Off the Rails

My running schedule is kinda messed up, still. I didn't get a distance run this weekend, and I don't know if I'll be able to make up for it. It may not be too important at this point, so I'm not worrying about it.

Weather is a little on the cool side, and breezy again, but quite nice for running. I ran the 14th Street loop again, taking it easy, but more because I'm so late getting out there. Now I rush this to publish, gulp a bite and I'm gone again.

Busy, busy, busy. But in a way, I like that.

Distance: 7.17 km. Time: 38:41 Average speed: 11.1 kph.

Shoes: Saucony Grid Phoenix (Yellow) B.

Weather: Mainly sunny and 12C.

I'll find out if I'm in the New York City Marathon in about 45 days.
The New York City Marathon is in 187 days.
The Calgary Marathon is in 68 days.

The Weekend is Here

Tonight was more fun than it's been for awhile. I guess I just needed to change things a little. And there were lots of runners out too. A few dog walkers, and a couple of bird walkers.

There was a couple out taking their birds for a walk. One was an African Grey, which I believe is the same breed that Nony used to have. The other was a Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, according to the results of a Google Images search. That last was a little cranky, I think. It was sure making a lot of noise.

The beginnings of leaves are popping out all over, and there's green grass everywhere. Even a few flowers.

Distance: 7.68 km. Time: 38:52 Average speed: 11.9 kph.

Shoes: Saucony Grid Phoenix (Yellow) B.

Weather: Partly cloudy and 18C.

I'll find out if I'm in the New York City Marathon in about 48 days.
The New York City Marathon is in 190 days.
The Calgary Marathon is in 71 days.

Turning It Around

I tried something different today, just to mix things up a little. Today I ran the Crowchild loop the other way around.

woohoo.

Still, it was something different, and it felt different, and certainly better.

I think I need to get back into the noon hour runs. Those seemed to break up the day a lot better. I'll have to ponder that for a little.

Distance: 9.81 km. Time: 53:56 Average speed: 10.9 kph.

Shoes: Saucony Grid Phoenix (Yellow) B.

Weather: Cloudy and 13C.

I'll find out if I'm in the New York City Marathon in about 49 days.
The New York City Marathon is in 191 days.
The Calgary Marathon is in 72 days.

Cloudy Again

Just another run. It's getting that way. But I like being out there and among the crowds. Lots of runners out, among the cyclists. I went all the way to Glenmore tonight.

Maybe it's time for a new route.

Distance: 10.15 km. Time: 55:02 Average speed: 11.1 kph.

Shoes: Saucony Grid Phoenix (Yellow) B.

Weather: Cloudy and 12C.

I'll find out if I'm in the New York City Marathon in about 50 days.
The New York City Marathon is in 192 days.
The Calgary Marathon is in 73 days.

Summery Spring Run

Gosh, but it's wonderful out. No snow in sight, so maybe it's actually going to stay on the warm side of 0C.

I was going to run the Crowchild loop, but I've got to meet someone tonight, so I did the 14th Street loop instead. A really nice run, and so many bicycles, some of them none too aware of where they're going. Sheesh!

Distance: 7.28 km. Time: 38:01 Average speed: 11.5 kph.

Shoes: Saucony Grid Phoenix (Yellow) B.

Weather: Sunny and 18C.

I'll find out if I'm in the New York City Marathon in about 51 days.
The New York City Marathon is in 193 days.
The Calgary Marathon is in 74 days.

Too Cold?

Man, I can hardly type. My hands are a little stiff after today's run. It was probably a little too cold to go without gloves. It was a little on the chilly side this morning, but I went with shorts and a t-shirt, and my running vest. It took a couple of miles to warm up, and my hands were awfully cold until then. The rest of the first half was OK.

But it got chilly again after turning around, which, by the way was about three hundred metres down Bow Cresent. Once I got back to the river, I noticed the wind from the east more as I ran into it. And it was chilly. Some parts weren't bad, along stretches sheltered by trees. Toward the end, after I crested the bluff, even my forearms were cramping from being cold. Gotta watch that.

But a good run. And lots of people out too.

Today's run:
Distance: 22.42 km. Time: 2:03:20. Average speed: 10.9 kph.
Rest distance: 1.42 km. Rest time: 13:00.
Total distance: 23.84 km. Total time: 2:16:20.

Shoes: Saucony Grid Phoenix (Yellow) A.

Weather: Fog and 1C at the start, and only gaining another degree by the end.

