Brunette River Trail runs

Run 911: No need to call 911

Brunette River, post-run: Cooler and cloudier.

Due to another late start (my bad) I changed my plans from a 5K short loop at the lake to a 2.5K tun on the river trail. In the end, I think it may have been better to do another mini run. This means that come Monday, I’ll do another 2.5K to round up to a nice 5 km and satisfy my OCD, then do a full 5K next Wednesday.

On the plus side, I slightly improved on this Wednesday’s run by coming in at a pace of 5:52/km, even more impressive when you consider the second km dropped to 6:05/km. I benefitted by both putting on the gas and having a more favourable slight downhill slope for the last 500 m.

Other than again feeling the lack of stamina, I experienced no issues. I saw Green Shorts again, though once more he was sans green shorts. He did have a yellow cap, though. There was another beardy guy with glasses, but not the same one as Wednesday, wearing a red long-sleeved shirt that looked identical to mine, but he was also wearing black running pants, which I won’t wear again until next fall. I mean, I’ll be wearing my own, not wearing his. Anyway, I passed him as I was heading downhill to the overpass, which meant he was heading uphill. And he was sprinting. It hurt just to watch him.

Which reminds me, the suggested workout today was three sets of 15-minute sprints. I’m pretty sure I would have ended up curled into a ball on the trail somewhere between the second and third set if I had sprinted.

That said, this marks the first time I’ve done three runs in a week since November, a feat worth noting and celebrating!

The newly fallen tree seems to be causing the river to split briefly. Previously fallen tree in the background.

Stats:

Run 911
Average pace: 5:52/km
Training status: Productive
Location: Brunette River Trail
Start: 2:12 p.m.
Distance: 2.50 km
Time: 14:41
Weather: Partly sunny
Temp: 8-9°C
Humidity: 72%
Wind: light to moderate
BPM: 148
Weight: 170.3
Total distance to date: 6,402.5 km
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 255 Music, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: Saucony Switchback (these are old shoes and will be replaced soon™)

Run 909: Shorter, with fallen trees

View of Brunette River, pre-run.

The recommended run from my Garmin Forerunner 255 was a 33-minute jog at a pace of 8:46/km. This is equivalent to either an extremely brisk walk or a very slow run. It’s kind of an awkward pace to set. Since I wasn’t feeling extra zesty, I opted to do a shorter 2.5K run and try, more or less, to maintain my usual jogging pace.

Compared to last time, I was a speeding bullet: My pace was 6:03/km vs. 6:21 on the previous run, but I did only run half as much, and the river trail is an easier run than the lake.

I still acutely feel the lack of stamina, but it will get better. At least my training status went from Unproductive to Productive. Yay.

Conditions were fine–I wore one layer, a long-sleeved shirt and the sprinkles stayed away until after the run was over and didn’t amount to much, anyway. And I held up better than the tree that collapsed since my last run (photo below). It keeled over into the river just downstream from another one, though the new tree is not quite as bridge-like, since a good part of it is laying right in the river. I’m curious if they’ll leave it as is (probably–the parks people tend to let nature do its thing).

One other fun note: I went past the end gate and actually ran past the section of sidewalk I tripped on in December. I had to prove I wasn’t cursed. Or if I am, it’s not specifically related to tripping on sidewalks.

Anyway, it was nice to be running again, and I know I’ll start feeling less like I have the world’s tiniest lungs soon enough.

New ex-tree on the river, with other ex-tree behind it.

Stats:

Run 909
Average pace: 6:03/km
Training status: Productive
Location: Brunette River Trail
Start: 3:06
Distance: 2.50 km
Time: 15:08
Weather: Cloudy
Temp: 11°C
Humidity: 76%
Wind: light
BPM: 150
Weight: 170.3
Total distance to date: 6,397.5 km
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 255 Music, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: Saucony Switchback (these are old shoes and will be replaced soon™)

Run 906: The revenge of sidewalk, plus the first run in 28 days

Brunette River in winter dress, pre-run.

