Average pace: 4:39/km
Location: Burnaby Lake, CW
Distance: 11.47 km
Weather: Sunny
Temp: 16-20ºC
Wind: light
Calories burned: 778
Total distance to date: 1863 km
Ran Piper Mill trail, Conifer and Spruce Loops.
Knowing that the bridge on the Brunette river trail would still be out, my plan today was to walk as far as the bridge, cut right, head over the train tracks and down another path that eventually loops back to Cariboo Road and the entrance to Burnaby Lake park. All told I estimated it would add about 15 minutes of walking each way.
With the forecast abruptly changed again, the temperature was rapidly climbing, from 14C when I got up to 16C as I began the run an hour later to 20C by the time I returned. Summer is really giving it for the last week. Still, the shady parts along the Brunette river were pleasantly cool. When I reached the bridge I suddenly changed my mind and instead of turning right, I turned left, following a short trail down to the river bank. There had to be a similar trail past the bridge that would lead me back up. Due to the lack of rain for some weeks the river is quite low so I had no problem walking along the bank while keeping dry. I got to where a large pipe was emptying water onto a concrete slab that funneled it down to the river. The flow was just narrow enough for me to hop over. On the other side was another trail, though it was steeper and took a little more mountain goat-like maneuvering to climb up.
This change of plan ended up shaving close to half an hour off my walk. Nice!
The run was clockwise and I set off on a strong pace but eased off and this time I meant it. I even thought to myself at least once how the run felt relaxed. Knowing my pace would be slower I was hoping to still break 4:40 and I did, coming in at 4:39/km. The soreness in my legs eased up considerably, too.
After doing a reverse of the bridge two-step to get around it I realized I really didn’t want to walk the nearly 2 km of the river trail back to East Columbia Street. Not because I was lazy or tired but simply because of the time it would take. I the, all unofficial-like, began running again and ran right to the end of the trail. This is the first time I’ve ever resumed a run like this. It felt zany and good. I may do it again.
Chart (records are in pink)
| Date | Average Pace |
| September 15 | 4:39 (11K) |
| September 13 | 4:37 (11K) |
| September 11 | 4:36 (11K) |
| September 9 | 4:35 (11K) |
| September 8 | 4:33 (5K) |
| September 5 | 4:40 (5K) |
| September 3 | 4:39 (11K) |
| September 1 | 4:43 (17K) |
