ended with a perfectly cromulent average of 5:45/km. My BPM was slightly higher, likely due to a combo of the faster pace and higher temperature.

I spied several naughty cyclists on the trail–may they get double flats–and not one, but two mowers, each operating on either side of a footbridge along the Cottonwood Trail (which was very much littered with cottonwood dander). I am guessing the mowers would probably cause the bridge to collapse. The first mower was idling near the bridge, taking a break. The second was actively working, but saw me and paused. Prior to this, he was lifting the mower up very high, as if he wanted to mow the trees. I’m pretty sure you don’t mow trees.

My stamina is still pretty bad. I could really feel it toward the end of the run. Still, I plan on doing a full 5K on Monday. I’ll just pace myself. Slowly pace myself.

On the plus side, my training status went from Recovery to Maintaining to Productive over the combo of walks and the run. And as I type this, my knees seem OK. So maybe they are OK. Maybe.

Also, I hit a milestone of sorts–6,200 km tracked on runs!

A bunch of adult geese and their surly teens emerged from Still Creek post-run, but didn’t seem to mind me, so I was able to get this photo:

Poopmonsters and teen poopmonsters, emerging from Still Creek

Stats:

Run 866
Average pace: 5:45/km
Training status: Maintaining
Location: Burnaby Lake (CW)
Start: 11:22 a.m.
Distance: 2.50 km
Time: 14:23
Weather: Sunny
Temp: 20-21°C
Humidity: 57-56%
Wind: light
BPM: 156
Weight: 169.1
Total distance to date: 6,200 km
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 255 Music, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: HOKA Speedgoat 5 (340/650/990 km)

Run 812: Unplanned mini-run!

Brunette River, pre-run

I did a spontaneous mini-run today!

Yesterday I thought about doing shorter runs on my off-days–currently Tuesday and Thursday–with the idea being I’d either go half my usual distance (so 2.5 km) or run for a set amount of time (something that would at least equal the half distance, like 15 minutes).

I ultimately opted to go for distance, because it would keep things neater and tidier in the stats (that didn’t happen today, for reasons I will explain below).

The idea behind these mini-runs is:

  • To improve my overall fitness
  • To help get me energized at the start of the day
  • To see what fun things will happen to my body

It’s mostly the second one. I feel that on non-run days I start out a bit blah and listless. Running focuses me and gets me energized. If I keep the runs short and on the river trail (as I did today) they can give me a boost without eating up too much time.

Also, the stats are faster, which is a nice because fast is GOOD. Right?

Speaking of stats, the shorter run resulted in a lower BPM of 154, and a faster average pace of 5:29/km. I also got an award for my fastest 1 km yet, at 5:22/km.

With a run like this, there isn’t really time for any issues to develop. The biggest one was technical. I wanted to end the run at 2.5 km and got a text alert shortly before that. The alerts cover the top of the watch display where distance is shown. I don’t know how to dismiss the alerts, and this one seemed to sit there forever. I finally just guessed I’d hit 2.5 km and paused the run, to find I was actually at 2.59 km. Not a big deal, but it rankles me in an OCD way. I have since learned how to dismiss alerts during a run. For posterity, in case I forget, or if anyone else wants to know:

How to clear a message alert during a run on a Garmin Forerunner 255:

• Press the Down button (this shows the message)
• Press the Back button (this clears the message)

I will probably keep doing these mini-runs for a while to see how they go. In a way, it feels like cheating because they’re so quick. I’m sure my body will show me otherwise soon enough.

NOTE: I forgot to stretch before the run. We'll see if that has any impact later!
Run 812
Average pace: 5:29/km
Training status: Productive
Location: Brunette River Trail
Start: 11:34 a.m.
Distance: 2.59 km
Time: 14:13
Weather: Cloudy, some sun
Temp: 13ºC
Humidity: 87-85%
Wind: light to moderate
BPM: 154
Weight: 167.9
Total distance to date: 5937.6 km
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 255 Music, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: HOKA Speedgoat 5 (72.6/142/214.6 km)