Hoping for good knees

Run 580: Trick or tree

Run 580
Average pace: 6:17/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CW)
Start: 12:05 pm
Distance: 5:04 km
Time: 31:44
Weather: Sun and cloud
Temp: 16ºC
Humidity: 54%
Wind: light to strong
BPM: 168
Weight: 162.1 pounds
Total distance to date: 4485 km
Devices: Apple Watch, iPhone 8

I originally planned to run at the river today, as it would involve less walking and the run itself would be on a much gentler course. I changed my mind and headed to the lake, opting for a counter-clockwise course. I set out on a deliberately slower pace to see if I could overcome the feeling of my stamina collapsing and the nausea I felt at the very end.

And then two trees got in my way.

I started off the run, crossing the small bridge at Silver Creek, hooked left, then hooked right…and a rather large tree was sitting across the trail. A runner from the other direction popped out on the left side, demonstrating that is was possible to get by, but I opted to turn around and reluctantly do a repeat of the same clockwise route I’d done on Wednesday. I made the decision after only a few moments, so I kept the run timer going.

A parks worker was on hand with chainsaw, just getting started on the fallen tree.

I made my way over the dam, past the parking lot, then turned onto the Avalon Trail…where another fallen tree laid across the path.

This is the view looking back, toward the parking lot:

I stopped my run (0.75 km completed) and contemplated. I decided to get on the other side of this tree, start my run over and hope the trail was not festooned with more trees blown down by yesterday’s apparently vicious rainstorm.

Fortunately these were the only two, it was just weird that they were both near the start of the trail, as if it was an omen telling me to stay away.

The slower pace worked, though. I came in at 6:17/km, so three seconds off the previous run. What that bought me in exchange was, sadly, not a lower BPM, which stubbornly stayed at 168, but it did result in a run that was a lot more comfortable.

The first two km were very similar to last time, while the last km was much slower (it actually matched the overall pace of 6:17). The difference today is that I didn’t feel like I was running out of gas, I just kept going along at a deliberate pace and when the run was over, a stream of expletives did not emerge from my mouth, I just switched to an outdoor walk and kept going (the walk back broke the 9:00/km average again).

While I am disappointed at the average pace consistently being over 6:00/km now, I must admit that the knees are probably a bigger factor than the stamina. While they don’t hurt in a painful way during the run, I can feel them and I suspect they are inhibiting my speed without me being fully aware of it. Oh well. All I can do is take good care of them between runs, perhaps by petting them and telling them how great they are. “Who’s a good knee? You’re a good knee! Yes, you are!”

Importantly, this was the first time in a long time that I completed three runs in a week, having run on Sunday, Wednesday and Saturday. I’ll try to repeat this going forward and will report the results, possibly in tears, possibly through clenched teeth, but always on this here blog.

Also, they were paving Major Street, which added about half a km as I detoured on my walk back. I didn’t want to risk walking over extremely fresh asphalt, though I was temped. In the end common sense won out over laziness. This meant the last few blocks were up a somewhat steep grade, which is not exactly the way I prefer ending a run, but it’s better than being hit by a blimp.

Run 579: The longest run ever

Run 579
Average pace: 6:14/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CW)
Start: 12:36 pm
Distance: 5:03 km
Time: 31:21
Weather: Sun and cloud
Temp: 18-20ºC
Humidity: 44%
Wind: light
BPM: 168
Weight: 163.4 pounds
Total distance to date: 4480 km
Devices: Apple Watch, iPhone 8

Or at least it felt like it.

I headed out again with two full days off, my first back-to-back(ish) runs in a long time. Usually when I do this my pace is faster on the second run because I am a tiny bit more in shape than the previous run.

That did not happen today.

I expected the knees to be sore from the start and they were. In fact, the 4 km walk to the lake seemed to stretch out way beyond 4 km, which was not a good sign. But it was warmer and semi-sunny, so I set off with slow-and-steady being the favored approach.

The first km was actually not that bad. I came in at 5:48/km, which is faster than the previous run. By the second km the wheels were wobbly, slipping to 6:12/km, a fair bit slower than the previous run.

And then the wheels came off. For the third and fourth km, my pace was 6:34 and 6:49/km. By this point my knees actually didn’t feel bad, but my stamina had packed up and left the country. The gas had been siphoned from the tank. Elvis had left the building.

I didn’t just feel slow today, I was slow. I plodded. I thought about pausing the run and walking for awhile. I thought about stopping at the 4K mark. As I neared the last stretch by the athletic fields every step felt like I was getting no closer. I looked at my distance. 4.84 km. Normally that’s a number I laugh at as I sail to the finish. Instead, it felt like it would not move. I keep looking, seeing it go up in horribly small increments. I finally heard the triumphant ding that signaled 5K completed and congratulated myself for still being upright.

