Snow Slog

Not too bad, actually. There is a heavy snowfall warning for the city, and though I don't think we've seen it yet, the snow on the path was good for the extra cushioning it gave. Hopefully, I'll have a chance to go shoe shopping tonight.

We slogged down to Crowchild and back. Not to much of a crowd out, but was a good run. There were a few icy spots after yesterday's chinook, and we had to watch those. Byron's a little paranoid of the ice, because past encounters have resulted in surgical repairs. In fact, when I first met him, he was trussed up like a roater-ready chicken after having surgery on the rotator cuff.

Today's run:
Distance: 7.96 km. Time: 47:24. Average speed: 10.1 kph.

Weather: Light snow and -10C. A little breeze that adds a windchill factor but nothing significant.

Bummer...

Got the call Friday: the new shoes are in! So yesterday, I trundled over to pick them up. They brought them out and had me try them on.

What a disappointment! They were too narrow, tight across the front of the arch. I knew they'd cripple me within half a mile. So had I forgot to specify the width when I ordered? Turns out that in updating this model to version three, Nike no longer makes it in the 2E width, only in the standard D width.

So what now? I guess I'll have to find some time to go in and go through their stock again, and see if I can find another make and model that will work for me. What a pain!

Sloggin' in a Winter Wonderland

Actually, it wasn't bad at all out there. The paths are being kept clear, so at worst is a thin fresh layer of snow over the pavement. I went down to 14th Street and back, and the bridge hadn't been cleared, so that was like running in loose sand, and there were a couple of slippery spots, but otherwise, pretty good.

Today's run:
Distance: 4.82 km. Time: 26:35. Average speed: 10.9 kph.

Weather: Light snow and -7C, and just a little breeze. The snow makes everything quite pretty, but just the same I was glad I can walk to work this morning.

Starting a Short Week

Holiday Monday yesterday, so it'll be a quick one. (Well, it'll be a four day week - how quick will that go by?)

Solo run on the long zoo circuit, but it felt so good as I came up to the foot bridge to Prince's Island that I just kept going. Ended up crossing back at the C-Train bridge and heading back along the promenade. Lot's of people out too, probably because of that cold snap we had last week. Nobody wants to miss the decent weather again.

Today's run:
Distance: 8.29 km. Time: 45:30. Average speed: 10.9 kph.
Rest distance: 531.2 m. Rest time: 5:00
Total distance: 8.83 km. Total time: 50:30

Weather: Partly cloudy and 3C.

Short Sunday Run

Byron bailed on me this morning, the slacker...

So out by myself. I was going to try to get to Edworthy and back, but the shoe issue is getting serious, so I cut it short at Crowchild. I hope the new ones come in this week.

It started out a little cool, and with the west breeze it wasn't comfortable for the first few minutes. But it's so sunny out that it didn't seem to matter, either to me or a whole bunch of other runners.

A couple of things: I must have forgot to turn off the GPS on Friday, cuz it didn't last more than fifteen minutes this morning, before it shut down from no juice. So I'll estimate speed and distance.

The other thing, is that someone has been distributing a little folk art. There is a stand of cottonwoods that the path goes through, down along Pumphouse Road. Someone with a bunch of rebar fragments and an artistic eye has created some very nice windchimes. The rebar is heavy enough that it takes a fair breeze to get them to jangle, but it's a rather lovely sound as you pass through there. Very cool.

Today's run:
Distance: 10.0 km (est.). Time: 57:09. Average speed: 10.5 kph (est.).

Weather: Sunny and -5C. And just enough wind to be uncomfortable until you get warmed up.

It's Still Here...

But not as nasty as yesterday. Just wasn't worth even trying to get out, even if I would have remembered to bring extra clothes. It was pretty touch and go for awhile this morning, temperature-wise.

So just as not to tempt the fates and avoid freezing something off that I might need later, we only did 14th Street and back. The paths were pretty much deserted, except for the few diehards. No traffic at all.

Today's run:
Distance: 5.14 km. Time: 28:06. Average speed: 11.0 kph.

Weather: Sunny and -15C, with a wind chill of -23C. That's a far cry from the -38C wind chill of twenty four hours ago. Yikes!