The good news: I completed my first run in 28 days!

The also good news: My pace of 5:53/km was slightly better than expected, given the extended time off (due to infection).

The not good news: At the 1.95 km mark, I tripped on the sidewalk just past the river trail and gravity won. Summary:

  • Laceration of left elbow. Did not break the skin.
  • Scraped right knee. It’s a pretty standard scrape.
  • Left hand: Torn skin, bloodied.
  • Right hand: Torn skin, bloodied, but more so. The right hand absorbed the majority of the fall.
Wound/Bandage update: I appear to have hurt my upper left thigh somehow. There is no visible bruise, but a few lacerations. It is very sore. It also seems my right wrist absorbed a lot of the impact and when I flex it a certain way it becomes very unhappy. Not a sprain (I think), just sore.

I now have four bandages/gauze covering various parts of my body. Kids, learn from me: Tripping on a sidewalk is not cool. Don't do it, no matter what those other kids say.

But let’s start from the start. I have been battling a bacteria infection for most of the month, and the last time I ran was on December 2nd. I felt I was ready to run again, so did my stretching and opted for a short 2.5 km run on the river trail. I dressed accordingly (running pants, rain jacket) and headed off. The first km was better than expected, with a pace of 5:46/km (I was expecting something closer to six minutes). I figured the second km would be slower, and it was, but not for quite the reason I expected.

When I run the river trail, I normally head past the gate at the far end, run down the sidewalk to where Cariboo Place meets Cariboo Road (they like cariboo around here), then turn and head back. I was heading toward the intersection when my left foot managed to perfectly connect with an uplifted section of sidewalk, causing me to trip. I had time to ponder whether I would regain my balance or go down. Given the momentum, it was inevitable that gravity would win, and it did.

I want to say I looked to my right and could actually see the skin tearing on my right hand, but that doesn’t seem possible, so maybe my brain was adding spice. As I laid on the ground, I did look at my right hand, which was bloody, then my left hand, which was also bloody. I paused the workout.

I stood up and, with nothing actually broken or sprained, resumed the run, being a bit more cautious on the sidewalk part. I kept going and finished the 2.5 km, with an average pace of 5:53/km, which is decent for a run that included me falling down.

Other than the tripping part, I experienced no issues or discomfort. This is good and is encouraging for regular runs going forward.

The hands are cleaned and bandaged now, but are stinging a little. Getting them cleaned and bandaged was a bit of an ordeal. They will probably sting for a while yet.

I am including photos of both my left and right hand, taken shortly after the fall (just after I finished the run), so the blood looks very fresh, like I had just murdered someone. The photos are behind spoilers, for obvious reasons. This looks worse than my previous tripping incident: Run 449: Foot meets tree root, tree root wins

NOTE: Bloody hands
Left hand
Right hand
The scene of the crime.

Stats:

Run 906
Average pace: 5:53/km
Training status: Strained
Location: Brunette River Trail
Start: 1:47 p.m.
Distance: 2.51 km
Time: 14:47
Weather: Cloudy, some sprinkles
Temp: 5°C
Humidity: 90%
Wind: light
BPM: 149
Weight: 166.0
Total distance to date: 6,387.5 km
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 255 Music, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: HOKA Speedgoat 6 (157.5/284/441.5)

Run 905: Outside!

Pre-run: Low cloud but nice ‘n dry otherwise.

For the first time in a week, I convinced myself to run outdoors, in nature and stuff. It was just past noon by the time I started, but thanks to chilly low clouds, it still felt like early morning. I wore my running pants and while shorts might have been fine, I didn’t feel overdressed.

I opted to start the week gently on the river trail, and my first lap was surprisingly swift at 5:31/km. I quickly ran out of proverbial steam, falling to 5:41, then 5:44 before picking up the pace and eventually ending where I started at 5:31/km. My overall was 5:37/km, which is perfectly cromulent. My BPM was 150, which is also fine.