My external monologue immediately after (and it was external, between gasps for oxygen) went something like this:

“Fuck.”
“Fuck.”
“Fuck.”
“Fuck, that was hard.”
“Fuck.”

I used my potty mouth quota for the entire month in the space of a few seconds.

In a final irony, the walk back went fairly briskly, with a rare sub-9 minute pace of 8:58/km, so neither knees nor stamina were an issue once I actually finished the run (or perhaps more accurately after the run finished me).

The higher temperature and sun likely played a factor. I sweated a small amount, which is more than I have for most of the spring. Still, the complete bottoming out was weird and a little disturbing. I even ran the “easier” side of the lake, going clockwise. It made no difference.

On the plus side, I didn’t stop early, I never switched to walking, and I actually picked up the pace in the final km, even if I felt a little like barfing those final few steps. On the neutral side my BPM was the same as last time–168–which is higher than I like, but still below the threshold of 170.

I am both curious and terrified at what the next run might be like.

Here are the splits with bonus commentary.

KM Time per km Comment
1 5:48 A decent start. Knees sore.
2 6:12 Getting kind of tired already. Not thinking about knees as much.
3 6:34 It feels like walking except super tiring now.
4 6:49 Please make it stop. Can I stop? I want to stop.
5 5:50 Running faster will make it stop sooner.

My knees are amazing

Amazingly sore, that is. So much so that I elected to skip my usual lunch walk today.

Now, I’m not complaining, I’ve come to accept that the combination of age and nine years of jogging has clearly taken their toll on my knees, I’m just surprised that it went from not manifesting in any way while running (or walking) to suddenly doing that on a near-permanent basis. I think I’m also working through the stages of grief at the loss of my old, healthy knees.

Things will no doubt get even more interesting when I reach the bargaining stage, where I’ll start researching kooky, medically unsound fixes and cure-alls. Actually, I think I may be at that stage now, I just haven’t come up with any kooky ideas to pursue yet.

But I will. Oh yes, I will.

Run 578: Cyclist caught, slugs, rain and some running, too

Run 578
Average pace: 6:03/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CCW)
Start: 1:36 pm
Distance: 5:04 km
Time: 30:31
Weather: Light showers
Temp: 15ºC
Humidity: 75%
Wind: light
BPM: 168
Weight: 163 pounds
Total distance to date: 4475 km
Devices: Apple Watch, iPhone 8

My last run was on May 12. That was 22 days or two infections ago.

Surprisingly, my pace actually improved after three weeks off.

I was not looking forward to the run for three reasons:

  • the long time off meant the run would feel a lot harder than it would otherwise
  • my knees
  • the rain because I can say with 100% certainty, I never enjoy running in the rain

The knees were not a real factor. I could feel them at the start, but after a few minutes they were fine and not a factor. They felt worse, as they have the last few months, on the walk back.

The rain was fairly light throughout, though it never fully stopped. Still, it was as close to not being obnoxious as it could get, and dry mouth was not an issue. Or dry anything.

Stamina was definitely an issue. At several points (I remember around the 3K mark in particular) the idea of just stopping and not running was a delightful and enticing notion. I pressed on, even as the slight uphill grade on the Cottonwood Trail seemed like a mighty mountain pass.

My pace was fairly steady, slowing a few seconds for the first three km, then actually picking up for the last two. The last km I actually came in under 6:00/km and my overall pace of 6:03/km was six seconds better than the previous run.

Despite the rain there were more people out than I expected and save for a couple at Piper Spit, none of them had umbrellas and many didn’t even have any headgear. I guess people don’t mind getting wet if it’s warmer.

Speaking of getting wet, I ran into some weird technical issues on the walk back that I think were weather-related.

For the run, I shuffled a playlist on the phone and locked the screen of the watch, so wacky things wouldn’t happen if it got wet (I have verified said wacky behavior in the past). After the run I switched to an Open Goal Outdoor Walk, and I did not lock the watch as the rain was very light at that point. That may have been an error, as after .45 km, the walk spontaneously turned into a 5K outdoor run. I was alerted to this when it noted I was at the halfway point after 2.5 km. I stopped the run shortly after, switched to an outdoor walk, locked the watch, and all was well until I got home.