It's Here...

Nasty wind, but not quite enough to keep me in. We just went to 14th and back, and that was enough.

Today's run:
Distance: 4.93 km. Time: 27:55. Average speed: 10.6 kph.

Weather: Light snow, -10C and a 30 kph wind from the northwest. Sure cut down the crowds on the paths.

It's Coming...

The temperature is dropping, the wind is picking up and the clouds are rolling in. Bummer. The wind especially is kinda nasty, with the temperature being where it is. Still, there were a heck of a lot of people out walking and running. Grasping at the bygone days of an off-season summer.

Today's run:
Distance: 4.77 km. Time: 25:13. Average speed: 11.4 kph.

Weather: Overcast and -3C, and the wind is coming out of the northwest at about 50 kph. That took some of the fun out of it.

Pre-Winter Dash

It ain't here yet, but it's coming - cold and snow. Bleah. Just Byron and me today (seems like it's always just us lately) and he's just back from a killer ski trip, so it was slow, short and gentle on the knees.

Across the river at Prince's Island, down to 14th Street, back across and home (that being the Eau Claire Y) Nice pace, and feeling great, though I am very aware of the state of these shoes. Gonna hafta call about my new ones.

Today's run:
Distance: 4.92 km. Time: 28:57. Average speed: 10.2 kph.

Weather: Cloudy and 3C. People know it's about to change, too, cuz the crowds on the paths today are huge. They're grabbing at that last bit of nice weather before the deep freeze.

A Long Overdue Nony Run

I have missed running with Nony. We haven't run together since, like, September or something, a heck of a long time. She hates the cold (hard to believe but some people are like that...) But today was so nice again, and the coming days are supposed to very wintery. So we decided to make the most of it while we could.

I love where I run. The river is scenic and well traveled, and there are miles of paths that are well maintained. But I've never run the reservoir. What a beautiful place! I am so glad Nony invited me to go there, and I for sure will have to revisit it.

Because she hasn't been able to run much, we took it slow, with run-walks heavily weighted toward the walking part. But it felt great just the same. We just did a short circuit, twenty minutes out and then back. Perfect for site-seeing and catching up between friends.

Today's run:
Distance: 1.82 km. Time: 12:04. Average speed: 9.1 kph.
Rest distance: 2.66 km. Rest time: 28:00
Total distance: 4.48 km. Total time: 40:04

Weather: Cloudy and 10C. Just unbelieveable for February, and even more unbelieveable that we haven't broken any records these past couple of days. But according to the forecast, we are about to pay for it, when the highs later in the week will be no more than -21C. Go figure.

Saturday Run

I haven't been out on a Saturday for ages, and it's so nice out, it seemed a shame to not get out and do something. So from home, down to the river, west to Crowchild, then back on the other side to the Centre Street bridge. Up that and Nony's Awful Little Hill and back home.

For some reason I fell into that long loping stride I used to do down in Fish Creek Park. Slow turn-over and lots of reach, which really stretched the thighs and hips. A little flexing in the knees and I can feel that. Not hurting, but they feel that they've been used. I had good speed and I felt great.

Today's run:
Distance: 9.60 km. Time: 50:22. Average speed: 11.4 kph.
Rest distance: 504.7 m. Rest time: 5:00
Total distance: 10.10 km. Total time: 55:22

Weather: Sunny and 13C, although the sign at the CBC said 15C when I passed it. Just a phenomonal day, and way, way too nice out to be stuck inside.

Winter Drops In for a Day

Just a little cool out, but we don't have the wind we had yesterday. Still pretty quiet out on the paths.

Since I was solo today, I did the Crowchild route. Nothing special about it; jut a good solid run.

Today's run:
Distance: 7.39 km. Time: 38:24. Average speed: 11.5 kph.
Rest distance: 414.7 m. Rest time: 4:00
Total distance: 7.80 km. Total time: 42:24

Weather: Mainly sunny and -3C. Up from a seasonal -12C this morning.

Finally Met Up

My friend Carla and I have been talking for ages about going for a run together, and today we finally managed to match schedules. It wasn't a run so much as getting together and catching up with each other. Wonderful.