There were a few people on the trail, but not many dogs. I don’t think I saw any on the trail. I did see two Great blue herons, but they were hanging out on the river, not the trail.

Overall, a good start to the week. It was nice to run outside and not get rained on. I will savour it while it lasts.

Post-run: Another shot of the river, but with bonus heron hanging out.

Stats:

Run 905
Average pace: 5:37/km
Training status: Maintaining
Location: Brunette River Trail
Start: 12:02 p.m.
Distance: 5.03 km
Time: 28:13
Weather: Low cloud
Temp: 6-7°C
Humidity: 79%
Wind: light
BPM: 150
Weight: 168.6
Total distance to date: 6,385 km
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 255 Music, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: HOKA Speedgoat 6 (155/280/435)

Run 896: The two-step rule

Post-run: Some of the water that didn’t fall on me. Note the tease of blue sky in the background.

I hemmed, I hawed, I waited for too long to go for my run and when I did, I got what I deserved, as the sky darkened, the opened up.

It not only rained the entire time, it was a hard, steady rain. To further rub it in, the sky was clearing and brightening to the west and was clearly advancing, promising at least some run with no rain.

This did not happen.

It kept raining until and after I got home.

I wore two layers (smart) and got thoroughly drenched, but the run went well otherwise, slowing toward the third km, then picking up to finish. My overall pace was 5:40/km, with a BPM of 150, so very much typical, despite the yuck-o conditions.

The two-step rule is something I invented today: If a puddle requires two or more steps to get through, I will go around it. If it only requires one step, I’ll go through it. This rule was made after I realized there were too many puddles to avoid all of them. In fact, near the end of the run, several were so large I couldn’t even invoke the two-step rule.

On the walk back, a van hit a puddle on North Road and got me even more wet along my left side. I mean, I hardly noticed at that point, but it was a fitting end to the whole soggy affair.

Hopefully the next run will be drier.

Stats:

Run 896
Average pace: 5:40/km
Training status: Productive
Location: Brunette River Trail
Start: 3:51 p.m.
Distance: 5.03 km
Time: 28:32
Weather: Rain
Temp: 11°C
Humidity: 84%
Wind: light
BPM: 150
Weight: 167.2
Total distance to date: 6,335 km
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 255 Music, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: HOKA Speedgoat 6 (120/228/348)

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 889: Fall, The Rains and The Run

Brunette River, pre-run. Significantly higher than yesterday!

I did not want to run today, hence the late start.

It was raining, I was concerned about my knees and did I mention it was raining steadily? Because it was.

But I still went out in the end.

The one advantage over Monday’s also-wet run is that on Monday it was more of a steady drizzle, which meant my glasses became impossible to see through. Today’s rain actually allowed for improved visibility. So yay for that.

I saw one other person on the river trail. He was wearing a raincoat and looked very wet. Perhaps unhappy, as well, though I might be projecting.

As for the run, it was fine! Surprisingly, my knees were not an issue at all. I started out a bit slower and had the same drop on the second and third km as Monday, but picked up the pace even more than the last time, to where my last km was 5:28/km. My overall pace was 5:40/km, also faster than Monday, though my BPM was up to 149, in part because of the faster running at the end, but also just generally working harder in yuckier, colder conditions.

That said, I am home now and drying out, so I’m glad I got out. Hopefully Friday will be a wee bit drier.

Xtreme waterfall, post-run.

Stats:

Run 889
Average pace: 5:40/km
Training status: Productive
Location: Brunette River Trail
Start: 12:48 p.m.
Distance: 5.03 km
Time: 28:29
Weather: Rain
Temp: 15°C
Humidity: 90%
Wind: light
BPM: 149
Weight: 165.3
Total distance to date: 6,305 km
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 255 Music, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: HOKA Speedgoat 6 (90/173/263)

Run 888: Lucky 60

Brunnette River, pre-run.

