Monday, October 29, 2007

Balky GPS

It just wasn't finding itself tonight. By the time I strode to my starting point, it was barely registering that there might be something up there. And throughout the run, it complained about weak signals. I think it finally figured itself out by the time I gained the top of the bluff on my way home, and registered just the last three hundred metres or so.

Cool, but probably warm for this time of year. Windy, too. I ran the 14th Street loop and felt good all the way. The right knee is still troubling on stairs, but not a problem hiking or running. Maybe I'm supposed to keep moving.

I'm going to use the numbers from my last run.

Distance: 6.92 km. Time: 40:08. Average speed: 10.3 kph (5:50 min/km).

Shoes: New Balance 1061.

Weather: Mainly sunny and 12C.

Sunday, October 21, 2007

A Revelation

New shoes. Holy cow, what a difference!

I looked at the soles of my old ones, actually the first Nikes that I'd got three years ago. Now they do duty as my every day shoe, where they park with my feet under my desk most of the time. There's a lot of wear on the sole, and it's all on the outside, meaning that as I roll forward on my foot, with these shoes I've been rolling forward on the outside.

At the shoe store, I had the sales guy give me the once over to figure out what kind of shoe I should have, cuz I never remember, nor do I trust the last diagnosis. And what he said was I don't pronate much. Even as I was pacing up and down the aisle for him, I was noticing that I was mostly on the outside of the foot.

My shoes have been stability shoes, meaning they keep a light pronator from pronating. So for me, since I don't pronate, they've been pushing my foot to roll forward on the outside. Which means strain on heel pads and IT bands. Go figure.

I was sitting there for a long time, trying on first the Adidas, then the New Balance. Switching back and forth, going for a stroll down the aisle each time. The Mizunos had my attention for a few minutes with their big roomy toe box, but that was almost too much. The Adidas were just a tiny bit snug, so in the end, I went for the New Balance, which I at one time was certain I'd never do. My only other try with that brand was disasterous. Oh, and the Adidas were a gorgeous day-glo green, which I was really drawn to, but the New Balance consolation is that they are a fabulous brilliant orange.

I took it easy tonight, just a light run to 14th Street and back. Cool and a little windy, but not a bad running environment. A few others out; I guess most Sunday runners get out in the morning, something I need to get back into. My heel is painless, and my knee is certainly no worse than when I started. I'm surprisingly happier with these shoes, than I was when I got my first Sauconys.

Distance: 6.92 km. Time: 40:08. Average speed: 10.3 kph (5:50 min/km).

Shoes: New Balance 1061.

Weather: Mainly sunny and 8C.

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Barbeque Neighbourhood

I think half the neighbours are barbequing tonight. As a consequence, I finished tonight's run famished. There's something about the aroma of searing beef.

I ran just to 14th Street again, but changed the start a little, heading over to the Centre Street bridge. Surprisingly, it adds less than a kilometre to the run. And I got to run past the project being built at the old bus barn in Eau Claire, where they're putting up a second crane. That makes seventeen visible from some parts of Cresent Road, and doesn't even consider that there are at least that many more on the other side of the downtown core. Must be a boom going on.

The weather's turning too. It was chillier tonight, and kinda cloudy.

Distance: 7.80 km. Time: 42:25. Average speed: 11.0 kph (5:27 min/km).

Shoes: Saucony Grid Phoenix (Yellow) B.

Weather: Mostly cloudy and 10C

Monday, October 15, 2007

Another Late Run

I'm beginning to like running during the dinner hour. More people are out, and when it's this nice, that's quite a crowd.

I considered the 10K loop to Crowchild, but stuck to the 7K loop. Nice run, except for the crazy on the bike who seemed to think the rest of us were just pylons. That's the closest I've been to being hit. Sheesh.

Distance: 7.00 km. Time: 40:28. Average speed: 10.4 kph (5:46 min/km).

Shoes: Saucony Grid Phoenix (Yellow) B.

Weather: Clear and 9C

Saturday, October 13, 2007

Getting Out Late

Running late on a Saturday night is quite an adventure. Right off the start, I was following a young female runner on the trail by the river, when she suddenly did an about face. She ran past me with an odd look on her face. A few metres on, I saw why. A man had decided to relieve himself on the side of the path. Ewww.

In other news... A bunch of kids sitting on the old 10th Street bridge abutment were enjoying beverages and tossing the empties across the path onto the rocks along the river. The police had someone pulled over onto the boulevard in the middle of Memorial Drive, flashing lights and all. A guy with huge headphones was walking along the promenade and screaming incoherently at someone or something.

There may have been other wierdnesses and uncomfortable things, but those were the highlights. Gotta get out earlier.

Distance: 9.86 km. Time: 58:18. Average speed: 10.1 kph (5:56 min/km).

Shoes: Saucony Grid Phoenix (Yellow) B.

Weather: Clear and 9C

Thursday, October 04, 2007

Winter's Coming

My first run of the season in tights, cuz it's just a little too cold for shorts.

Thought I could beat the rain, but not so. It wasn't really that bad, though. Just a light rain, but cold, with a little wind. The sky was very dramatic, and it got quite dark.

I got down to the river, and across Prince's Island. I must have passed a half dozen running or exercising groups braving the elements. I don't know if that's a Thursday kind of thing, or just something that happens later in the evening. I was a little late getting home, and just as late getting out.

Anyway, it was a jaunt up to 14th Street again. I haven't been able to run as much as I would like, and when I do get out, I have lots of energy.

Distance: 6.73 km. Time: 38:02. Average speed: 10.6 kph (5:40 min/km).

Shoes: Saucony Grid Phoenix (Yellow) B.

Weather: Light rainshower and 4C

Monday, October 01, 2007

Blustery and Sunny

Great evening, but typical blowey blustery fall day. The leaves are piling up along the paths, and parts are positively crunchy.

The right knee was terrifically tight at the start. It took about ten minutes to loosen up. Meanwhile the left heel is a little sore, but that also eased after a bit of distance. Sheesh.

I ran to 14th Street, not feeling motivated to go for any more. What's up with that?

Distance: 6.75 km. Time: 39:59. Average speed: 10.1 kph (5:56 min/km).

Shoes: Saucony Grid Phoenix (Yellow) B.

Weather: Mainly sunny and 13C.