sore legs

Run 431: Not quite a return to form

Run 431
Average pace: 5:28/km
Location: Brunette River trail
Distance: 5.01 km
Time: 27:24
Weather: Sunny
Temp: 20ºC
Wind: light
BPM: 157
Stride: n/a
Weight: 163.2 pounds
Total distance to date: 3462
Device used: Apple Watch and iPhone 6

After a week without runs (skipping Sunday and Tuesday) I decided to try out a mild 5K along the river tonight.

It went…okay. I improved my pace over my previous 5K by seven seconds, although 5:28/km is just a tad on the pokey side at this point in the season. The right leg felt sore but was tolerable and doesn’t feel any worse post-run. There were about four times during the run where my weight seemed to shift into the magic “no load-bearing weight” zone and the right leg would want to fold up. Keeping pace allowed me to plow through these brief, albeit unpleasant moments. Paradoxically, it seemed easier to not hit these points by running faster, as my gait would lengthen and change enough to avoid hitting that especially sensitive spot around the ankle.

Overall, I don’t regret going out and I don’t think I’m any worse for it. The run was not exactly fun, though. On the plus side, the weather was faboo, another eerily summer-like evening long before actual summer arrives. I know it’s probably just a foretelling of the doom to come as global warming ramps up, but it’s still nice for now.

I’m planning to go out again on Sunday but will wait until then to make a final call. If by Sunday my leg has inflamed to twice its regular size and causes enough pain to result in spontaneous blackouts I’ll probably skip the run and eat apple strudel instead.

The Sunday no-run

After 40% hemming and 60% hawing I finally decided to not run today. After doing some thinking and various amounts of walking, my self-diagnosis is I’m bipolar. Just kidding.

I am reasonably confident that the right leg is sore due to muscles being stretched and not due to any kind of injury with the bone (a bone injury would be very bad). The reasons for thinking this are I can walk at a brisk pace despite the soreness and it does not get worse the farther I travel. It’s quite tolerable. Also, the pain seems to have diminished over the last day or so. I wouldn’t be comfortable running again just yet but I’m hoping the worst is over. I’ll see how the leg feels on Tuesday and if it doesn’t feel bad I may try a slower run on the river trail. I’m also fine with sitting out the full week. I’ll just do sit-ups or something (I won’t do sit-ups).

It still bugs me that I am pretty much injury-prone at this point. Was it the twenty years of not exercising at all? Is it because I mysteriously decided to stop stretching before and after running? Karma? Ancient curse? Klutz gene? I may never know. But I’ll work through it. My sexy* figure demands it.

 

* sexiness may be in the eye of the beholder

Run 430: Everybody I hurts

Run 430
Average pace: 5:35/km
Location: Langara Golf Course trail (CCW)
Distance: 5.00 km
Time: 28:02
Weather: Sun with some cloud
Temp: 14ºC
Wind: light
BPM: 156
Stride: n/a
Weight: 164 pounds
Total distance to date: 3457
Device used: Apple Watch and iPhone 6

Straight-up, the right leg hurt on this run. At times it felt almost normal, at others I shifted just so on it and it almost felt like it might buckle. The good news is that while I can still feel it a little some hours later it’s not anywhere close to the pain of last August (it just feels a bit sore now) and stretching both before and after the run likewise did not cause any sort of pain.

Still, it is worrying. I will be very cautious on Sunday’s run and will stretch and do helpful stuff in the meantime.

The run itself felt very similar to the first one in terms of where I slowed and quickened my pace but overall the right leg left me with a more sluggish pace of 5:35/km vs. the first run with 5:26/km. Cardio-wise I probably felt a little better.

Weather-wise, it was entirely pleasant, with sun and a light breeze. The whole thing would have been fine if not for the leg. The large amount of uphill running is very different and a lot more demanding than my usual runs, though, so I suspect that was a factor in how the leg felt, too.

We shall see what Sunday brings.

Run 429: Gadgetpalooza

UPDATE, August 21, 2022: Updated to add more tags for easier searching, as this is one that features my late Tom Tom Runner Cardio watch.