Meanwhile, I assume the wet watch was also responsible for my music playback going bonkers. The music player kept stopping songs early and skipping to the next track. It got so annoying I paused the music and kept it paused. It spontaneously unpaused about a minute later, then started madly skipping ahead of songs again. I paused once more and at that point the watch display was locked, so it behaved after that. Lesson learned. If it rains–even a little–lock the watch.

The rain also brought out the first slugs I’ve seen in a long time, testing my rusty slug-dodging skills. I don’t believe I orphaned any slug families.

Also, as I was nearing the Cottonwood Trail I spotted a cyclist. Before starting my run, a parks worker had set out on the same counter-clockwise route and sure enough, she met the cyclist. They appeared to have a pleasant exchange, she asked him to dismount and walk his bike, then they parted ways, so he apparently got off with a warning. About 1.5 km father along I passed a young couple riding bikes, heading toward the same park worker. I figure there was a 50/50 chance she fined rather than warned them, having already used her “friendly reminder” up on the first guy (also, there is no way to enter the trail without passing at least one “No Cycling” sign, so claiming ignorance is not an especially convincing strategy). I can’t say I wanted the couple to be fined, but I wouldn’t have been sad, either.

Overall, the run went a little better than expected, though my BPM was on the higher side at 168, but that was perhaps to be expected with the amount of time off between runs. I really ought to start going out more often, knees willing.

Run 577: Sore knees, cramps, so very tired, but no plagues of locusts

Run 577
Average pace: 6:09/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CW)
Start: 11:21 am
Distance: 5:05 km
Time: 31:11
Weather: Sunny
Temp: 18-20ºC
Humidity: 54%
Wind: light to moderate
BPM: 162
Weight: 165.8 pounds
Total distance to date: 4470 km
Devices: Apple Watch, iPhone 8

Well, I now have two back-to-back runs with a pace of six minutes per km or more. This is not a good thing, but it’s still better than collapsing halfway through the run because my knees exploded and getting carried off by a pack of dingoes.

First, the conditions. It was a lovely summer-like day, with warm temperatures, a light breeze, and clear sky. I actually sweated a little, but it wasn’t too bad, and the air wasn’t super-dry, so I didn’t feel parched. The sun did feel surprisingly toasty when I was out from under the tree canopy, though.

And the trail was not as busy as last Saturday, which was nice. A few unleashed dogs threatened but never quite got underfoot. Overall, a fine day for a jog.

But the walk to the lake left my knees feeling sore, which is not helpful when you are about to start running. My mantra was again to just go through and not push at all, not even for the first km, which is usually easy peasy.

A couple ran past me just before I was to start, so I milled a bit to give them some space. I didn’t want to catch up to them and pass, because that would require accelerating to pass, then running faster long enough to create enough space to keep them from being on my heels. My knees were in no mood for this.

My pace for the first km was a pokey 5:59/km, so I stayed true to my word. The second km was only slightly off because, as feared, I closed the gap on that couple and ended up having to pass them. Surprisingly, my knees were not really any worse for this, but I did begin experiencing some cramps shortly after. Normally cramps are a sign that I’m just plain running too fast, which is currently impossible, so it’s more likely a sign of, “LOL you are SO out of shape, slow down before you rupture something.” And I did slow down.

In fact, my pace for the third km fell through the proverbial floor, dropping a massive 22 seconds. Here are the splits for all five km:

1 km 5:59
2 km 6:02
3 km 6:24
4 km 6:25
5 km 6:07

I did pick up for the final stretch, but was definitely in that “please lord let it be over” state of mind. Well, maybe not that bad, but I was certainly glad to end the running part and go back to the walking part. The walk back was fine, though this time I didn’t have the energy to mix in any running, save for a bit during a few small stretches. Mostly I want to get back and have a nice bubble bath and pretend I had the world’s best knees.

Another positive from the run was a BPM of 162, about the same as the last run and well below the 170 max I try to stay under.

But much like my broken tooth that got infected and forced me to see the dentist instead of pretending they were mythical creatures, I am likely going to have to talk to my (new) doctor about the knees. Perhaps I can be outfitted with bionic replacements or given some miracle cure that will make them feel a hundred years younger. If the actual cure is “find some other exercise that doesn’t involve running” I will be sad and such.

I might try running on Tuesday. A 5K at the river will be a gentler experience and my pace might be better as a result. This could be a pleasant psychological boost. Now I just have to actually do it, instead of simply writing about it yet again.