Not too many out today, and we ended up going west only as far as 14th Street. The temperature has dropped closer to what would be called seasoal norms, and there's a brisk, cold wind that came with it. I feel kinda chilled actually.

Today's run:
Distance: 4.83 km. Time: 33:15. Average speed: 8.7 kph.

Weather: Mostly cloudy and -1C, with winds from the northwest at 54 kph, gusting to 65. Br-r-r-r-r....

Summertime on the Bow

Ridiculous weather for February in this part of the world. But I ain't complaining. It sure brought out the crowds too. I've never seen that many people out to the east toward the zoo, but it was great!

Messed up with the GPS, though. I thought I had started it, but noticed after a couple of kilometres that I hadn't. I think it has to do with it not being quite zeroed in on the satellites when I try and start. I'll have to watch that.

Today's run:
Distance: 4.10 km. Time: 22:57. Average speed: 10.7 kph.

Weather: Sunny and 8C, and probably a lot warmer than that by now. Beautiful day!

Checking Out the New Home

A little apprehensive, was I, after skipping last week. I wondered about how much I'd lost by slacking (but Nony said I could...), and really, it didn't make much difference. The whole morning I felt very good and really strong. And because it was distance, I didn't worry about speed.

Out of the house at about 9:00, down to the Y at Eau Claire to meet Byron and we headed west along the south side of the river. Now talk about an impulse buy: he'd been traveling down 17th yesterday, and passed a sign pointing to an open house in Killarney. A couple of hours later, he's the proud (and deeply in debt) owner of a lovely two storey, three bedroom home, in a quiet neighbourhood not too far from downtown.

So just past Crowchild we head up the hill and then over to 24th to go check out this house. Now somebody has been slacking on their marathon training, and it ain't me. The hill climb was a little taxing, but we eventually got to the top, across Bow Trail and then past 17th to check out this house. Very nice neighbourhood.

Then back north to Bow Trail, which we followed to the west end of the Shagannappi Golf Course, and then along Spruce Drive for a really nice jaunt through Wildwood. Down the road to Edworthy Park, and that's a hill we agreed to climb some day, but for now we just were determined to get to the bottom with knees intact.

After that, across the foot bridge to the north side of the river, and back toward the downtown. We crossed back to the south at Crowchild, and about the Greyhound station, Byron crashed. So we walked a little and ran a little. Not too hard, but we eventually got back to Eau Claire, and from there to Good Earth for coffee and a pastry. Then for me it was run back home, about fifteen minutes.

For me it was a great run. I felt good, and with a couple of hills thrown in, I felt challenged too. Lovely!

Today's run:
Distance: 20.47 km. Time: 2:02:38. Average speed: 10.0 kph.
Rest distance: 1.51 km. Rest time: 14:00
Total distance: 21.98 km. Total time: 2:16:38

Weather: Sunny and -2C to start, but warming up a little to 2C by noon. The wind swung around on us, from the north west at the start to more straight north near the end, so it seemed like we were always running into it. It had a bit of a bite, too.

Pre-Haggis Run

Gorgeous day, but then we've had a run of those this past couple of months. Reverse long zoo, not too busy. But I must have hit the wrong button on the GPS, cuz it wasn't running until I noticed about a klick into it. Rats!

Feeling really good today - a great run, and it's going to be a pretty cool evening too.

Today's run:
Distance: 6.70 km. Time: 34:35. Average speed: 11.6 kph.

Weather: Mainly sunny and 5C - scrumptious!

Fun Solo Run

Quiet with the group this week. All these O&G guys must be busy with meetings and stuff.

Just a reasonably fast push to Crowchild and back. Nice weather, and good crowds. The shoes aren't bothering me, and the ankles were feeling rather good.

Today's run:
Distance: 7.32 km. Time: 38:06. Average speed: 11.5 kph.
Rest distance: 486.6 m. Rest time: 4:00
Total distance: 7.81 km. Total time: 42:05

Weather: Mostly cloudy and 4C. Actually could have skipped the second tee shirt, it's that nice out.