It’s the first day of March, I’m ready for spring. Instead it’s soggy and cold outside (admittedly it would be even worse if it was cold and soggy inside). I do not approve.
If this situation has not changed by March 20 (spring equinox) I will be cross. Cross, I say.
Run 354
Average pace: 5:26/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CCW)
Ran Spruce and Conifer Loops and Piper Mill Trail
Distance: 5.05 km
Weather: Heavy rain
Temp: 18ºC
Wind: light
Calories burned: 374
Total distance to date: 2968
If Sunday’s run was a struggle through the blasted heat of the desert, tonight’s was trying to dodge the flash flood from the once-a-year deluge.
With a very low bar of beating my previous tortoise-like pace of 5:41/km, I was still not looking forward to tonight’s run, given the soggy forecast. On the first full day of fall the first fall storm was sweeping in, with high winds, rain and plenty more rain on top of that.
The forecast was accurate. It poured throughout my run and my dodging skills were given a full workout as I ducked, weaved and just plain leaped over increasingly huge puddles.
Perhaps because of the uncharacteristic need to leap, my left butt cheek actually felt a bit sore toward the end of the run.
I bottomed out around the halfway mark (3rd km pace: 5:37/km) but was overall fairly steady, just slower than average. Even with the torrential rain, the run was an improvement, if still generally horrible. My pace was 5:26/km overall, slow for a 10K, downright sluggish for a 5K but 16 seconds better than Sunday’s run, so I’ll take it.
It promises to be about the same temperature but perhaps a little drier on Thursday so the bar is still set low: beat tonight’s pace.
Run 342
Average pace: 5:18/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CCW)
Ran Spruce and Conifer Loops
Distance: 10.04 km
Weather: Heavy rain
Temp: 18-17ºC
Wind: light
Calories burned: 772
Total distance to date: 2867
I dedicate the following songs to today’s run:
Here Comes the Rain Again
Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head
The Rain is Falling
And of course:
Goodbye Blue Sky
I spent an hour this morning trying to out-wait the rain before giving up, going out and getting drenched. The light rain changed to a heavy rain well before I got to the lake and by the end of the run my shirt and shorts were clinging to me like very clingy things and it felt like I had picked up an extra ten pounds from the weight of the water in them.
I ended up a few seconds slower than the previous run, coming in at a pace of 5:18/km. This was likely due to the extra navigation required to maneuver around the copious number of puddles that grew even as I made my way around the lake. At several points the puddles were more pools than I just had to plow through.
I did experience a minute or so of light pain in a muscle somewhere between the left calf and knee but it appeared suddenly and left the same way. The legs felt fine afterward.
The lower temperature–it actually got cooler as I ran–meant I had enough energy to pick up the pace for a strong finish, which was nice to see.
A surprising number of people were out walking the loop, particularly along the Cottonwood Trail and near the start of the Avalon Trail. Regulars, perhaps. It was somewhat annoying because they all had giant umbrellas that effectively blocked any easy way to pass by. The roar of the rain also meant they were oblivious to my approach. I managed to avoid going in the ditch, though.
I also saw about half a dozen dedicated runners getting soaked to their collective hineys. Most were dressed like me in shorts and t-shirts but one was wearing a jacket. That sounds sensible for a run in heavy rain but at 17-18ºC it wasn’t cold so he probably ended up extra sweaty underneath. Kind of a lose-lose situation on a day like this, really.
Here’s hoping Friday’s run is a wee bit drier.
Run 320
Average pace: 5:12/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CW)
Ran Spruce and Conifer Loops and Piper Mill Trail
Distance: 11.04 km
Weather: Cloudy with heavy rain
Temp: 17ºC
Wind: light to moderate
Calories burned: 849
Total distance to date: 2722
My goals today were:
As I head off to the lake I noted the sky to the south looked mostly friendly, while the sky to the north looked dark and ominous, with a curtain of rain already falling over Burnaby Mountain. I was unsure which side would win this North vs. South scenario but had not prepared for rain.
You can probably guess how this ends up.
I tried applying a little more gas this time and the hip was again mostly fine, only making its presence felt when the other parts of my legs quieted down, as if they had all agreed that balance was essential:
Hip: I’m feeling pretty good now. Someone want to take over?
Left thigh muscle: I’m on it. It’s only been a few km, I can start throbbing for awhile.
Hip: Sounds good. How about you, Left Foot Pad?
Left Foot Pad: I’m lined up to start hurting around the 8K mark.
Hip: Excellent. We’re set.
I knew my pace would generally be slower since my body is still not tuned for longer runs quite yet but could feel I was ahead of the last run’s languid saunter.
Everything was fine and just as I hit 4K mark the first few drops of rain began to fell. These few drops turned into a torrential downpour that lasted the next four km. For the final three km it eased off into light showers. I was left suitably drenched.