Today’s run was a little weird because I got a late start and am pressed for time today, as I have an appointment mid-afternoon. I decided to run the river trail as it would be quicker, plus it was kind of drizzly and yucky, so I didn’t especially feel like walking through that to get to the lake, anyway.

With the weather as it was, I encountered very few people, but this was compensated for by the many puddles I met and had to dodge around instead. Also slugs.

My initial pace was strong, but I dropped on the second and third laps, after having four days off and growing fat and pudgy. I picked back up for the fourth and fifth km, though, with an overall pace of 5:43/km, which I think is fine given the circumstances. Weirdly, my heart rate was 142, which is quite a bit lower than usual (normally on the lake trail it’s in the 150-155 range). I assume this was because I lollygagged a bit on the 2nd and 3rd km, combined with the river trail being easier for running. Nice, but as I said, weird.

My right knee started feeling a bit twingy around the 4K mark, then felt better in the final stretch, then felt a bit twingy on the walk back. It doesn’t feel like the lump has grown, so it may just be some minor strain. I will monitor.

Otherwise, the run was fine, save for the drizzle misting my glasses and forcing me to look over the top of them for pretty much the entire run. One day we’ll have weatherproof optical wear. But not this day.

Also, this was my first run as a 60-year-old. I did okay for an old man. :oldmanemoji:.

Stats:

Run 888
Average pace: 5:43/km
Training status: Productive
Location: Brunette River Trail
Start: 11:35 a.m.
Distance: 5.03 km
Time: 28:42
Weather: Clouds, light drizzle
Temp: 17°C
Humidity: 89%
Wind: light
BPM: 142
Weight: 167.8
Total distance to date: 6,300 km
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 255 Music, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: HOKA Speedgoat 6 (85/177/262)

Run 869: Two runs, one week

Brunette River, post-run.

Yes, in an amazing turn of events, I have run not once, but twice in the same week. Woo!

Today I opted to run the easier river trail, as a way of easing back into a semi-regular run routine. I was hoping for two things: lower BPM and a faster pace. And I got both. Also woo!

My BPM was 153 overall and my pace was 6:01/km, down seven seconds from Monday. I am slightly disappointed I didn’t break six minutes, but the first km pace was oddly the same as Monday–5:50–when I would have expected it to be faster. I can only assume I was subconsciously running slower to help conserve energy. Still, I’m pleased with the results.

Conditions were very similar to Monday, but the slightly cooler temperature and stronger breeze made it feel a bit more comfy, which was nice in the way a Jamaican patty is nice. And they are nice.

Also nice was the relative lack of other people, as it was just a regular weekday.

Overall, I’m happy with how it turned out. We’ll see how Friday goes, as it is looking to be Africa hot.

It is getting increasingly tricky to shoot the river over the incredibly lush vegetation.

Stats:

Run 869
Average pace: 6:01/km
Training status: Overreaching (whoops)
Location: Brunette River Trail
Start: 10:56 a.m.
Distance: 5.03 km
Time: 30:13
Weather: Sunny
Temp: 18-19°C
Humidity: 68-67%
Wind: light to moderate
BPM: 153
Weight: 167.9
Total distance to date: 6,215 km
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 255 Music, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: HOKA Speedgoat 5 (355/685/1,040 km)

Run 854: Whoopsie again

Brunette River, pre-run.

I kind of missed three runs in a row. I am a bad runner.

I made amends today!

I waited till early afternoon to hit the river trail, where it was still only 5C, as winter is determined to go out with a big ol’ hissy fit. At least it wasn’t raining (or snowing).

My expectations were to just get in and out without any complications. Success! I started with what would be my average pace of 5:51/km, then dropped to a lowly 6:03/km. This incentivized me to pick up the pace enough that my last lap was a brisk 5:37/km.

Everything remained in working order and despite the nine days between runs, I felt pretty decent throughout. I am pleased.

Friday is calling for a high of 6C with rain, so I am not overly enthused about that, but we’ll see. Maybe the forecast will completely change to something delightful in the next two days.