I'll find out if I'm in the New York City Marathon in about 53 days.
The New York City Marathon is in 195 days.
The Calgary Marathon is in 76 days.

This Weather is Ridiculous

Still waiting for signs of spring in terms of weather. Other symbols of spring time abound - robins, road construction, that kind of thing. But even with the driving snow, it was quite nice for running.

I haven't been out in ages, just my run last Sunday, so I really needed to get out there and go. I'm finally settling into my work and figuring a few things out, and maybe next week I can get back into the noon hour runs.

Tonight I thought I'd just do the 14th Street loop, since I haven't been out for awhile, and it's also kinda late in the day.

Just got an email from my brother. He has software for his GPS that will map out his runs on Google Earth. He sent me the data from his last run - a 10 km jaunt through Central Park. I'm jealous...

Distance: 6.15 km. Time: 37:55 Average speed: 9.7 kph.

Shoes: Saucony Grid Phoenix (Yellow) B.

Weather: Light snow and 0C.

I'll find out if I'm in the New York City Marathon in about 55 days.
The New York City Marathon is in 197 days.
The Calgary Marathon is in 78 days.

I Really Love Sunday Runs

When it's this nice out, and there are that many people out, it's wonderful. And toward the end, I ended up with the front runners in the Chinook Half Marathon, which was interesting. They were a pretty focused bunch.

I ran the south side of the river to Edworthy again. The ice below Spruce Cliff has melted considerably, but there's still lots. The channels that have been cut through it to funnel the spring water across the path haven't seemed to have changed much. I would have thought the running water would have cut them to the pavement by now. The sanded path is pretty much all gravel as the ice layers melt, so running across the ice was no problem at all. I imagine it'll be at least a couple of weeks before it's all gone.

After crossing to the north side at Edworthy, I continued west until turn-around time, at which point I was just off the path and about two hundred metres down 13th Avenue, in the middle of the Shouldice Athletic Park. From there it was straight along the north side of the river to downtown, and the The Path Under The Stairs.

Running was such a rush this morning, and I felt very good. With only a couple of strange moments, the last few weeks have been amazing, what with all the change that's been happening for my friends and I, include a new career for me. That last has been pretty exciting, but it has cut into my running time this past week. I'll have to figure this out soon.

Today's run:
Distance: 19.94 km. Time: 1:45:33. Average speed: 11.3 kph.
Rest distance: 1.09 km. Rest time: 11:00.
Total distance: 21.04 km. Total time: 1:56:33.

Shoes: Saucony Grid Phoenix (Yellow) A.

Weather: Cloudy and 5C to start, warming slightly to 7C by the end.

I'll find out if I'm in the New York City Marathon in about 60 days.
The New York City Marathon is in 202 days.
The Calgary Marathon is in 83 days.

Rain, Snow, Dry, Wet...Pick One, Already!

This weather is just weird. Not bad for running, as the snow stopped just before I got out, but sheesh!

I wondered if I should go all the way to Crowchild, or just cut it off at 14th, but it felt great out there. So I did the long loop. My runs have been great for months, always feeling great. At least after I finish. The sense of accomplishment, maybe? What ever it is, I love it.

Even The Path Under The Stairs was no problem. I had lots of energy to attack it, and kept up a great pace all the way up. Just as I turned off Cresent Road to head home, I passed my neighbour. Dressed for running but not running. I remembered that she's going to Boston very soon. Probably tapering, and just taking it easy. I can't wait to hear how it went.

Distance: 9.94 km. Time: 55:51 Average speed: 10.7 kph.

Shoes: Saucony Grid Phoenix (Yellow) B.

Weather: Cloudy and 2C.

I'll find out if I'm in the New York City Marathon in about 65 days.
The New York City Marathon is in 207 days.
The Calgary Marathon is in 88 days.

Spring is Back!

Well, it's back for the day, at least. But what a lovely day!

I ran westward again, this time crossing to the north side of the river at Crowchild, instead of trying to cross all that treacherous ice below Spruce Cliff. There were lots of runners out, likely because of the sunshine, which made it fun. They thinned out after Edworthy, and almost disappeared once I got on Bow Cresent.

At the end of Bow Cresent, a paved path continues to the river and under the train bridge. I followed it along the river to a foot bridge I had no idea was there. Just across the river, my last walk interval started at the end of the bridge, by a sign announcing that I was entering the Bowmont Natural Environment Park. Who knew?

Turning around, I retraced my steps. At two hours, I found that I was within twenty metres of where I was at one hour, meaning I was being incredibly consistent as far as speed. The gap was a little larger at two and a half hours, but still within a hundred metres of where I was at the thirty minute mark - almost right under the Crowchild bridge.