Run 429
Average pace: 5:23/km
Location: Brunette River trail
Distance: 5.03 km
Time: 27:10
Weather: Cloudy
Temp: 17ºC
Wind: light to moderate
BPM: 156
Stride: 182
Weight: 164.1 pounds
Total distance to date: 3452
Device used: Apple Watch and iPhone 6 and TomTom Runner Cardio

Tonight I headed out for a cautious run, with clouds overhead but otherwise unseasonably mild and with a nice breeze to keep things from getting too warm, which is not something you normally worry about here on May 3rd.

I also did my first Apple Watch vs. TomTom Runner Cardio test, wearing the Watch on my left wrist as per usual and the TomTom on my right wrist. I probably looked like a dork but that’s okay. Also, anyone who thinks the Apple Watch is bulky should really compare it to something like the TomTom because the Apple Watch looks downright petite next to it.

The results between the two devices were not outlandishly different but they were different. The actual timing of the run on each device is slightly shifted because I bobbled the start time on the Watch when Siri wouldn’t cooperate but the TomTom had already started tracking.

Stats:

 Apple WatchTomTom Runner Cardio
Time27:1026:42
Average pace5:23/km5:18/km
BPM156154
Distance5:03 km5:03 km
Calories331367

The biggest difference for me is pace. I haven’t looked into it but I suspect the Apple Watch is doing some kind of manipulation of the data where the TomTom simply presents it raw, as it was recorded (and is more accurate from that perspective). The TomTom is also hooked into my Strava and Nike+ accounts and each of those also interpreted the pace differently:

TomTom Runner Cardio5:18/km
Apple Watch5:23/km
Strava5:27/km
Nike+5:31/km

I’m officially™ going with the Apple Watch since I’ve been using it regularly and it still makes me look reasonably zippy.

As for the actual run, I set out a relatively gentle pace and this is reflected by the TomTom’s stride stat of 182. This is steps per minute and the ideal zone for most runners is between 160 and 190. Being at the upper end reflects the cautious approach I took, minimizing how much I stretched out as I ran. Surprisingly my pace was still essentially tied with my previous best 5K this year.

The right leg still felt a bit sore, especially around the upper area, but not enough to make running painful. By comparison, tonight’s run felt a lot more comfortable than Sunday’s.

I may try the dual-wielding watches again on Thursday if I run the Langara trail, as I’m curious to see the pace breakdown on a map. If Apple adds maps to the Fitness app, I would probably never switch away from it.

For tonight’s run, I’m pleased that I was able to get through without the right leg feeling worse and, in fact, feeling a bit better. I am guardedly hopeful that the muscles will heal up as I continue to run not like a cheetah.

Run 428: Now with color migration

Run 428
Average pace: 5:45/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CCW)
Distance: 10.01 km
Time: 57:39
Weather: Suny and warm
Temp: 16-20ºC
Wind: light
BPM: 159
Stride: n/a
Weight: 164.1 pounds
Total distance to date: 3447
Device used: Apple Watch and iPhone 6

I had two concerns going into today’s run, one entirely cosmetic, the other a little more substantial.

The cosmetic one concerned my new shoes and the potential for “color migration.” The more significant concern was how my right leg would feel as it started feeling sore after last Tuesday’s run and has been a bit sore since.

There’s good news, iffy news and bad news.

Good news: I made it through the entire run and walk back. Although my pace was off last Sunday’s spectacularly fast average, at 5:45/km it was still better than previous runs despite the soreness. My more deliberate pace also meant a BPM on the lower side at 159.

Iffy news: The first few km the leg felt fine but starting aching during the 3-4 km stretch. I briefly thought of shortening the run to a 5K. I pressed on and somewhere around the 5-6K mark the endorphins kicked in and it didn’t feel too bad. It continued to not feel bad the rest of the way and I kept on at a steady pace through to the end. The soreness extends beyond the injury of last year, with what feels like multiple muscles affected. The good news is none of this comes anywhere close to the blowout that happened last August where I experienced very sharp pain that actively inhibited my ability to run altogether. It just aches like muscles that have been worked a bit harder than is ideal.

