The scientific proof that running clockwise is slower run

Average pace: 5:20/km
Location: Burnaby Lake (CW)
Distance: 5.03 km
Weather: Sunny
Temp: 12ºC
Wind: light
Calories burned: 398
Total distance to date: 2536 km

Circumstances prevented me from running on Friday as I would have according to my Run Schedule-0-Matic® and then again on Saturday, meaning I had three full days off before running again today.

Logically you might think three days of rest would result in a better run but with my body still getting used to jogging again, three days is instead just enough time to start losing what little edge I’ve developed in the past few weeks. I also always seem to do worse with a route change-up.

When I started off running clockwise around Burnaby Lake I couldn’t immediately tell if I was slower. My left foot was feeling a bit stiff but worked itself out. I kept on and then developed the dreaded stitch. Much like the previous one it never really went away and when I had about 500m to go it was bothering me enough that I was briefly tempted to stop running altogether. I pressed on and even got a little bit of that homestretch spurt going but in the end my pace fell back to a pokey 5:20/km.

I couldn’t blame conditions, either, as it was mainly sunny, mild and with a light and pleasant breeze blowing.

I did achieve a milestone for this year, though–my first week with three runs, just like in the olden days. Woo. And I’m still feeling the after-effects of the runs less and less with each outing. Woo x2.

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