At two hours and forty-some minutes, things were beginning to hurt a little. But I still felt really good. I climbed The Path Under The Stairs with a pretty decent energy, considering, and had a nice strong finish. I have to compare this run to one I had a couple of years ago, before I had ever run a marathon. I'd done a compareable run, and I remember the emotional realization that a four hour marathon was within reach. Today, I'm a little more blasé about that kind of thing, but still impressed with myself.

Today's run:
Distance: 28.62 km. Time: 2:42:01. Average speed: 10.6 kph.
Rest distance: 2.03 km. Rest time: 17:02.
Total distance: 30.65 km. Total time: 2:59:03.

Shoes: Saucony Grid Phoenix (Yellow) A.

Weather: Sunny and 0C to start, but some high cloud began to roll in after a couple of hours, and the temperature climbed to 6C.

I'll find out if I'm in the New York City Marathon in about 67 days.
The New York City Marathon is in 209 days.
The Calgary Marathon is in 90 days.

What Happened to Spring?

It was happening a few days ago. I'm sure it was. I distinctly remember wearing shorts and a t-shirt and being quite comfortable. And sun...there was sunshine...and blue sky....

I think it has snowed continously for the last three and a half days. Somehow it isn't piling up, and the paths are being kept clear. Running isn't a problem, if you're ready for a little icy spot here and there.

Still doing the Crowchild loop, cuz it's such a nice distance. It leaves me feeling like I've burned a few calories, and it's a nice way to spend an hour.

I think lately my writing has been more of a dashed-off note than anything deep. Perhaps that's what it always was here. But anyway, in a conversation with Nony the other evening, she said she still keeps up with these ramblings. I have to say that pleases me very much.

Distance: 9.99 km. Time: 58:08 Average speed: 10.3 kph.

Shoes: Saucony Grid Phoenix (Yellow) B.

Weather: Light snow and -4C.

I'll find out if I'm in the New York City Marathon in about 70 days.
The New York City Marathon is in 212 days.
The Calgary Marathon is in 93 days.

Snow Again??

Sheesh, but the weather in this town is fickle! We've been getting heavily snowed on for the past couple of days. It makes the place pretty until it starts to melt, and it's not fun slogging through it. But the paths are clear, mostly, so out I go.

It was so cold starting off, that I figured maybe 14th Street would be far enough. But by the time I got there, I was nicely warmed up. A slight worry at that point was that I was moving with the wind, and the return leg might get a little challenging. But it wasn't too bad at all.

No crowd out running, just a few stragglers, so that energy wasn't there, but a nice run, nonetheless. Interesting that it felt faster than it was.

Distance: 9.50 km. Time: 56:47 Average speed: 10.0 kph.

Shoes: Saucony Grid Phoenix (Yellow) B.

Weather: Light snow and -7C.

I'll find out if I'm in the New York City Marathon in about 72 days.
The New York City Marathon is in 214 days.
The Calgary Marathon is in 95 days.

Wotta Run!

It seems to happen a lot, that I get out there and lose myself in the act of running. The miles go by and I don't even notice. I get to the turn around point before I know it, and it seems so effortless. Even the little aches that start up around the two hour point seem to belong where they are.

Snow almost all the way today. It started about fifteen or twenty minutes into it, and on the outbound leg, there were moments when you had to look at a dark background to see the flakes. But after I turned around on Bow Cresent, just past 65th Street, it socked right in, with the visibility dropping to about a kilometre. And it was off and on like that for the rest of the run.

The ice below Spruce Cliff is still pretty treacherous in places, but the sand they put along the side is thickening up as it melts into the lower layers, so that gives me a path to run through it. And someone has cut channels through the ice, straight across the path, so the spring water can drain without resurfacing the existing ice.

Not a busy morning, as the greyness and the snow probably kept some people inside, but still busy enough. Those that were out there were obviously happy to be there, and happy that spring is finally here. Great energy.

Today's run:
Distance: 25.39 km. Time: 2:21:19. Average speed: 10.8 kph.
Rest distance: 1.58 km. Rest time: 15:00.
Total distance: 26.97 km. Total time: 2:36:19.

Shoes: Saucony Grid Phoenix (Yellow) A.

Weather: Light snow and -3C.

I'll find out if I'm in the New York City Marathon in about 74 days.
The New York City Marathon is in 216 days.
The Calgary Marathon is in 97 days.