It didn’t affect the run, though. Except for a dip as I neared the 10K mark I stayed on a fairly even pace and finished at 5:12/km, a whopping 15 second improvement over the previous run. I also didn’t step on any slugs to my knowledge. Mission accomplished.
As a final note, the number of puddles I dodged was approximately ten million.
Average pace: 5:15/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CW)
Ran Spruce and Conifer Loops and Piper Mill Trail
Distance: 11.05 km
Weather: Heavy rain
Temp: 10ºC
Wind: light
Calories burned: 876
Total distance to date: 2609 km
The Weather Underground site cheerfully described today’s weather as “light rain”. Perhaps they define light differently than most people. When I stepped outside for my run today a steady rain was falling. It continued to fall on the walk to the lake, the run around the lake and the walk up to the SkyTrain station because there was no freaking way I was walking all the way back home, even though it was impossible for me to get more drenched than I already was.
The rain actually got heavier as the run progressed. The trees around the trail roared as the fresh spring leaves got continuously pelted by the drops. Because it was raining before I even headed out I opted to put my fare card in a plastic baggie and wore my water-treated running jacket.
By the third block from the condo I could already feel the rain soaking through the sleeves. In the end I’d have been no worse off to just wear my long-sleeved t-shirt.
It was also unseasonably cool, around 10ºC for the run. This wasn’t a problem once I got started but my hands felt legitimately cold at the start. After the run, the cool temperatures turned my damp skin clammy and cool. I was glad to get home and into a nice warm tub.
The run itself went fine. Stamina was not an issue with the cooler temperature, and the only small issues were my right hip feeling a bit sore midway, though it worked out (still no idea how I tweaked it) and the left foot was just starting to get a little cranky at the end but never became a problem.
My pace for the 11.05 km was 5:15/km, three seconds better than the previous 7K run and only five seconds slower than my best 7K. Not bad for my first full loop around the lake.
Average pace: 4:38/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CCW)
Distance: 11.36 km
Weather: Sunny
Temp: 11ºC
Wind: light to moderate
Calories burned: 771
Total distance to date: 1962 km
This was a tough one to get motivated for. Monday’s run, also done in the early afternoon, was in conditions that would have been applicable in June or July — sunny and warm. By contrast, today’s run came after a low pressure system moved in, finally bringing real rain to the area. As such, I headed out with a heavy drizzle falling, the kind that makes you feel like you’re not getting that wet even as you get completely drenched.
I headed off to the lake and to no surprise the fire danger signs have been removed (except for one that appears to have been missed). With it being good and soggy, I managed more than 4 km before spying someone else on the trail and was closer to 5 km before actually meeting and passing the person. Most of the people I encountered were out walking. Only a few others braved the elements for a run.
I started out with the hands chilly as expected but they warmed up after a few km and my pace was pretty much equal to Wednesday’s. The one second difference could be a rounding error. I was actually hoping to be a little faster so although the pace was good, I came away a bit disappointed.
Weather-wise, the rain only affected the run in one stretch where a few puddles in close proximity required a bit of deft puddle-jumping. I expect the next run to be worse in this regard, as it looks like there will be copious amounts of rainfall between now and then.
Still, I gritted my teeth and did it. The only thing I’m thinking now is I need something better for my upper body because my current gear gets drenched. A little more water-resistance would be nice.
| Date | Average Pace |
| October 12 | 4:38 (11K) |
| October 10 | 4:37 (11K) |
| October 8 | 4:53 (11K) |
| October 2 | 4:33 (9K) |
This afternoon Jeff and I did a brisk walk around Burnaby Lake, only the second time I’ve been out there since the last run I did back in September. It was raining when we headed out but I figured my winter coat and cap would be sufficient.
The trail around the lake was about what I expected — mostly dry with puddles and pools of water around the edges in numerous spots. There was only one place where we had to skirt along the edge of the trail proper to avoid slopping through a pool of water like an over-eager eight year old. We kept up a good pace, too, finishing up with 10.11 km covered at an average pace of 5.8 km/hr and taking 1:47 to do it. This was almost 15 minutes faster than our previous walk there. Zoom zoom. A few hardy walkers and joggers were out but I only noticed one person giving their dog a good soak in the downpour.
Speaking of which, the relentless rain did not ease up at all. By the end the bottom third of my jeans had absorbed every bit of water around, my cap was almost but not quite soaked through (keeping my head dry, woo) and my winter coat did in fact get soaked through to the point that my t-shirt underneath was wet. Stupid rain. I know it’s dumb to complain about it here but we seem to be getting downpours every time we plan on doing something outdoors. At least if it was snow it would be fluffy and kind of neat.