I’m hoping that by stretching and being careful not to push that the muscles will continue to slowly improve while I still run. I’ll take time off if I need to but I’m hoping that won’t be necessary.

Bad news: The new Speedgoats are a complete bust. Not only did the color bleed, it’s even worse than the first pair. My socks look like they’ve been tattooed or branded:

accidental sock tribute to Prince

On top of that, the right shoe was chafing against one of my toes, leaving the skin raw. It actually hurt more than my leg. At this point I would refuse another replacement pair. I’ll just put up with these until the bleeding stops (8 or 9 runs) and then get a different brand next time. This sort of quality control (“lol quality control??”) is not acceptable.

I got out fairly early, starting the run at 9:53 a.m. It was already 16ºC and went up to 20 by the end of the run. I actually felt sweat run down my face, not something I normally expect for the first day of May.

The trail was not overly crowded and I’d say there may have been slightly more runners than walkers. Apparently some event was taking place at the rowing pavilion or nearby as its parking lot was completely full. Whatever it was, all the people were squirreled away off the trail, which was okay by me.

I’m not sure what to expect on Tuesday’s run and haven’t decided if I’ll try the less familiar Langara trail or go back to the Brunette River trail, which is a gentler run.

Run 427: Tee’d off

UPDATE, August 21, 2022: Replaced golf course image with newer, larger image, added some additional tags.

Run 427
Average pace: 5:26/km
Location: Langara Golf Course trail (CCW)
Distance: 5.05 km
Time: 27:32
Weather: Sun and cloud
Temp: 15ºC
Wind: light
BPM: 160
Stride: n/a
Weight: 163.9 pounds
Total distance to date: 3437
Device used: Apple Watch and iPhone 6

For the first time since last June I ran somewhere new. It was somewhat exciting!

I have long thought about running the trail around the Langara Golf Course. It’s next to my workplace, which means during the week I can run at lunch and not have to spend part of the evening jogging when I’d much rather be loafing. The course is just long enough at 2.7 km that I don’t get the sensation of running in circles, which sometimes happened with China Creek Park’s 550 m loop. Except for a small paved stretch near the tennis courts, it’s a combination of packed dirt and gravel.

On the negative side, there is always the chance of getting clobbered by a stray golf ball.

You can see parts of the trail below but most of it is hidden by trees (image taken from Google Maps):

Langara Trail
Langara Trail

Running counter-clockwise (as I did), the lower-right corner is where the trail starts sloping uphill. It’s not a steep incline but it is longer than the ones I experience at Burnaby Lake. My first loop my legs felt ablaze as I tried to maintain speed. My second loop I was in more of a rhythm and handled it better. I will likely use my TomTom on the next run so I can get an actual map showing where my pace goes from “yay fast!” to “legs now hate me forever.” I should point out that the left (west) side of the trail is almost completely on a similar but downward slope, which is almost a zany treat for a runner.

My right leg felt a bit sore afterward (and felt a bit sore after Tuesday’s run, though it felt fine on the run itself). I’m not too concerned as I am stretching before and after runs now and it doesn’t feel like the muscles are on the verge of being blown out. I am prepared to eat crow (or possibly a running shoe) on this if I am proven wrong, however.

With a new course, I wasn’t sure what to expect and it felt like I started too fast. It took me probably half the run to really settle into a comfortable pace and the uphill portion is going to be a drag on my times until I get used to it. Overall, though, I was pleased by the effort and my average pace of 5:26/km was in line with my other recent 5K runs.

And I indeed enjoyed some sweet, sweet loafing tonight.

Run 421: Hey Siri, start a 10K run

Run 421
Average pace: 5:48/km
Location: Burnaby Lake CW
Distance: 10.03 km
Time: 58:15
Weather: Cloudy
Temp: 11ºC
Wind: low
BPM: 161
Stride: n/a
Weight: 165.6 pounds
Total distance to date: 3394
Device used: Apple Watch and iPhone 6

Today I planned an 8K run then just before starting I thought I remembered today was Sun Run day so I wanted to participate by proxy and ended up doing my first 10K run of the year.