The river, post-run, dressed for the last few weeks of winter.

Stats:

Run 854
Average pace: 5:51/km
Training status: Maintaining
Location: Brunette River Trail
Start: 1:32 p.m.
Distance: 5:03 km
Time: 29:25
Weather: Mixed cloud and sun
Temp: 5ºC
Humidity: 62%
Wind: light to moderate
BPM: 152
Weight: 170.7
Total distance to date: 6160 km
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 255 Music, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: HOKA Speedgoat 5 (295/542/837 km)

Run 851: The wind beneath my cell reception

Brunette River, pre-run.

I missed Monday’s run because I spent most of the day working on time-sensitive stuff. This meant I had four days off between runs, and the casual observer might think, “That means you should be well-rested and do great!” But what it really means is it puts me right on the edge where my fitness level starts to dip just a bit because I’ve taken too long between workouts. That’s right, your body punishes you for getting too much rest by making your next workout feel harder! This is why people give up on New Year resolutions.

But I was undeterred. It was milder than Friday, the sun was out again, and again due to time, I opted for a run on the river trail. I hit a complication even before I started. One of the last things I do before a run is check the temperature and humidity. When I went to do this, my iPhone 12 reported no cell connection. I have no idea why. Power-cycling the phone1Really, any time you have a tech problem, always try turning it off and back on first. It’s a meme, but it also fixes a surprising number of issues! fixed the issue, and I was off.

I had opted to wear two layers because it was 5C when I headed out and this ended up being a good call, because, as a change of pace, it was windy and in mid-February, the wind is still pretty cold! The humidity was also much lower than normal, around 40% or so. This had no real effect, other than my lips being very slightly drier than normal.

There were two minor issues on this run:

  • At one point, I threatened to develop a stitch. It resolved itself in a few seconds, though. (Stitches usually mean I’m running too fast.)
  • At another point, I felt a bit of a kink in my right knee. This seems unrelated to my knee issues last year, I think it was just an artifact from stretching or something. It was very intermittent and didn’t affect my pace.

Overall, this was a pretty good run. I had a good pace, solid BPM and no dogs off leash!

Brunette River, post-run.
Run 851
Average pace: 5:44/km
Training status: Maintaining
Location: Brunette River Trail
Start: 11:09 a.m.
Distance: 5:03 km
Time: 28:52
Weather: Sunny
Temp: 7-8ºC
Humidity: 43-40%
Wind: moderate
BPM: 152
Weight: 171.6
Total distance to date: 6145 km
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 255 Music, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: HOKA Speedgoat 5 (280/517/797 km)

Run 849: Sunny and productive

Brunette River, pre-run. Maybe looking just a smidgen like early spring.

Quite often it happens this way: I don’t feel like running, I faff about doing other stuff, I finally convince myself to get out, then have a really good run.

That basically happened today. By the time I headed out, it was just past 11 a.m. But it was unexpectedly sunny, and the temperature had warmed to a relatively mild 7C, so conditions were good. In the interest of time, I ran the river trail, and it was fairly quiet, despite the later hour.

I came out of the gate a little hot with a pace of 5:38/km, which led to a bit of a sag for the next two km, but recovered for the final two and ended with a flourish, with my overall pace being 5:44/km, besting my last two runs. My BPM also edged down a little lower at 149. I was almost two pounds lighter than on Monday’s run, so I was slightly more aerodynamic, too.

With no issues to report, this was a perfectly fine mid-week run.

Brunette River, post-run.
Run 849
Average pace: 5:44/km
Training status: Productive
Location: Brunette River Trail
Start: 11:19 a.m.
Distance: 5:03 km
Time: 28:51
Weather: Sunny
Temp: 7-8ºC
Humidity: 70%
Wind: light
BPM: 149
Weight: 172.3
Total distance to date: 6135 km
Devices: Garmin Forerunner 255 Music, iPhone 12, AirPods (3rd generation)
Shoes: HOKA Speedgoat 5 (270/500/770 km)