Run 576: The allergic to everything run

Run 576
Average pace: 6:00/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CCW)
Start: 1:21 pm
Distance: 5:04 km
Time: 30:19
Weather: Sunny
Temp: 20ºC
Humidity: 49%
Wind: moderate
BPM: 161
Weight: 167.3 pounds
Total distance to date: 4465 km
Devices: Apple Watch, iPhone 8

Exactly three weeks after my last run I headed out again to Burnaby Lake, where the temperature was almost twice what it was 21 days ago. It was pleasant and warm, but not hot. I only felt a slight trickle of sweat on my forehead on the walk back out.

The run itself was a labor, not of love, but of labor. The first km started slower than the average pace of my last run at 5:50/km and got slower from there, with a downright slothful pace of 6:00/km. On the plus side, I really was not trying to push things with the long time off, I was running while still suffering the effects of an allergic reaction to antibiotics, and my BPM was actually only 161, which it would not have been with three weeks off if I had been pushing.

The knees seemed fine. The right kneecap made its presence known, but it didn’t actually get sore or anything. Both knees felt a little sore on the walk back, which has been the case before. The walk back was a mix of running and walking, also similar to my last few 5Ks at the lake. I’ll walk until I feel rested, then jog until I no longer feel rested. I think it’s mostly because ending a 5K at the lake always leaves me feeling it will take days to walk the rest of the way, so I run partway instead.

The trail was in fine shape and packed with plenty of people due to the nice weather. No incidents to report, though traffic got a bit crowded a couple of times. Running Room had an event, but the actual run part was over, so I only saw the usual eight or so joggers. No one jogged past me, so I was saved the mild embarrassment of that.

The old bridge at Still Creek has been completely removed now. If you’re feeling tired, the new bridge presents a minor obstacle as it arches over the water instead of being completely flat. It’s a nice bridge, though. It’s shiny. I mean it’s literally shiny.

Geese were out with their goslings. The goslings are adorable. The preponderance of goose poop less so.

Overall, while a tad slower than I would have liked (I hate hitting the six minute mark), the run went about as well as expected given the time since the last one. Maybe this week I really will start running regularly again. We shall see.

Run 575: A new bridge, a new stink, knees and bonus running

Run 575
Average pace: 5:49/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CCW)
Start: 12:15 pm
Distance: 5:03 km
Time: 29:17
Weather: Cloudy, some sun
Temp: 11ºC
Humidity: 64%
Wind: light to moderate
BPM: 167
Weight: 169.1 pounds
Total distance to date: 4460 km
Devices: Apple Watch, iPhone 8

Last week I did an elliptical/treadmill workout at the Canada Games Pool because the weather was poop and I didn’t feel like running in poop. That meant it’s been two weeks since my last outdoor run, so I was curious to see how it would go.

The weather was slightly cooler, but still mild and I ran counter-clockwise, but conditions were otherwise similar.

My average pace turned out to be identical–5:49/km. The knees held up, as before, and my mind was mostly mulling over where that thing called stamina went, as 5 km feels more like 500. Still, I got through without any issues and when I’d walked enough to cool off I began to run/walk the rest of the way to the trail exit, probably adding over 2 km of extra run time. Mt walking pace for the 9 km return trip was exactly 8:00/km, which is basically impossible at an actual walking pace.

The knees felt stiff during the walk back, which had the curious effect of making me want to run, as it was more comfortable.

My BPM was a bit higher at 167 but still below the 170 threshold.

The skunk cabbage has reached its stinky phase. Fortunately it never gets super-stinky, just kind of “yeah, wouldn’t want to be locked in a room with that” stinky.

The new bridge, which was in place but not open for the previous run, was now open and had a nice grippy concrete surface poured on it. The old bridge is mostly dismantled, with only some of the superstructure remaining. The new bridge feels very solid and has a sleek and sexy curve. We’ll see how it fares in slippery conditions.

Overall, I felt better than expected given the time off. I managed to keep to my previous pace, so that’s encouraging.

I make no promises now, but I will try to run before another week has passed.

The Little Honda run

Distance: 10.02 km
Weather: Cloudy
Temp: 15-18ºC
Wind: light
Calories burned: 700
Average pace: 5:24/km
Total distance to date: 791 km

Things I don’t normally see on a run that I saw today:

  • a lesbian couple kissing in midfield
  • a guy doing a test-lap around the path on a motorized scooter
  • a spare tire near one of the baseball diamonds
  • a polite, knowledgeable dog owner. Haha, just kidding. I have seen more than one of these. I think.

I started the run at my lightest weight of the year, a svelte 145.5 pounds.

