The cottonwood snow run

Location: Burnaby Lake, CCW
Distance: 11.16 km
Weather: Overcast
Temp: 14ºC
Wind: light
Calories burned: 791
Average pace: 4:54/km
Total distance to date: 1381.49 km

Ran: Piper Mill Trail.

Last night my sinuses had that ‘getting a cold’ thing going on and I was not feeling so hot. This morning my sinuses were closer to normal but I had a pressure headache and as I write this I’m still unsure if I’m coming down with something or not. For the run this meant I was feeling a bit off but headed out all the same.

Because it was cooler than normal, with the temperature hovering between 13-14ºC I opted to wear my long-sleeved t-shirt. THIS WAS A MISTAKE. I am putting that in all caps hoping that I will not overdress yet again. Although it was cooler there was little breeze and halfway through the run my arms were sweating, which I don’t especially like.

I admit to being slightly spooked by the coyote sighting on Friday and because I was not 100% opted to do a shorter run, skipping the Spruce and Conifer Loops and doing only Piper Mill instead. With an overcast sky the densely canopied areas of the trail were especially gloomy, even a bit creepy, as if you’d suddenly hear the cry of a lone wolf. Or coyote.

I did not see any coyotes. I did see many black slugs.

And speaking of the forest, there was a copious amount of white fluff floating about, at times swirling about so densely it almost looked like snow. I wondered where exactly it was coming from and my answer arrived as if from Heaven in the form of a twig that dropped straight down onto the trail in front of me, festooned with the fluff. The area is filled with cottonwood trees and this is apparently the time of year they shed their fluffy white seeds. All on the same day, it seems.

Meanwhile, on the south side of the trail a pair of Parks workers were trimming back the brush near to the western-most walkway and had been so thorough that the clippings completely covered the path. I’m not sure they really needed to cut that much but hey, they had to rake it up by hand so I’m sure they did what was needed.

Despite a call for showers, I escaped with no rainfall. That was nice.

Despite feeling off, I managed to finish the run with my second-best time, coming in at 4:54/km. After the trouble getting the iPod to stop the workout properly on Friday I decided to stop 20 or 30 meters before the dam today and the run concluded without incident but still comfortably past the 11K mark.

My left foot was acting cranky again, as it had over the weekend, so it seems that’s going to take longer than hoped to get back to normal. Also of concern was my left shin. I felt it at a few points during the run. It was not painful, more a sensation of where it is tender and it did not occur during the entire run nor did it persist when walking briskly afterward. I’m hoping this means it’s just tender and not injured. I’ll ice after the next ruin if the same thing happens.

All told, a pretty good run despite not feeling especially jazzed to be out there.

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