Which is my way of saying that after over 10 years of having an East Van address I am officially moved out to New Westminster, within spitting distance (well, spitting distance if you’re a hill giant) of the Fraser River in historic Sapperton. I haven’t fully checked out what makes Sapperton historic, though I believe it was settled by little people based on how absurdly narrow so many of the sidewalk around here are.
It felt odd handing over the keys to the old basement suite today. The first 15 years of living in Vancouver saw me moving on average once every week. Or so it felt like. But I got some unintended longterm living out of that East Van address where the lovely Everett clan put up with my quirks with nary a complaint for over 3,650 days so I thank them for that.
I’ll get out and get some shots of the new neighborhood as soon as the monsoons stop because it is full-on monsooning right now. Damn rain.
The move was done in three steps thusly:
Step 1: Mid-summer, moving a few things like the PC to the new place.
Step 2: Moving all other stuff I was keeping.
Step 3: Moving all the stuff I wasn’t keeping and taking it to the dump or recycling.
Step 3 was my bane as I tweaked my lower back when hoisting the couch or mattress onto the truck. It didn’t feel like much until later when it switched into Move A Certain Way to Experience Terrible Pain mode. Fortunately a day of not lifting anything heavier than a box of cereal has helped with the recovery immensely. It was nice to get rid of all my old electronics in an environmentally sound manner. Goodbye, 2X CD-ROM drive, you served me well!
I leave you with what is my most favorite picture of Barley ever. When I saw him earlier today he was as sedate as always.
What better way to get wet than to go outside in December in Vancouver?
Today Jeff and I decided to get wet in style by hiking up Burnaby Mountain with his Vancouver Mountain Biking group. There were nine of us altogether and we started out near the base of the mountain on North Road. As with the bike ride yesterday the sky was again filled with clouds and the promise of much rain to come. As we headed out the weather held, though. Those of us dressed in cotton were thankful.
Burnaby Mountain is not exactly out in the boonies but the trails can still be rugged and demanding. There are points where the hydro wires are tucked out of view and the latest condo developments can’t be seen and you can almost believe you’re truly out in the wilderness. It helps if you stumble across a bear, too, which Jeff has done. The bears are smart enough to sleep through a Vancouver winter, though.
The ascent was on trails rated from easy to advanced. The easy stuff is just that — the grade allows for a leisurely pace and lots of idle chatter. When we reached Velodrome Trail (handy PDF of Burnaby Mountain trails) a sign at the bottom notified us that there were 500 wooden stairs leading up. Way up.
500 stairs is a lot of stairs. My excellent math and engineering skills tell me it worked out to the equivalent of 20-30 storeys. It took me back to the one time I walked up to the 15th floor of the apartment building I lived in ages ago. The one time.
When we reached the top we took a few minutes to pose for pictures, take in the totem poles and look up to the oh-so-expensive Horizons restaurant. That wasn’t what a bunch of sweaty, grubby hikers want so we continued on to the SFU campus in search of a simpler cafe. The SFU buildings were eerily quiet given the semester break and one hallway was completely unlit, as if it was auditioning for a part in a horror movie. We continued on until we got to Renaissance Coffee. They serve their free range/organic or whatever it was beverages in cups that feel all comfy and quilted. Jeff and I had hot chocolate, me going for the small, Jeff opting for hill giant size. I added a chocolate chip muffin, convinced I had burned sufficient calories on the way up.
Sated, we headed out and the rain had returned. Those of us who had brought non-cottony jackets donned them, the others prepared for The soaking. We headed down an unofficial trail that required lots of skidding, jumping and light praying. We all made it down intact, fortunately.
All told, it was a fun combination of easy and hard, everyone was friendly and chatty and no limbs were broken.
The stats:
Total distance: 11 km
Average pace: 3.7 km/h
Total elevation gained: 1132m
Total descent: 1201m
Total time: 3 hours
Small gallery of photos available here.
Today is the Winter Solstice, the first day of winter and the shortest day of the year, which is not to say it’s less than 24 hours long or is increasingly diminutive in nature, merely that the number of daylight hours is a mere eight or so, with the remaining 16 cast in darkness, near darkness or dammit-I-stubbed-my-toe-going-to-the-bathroom-at-midnight darkness.
For me it is not so much a SAD day as the weather has been surprisingly decent. So far the goat entrails predicting a colder, drier winter are proving correct, much to my delight. You’d think after growing up in a region where rain is as common as air or crooked politicians that I’d be used to it now, perhaps even find it oddly reassuring. You would be wrong. Plus Jeff gave me a toque that I look all sexy-like in and if it rains I have to switch to something more waterproof and definitely less sexy-looking. Rain interferes with my good looks, see?
I’ll report back in a few months on whether La Nina holds up and keeps us dry or if, as is usually the case, the last week of December heralds months of rain, more rain and in case you missed it, here comes the rain again.
See below.