The big question today was how would my knee hold up and the answer is: better than Wednesday, not as well as Monday. I could definitely feel it but it wasn’t enough to significantly slow my performance. In fact, the entire run was beset my minor discomforts, ranging from my lower back starting to ache, a brief flare-up in my left ankle and recurring heartburn/acid reflux (the latter may be due to a late slice of pepperoni pizza last night, though neither pizza nor pepperoni normally gives me heartburn). I was fearing my time by the end of the run but was pleasantly surprised that I actually came in one second faster than Monday’s 10K (5:24/km) and had my best first 2 km this year (4:53/km for 1K and 5:01/km for 2K). My strong start couldn’t overcome the flagging in the final 2 km, though. I was feeling pretty pooped by the end.

Joan also piped up to congratulate me on another 500 km toward my goal of reaching Mars. As always, thanks Joan!

On a final note, I mistakenly ran clockwise for the second run in a row. I normally alternate but for some reason got things mixed up today. No harm, but wanted to make it clear the chart is accurate.

Chart (blue indicates the run was done clockwise):

km Jun 18 Jun 16 Jun 13 Jun 11 Jun 8 Jun 6 Jun 2 May 31
1 km 4:53 5:05 5:02 4:59 5:04 5:05 5:00 5:05
2 km 5:01 5:09 5:07 5:05 5:10 5:13 5:10 5:13
3 km 5:04 5:13 5:10 5:10 5:14 5:20 5:16 5:18
4 km 5:09 5:16 5:14 5:14 5:16 5:25 5:20 5:22
5 km 5:13 5:19 5:18 5:18 5:18 — 5:23 5:25
6 km 5:15 — 5:20 5:21 5:20 — 5:26 5:29
7 km 5:18 — 5:21 5:23 5:21 — 5:28 5:31
8 km 5:21 — 5:22
9 km 5:23 — 5:24
10 km 5:24 — 5:25

The knee(d) to run

Distance: 5.2 km
Weather: Sunny
Temp: 20ºC
Wind: strong gusts at times
Calories burned: 363
Average pace: 5:19/km
Total distance to date: 781 km

Although it was sunny for the entirety of my run today it did not slow me down as much as I had feared, though my pace was off by a couple of seconds. I had planned a full 10K but right at the 5K mark my left knee felt like it was locking up. I debated briefly on whether to run at a slower pace and wait it out or call it there before my average pace went to poop. I called it at 5.2 km completed and am planning on another run tomorrow – my first back-to-back runs in many moons.

The knee is feeling fine now, so I don’t believe it’s hurt, just old and stupid.

The run was otherwise unremarkable. I am coming home dusty instead of muddy now, which is actually kind of nice.

Chart (blue indicates the run was done clockwise):

km Jun 16 Jun 13 Jun 11 Jun 8 Jun 6 Jun 2 May 31
1 km 5:05 5:02 4:59 5:04 5:05 5:00 5:05
2 km 5:09 5:07 5:05 5:10 5:13 5:10 5:13
3 km 5:13 5:10 5:10 5:14 5:20 5:16 5:18
4 km 5:16 5:14 5:14 5:16 5:25 5:20 5:22
5 km 5:19 5:18 5:18 5:18 — 5:23 5:25
6 km — 5:20 5:21 5:20 — 5:26 5:29
7 km — 5:21 5:23 5:21 — 5:28 5:31
8 km — 5:22
9 km — 5:24
10 km — 5:25

Needing knees

I have not jogged since September 20th.

This is not by design.

As it happened, back in September my left leg was ailing again and so I opted to give it time to recover before resuming my runs, as I had previously. This particular time it seemed the left ankle was feeling especially tender. I am more convinced now that the way I was running — on an oval course, always counter-clockwise — may have contributed to my left leg bearing more than its fair share and thus making it more susceptible to injury. My plan was to resume running and to either find a new course to run or to simply alternate between running clockwise and counter-clockwise on the path around China Creek Park.

By the time I felt I’d rested enough to resume jogging I began a new job and suddenly my schedule was a lot tougher to work runs around. Couple that with waning daylight hours and I let it slide longer than I would have liked.

Then something weird happened. My left knee started to hurt. More precisely, I would sometimes notice it feeling sore, though it never hurt to actually walk on it. It was most obvious when I would kneel to tie my shoelaces. What makes this weird is that I never experienced any problems with my knees when running. At first I thought I did something to hurt it and just couldn’t remember exactly what I’d done but the soreness is ever-present. I feel it every time I kneel down, though it never gets worse (or better). I plan on having the knee checked out at the clinic soon but mildly fear this may be a chronic injury that will require therapy — or worse!

If the doctor tells me it’s one of those ‘men of your age’ things, I promise to give him a dirty look.

I will update on the potential kneetastrophe soon.