The Sun Run is on April 17th.

The weather was cooler and cloudy, which was actually nice for a longer run. I started out feeling comfy but by the midway point my right hip/groin was starting to ache. After several km it seemed to peak and then settled down into more of a distraction. To compensate my left calf/shin started to hurt. Clearly my legs are still adjusting to this whole regular running thing again.

By the end of the run the left leg was fine but the right hip still felt sore. It still feels a bit sore even now as I write this at 8 p.m., some eight hours after the run. It’s feeling better all the time, so I’m not overly concerned…yet.

The good news, though, is my pace was even better than last week’s 8K, breaking the 5:50/km mark for the first time this year at 5:48/km and in terms of cardio I never felt I was laboring or uncomfortable.

This also marked my first completely hands-free run. I started my music and run via Siri and when the music ended and I was still running, I was able to successfully tell Siri to start playing another album, proving technology can still be awfully handy at times, while also demonstrating that despite being in the middle of a run, I was able to speak and still be understood, as opposed to hoarsely gasping out gibberish while I struggled to keep moving.

Strangely, for the first time during a run I felt the tap from the watch indicating another km completed, but only once at the 3K mark. Why I felt it then and then only I cannot say.

The conditions attracted a lot of runners, some walkers (the human kind, not AT-STs) and one little kid shakily riding his bike downhill toward me. Parents, this is why bikes aren’t allowed on the trail. There were also a few dogs sans leash but fortunately no incidents to report.

Despite the sore hip, I’m still pleased overall that I’ve once again hit the 10K mark. I’m not overly concerned about speed or PRs as I was in the past so my main focus going forward is on staying comfortable, injury-free and getting out regularly, rather than going faster and faster until I blow something and sit out for another four to six months.

Run 410: Now with orthotics

Run 410
Average pace: 5:56/km
Location: Burnaby Lake CCW
Distance: 5.13 km
Time: 30:32
Weather: Overcast
Temp: 6ºC
Wind: light
BPM: 166
Stride: n/a
Weight: 168.6 pounds
Total distance to date: 3330
Device used: Apple Watch and iPhone 6

I replicated last week’s run, doing the same route, with one change: I used the orthotic insoles in my Speedgoats. While my left foot did hurt, it started to hurt much later and minimally enough that I didn’t consider it a serious issue during the run.

Despite a few sprinkles en route to Burnaby Lake, it remained dry for the entire five km and the trail was in much better shape, with the need to dexterously dodge and weave and sometimes plunge straight through puddles being unnecessary.

The Speedgoats proved to be a mixed success again. They passed the shoelace test but as I was nearing the dam on my walk back the lace on the right shoe was on the verge of coming undone. Had I still been running, I’m sure it would have, so I consider this a technical fail. Worse, the color leeching happened again. This time the only moisture in the shoes came from my feet sweating but this was enough to leave prominent blue stains on both socks. I’ll probably be taking them back to Kintec for a refund or exchange (likely an exchange, as I have to believe this is some sort of flaw in a specific production run).

I tried to pace myself a little better at the start of the run but mostly failed there. My first km was 5:24/km, fell to 6:10 for the second km and stayed in that general vicinity for the remainder of the run. The pace was a five second improvement, which was nice. My heart rate was also lower, which is also good. I expect to be sore again but not quite as sore.

I may wear the Tom Tom watch the next time just to compare (it also syncs to my Nike+ account).

Overall, I was hoping for small improvements and got them, so I’m pleased. Now I just need to finish runs without ruining more socks.

Two days after not running for two months: twice as sore

Note to self: If you run regularly, then don’t run at all for just over four months then don’t run again for another two months, you may find that two days after the second-run-in-six-months your legs will still be pretty freaking sore.

It’s kind of embarrassing, but not surprising.

Daylight is lasting just long enough now for it to still be a little light when I get home from work, teasing me about the days ahead when I’ll actually be able to run after dinner once again. The current lack of light post-work means I have some time to get into a comfy new stretching routine before regular runs resume. I look forward to making my legs sore without having to run at all.