The Past Revisited

I spent the weekend in Saskatoon, and I was definitely in for my distance run in a different town. Not that running in the 'Toon is new to me. I've been out a few times.

I keep forgetting about the difference of scale in Saskatoon and Calgary. I started near 8th and Acadia, which if I remember correctly is the highest point is Saskatoon, at just over 525 metres above sea level. I headed down Acadia to 14th Street. The idea was to head toward the river and see how far I could get in an hour and forty five minutes.

My first walk break was at Preston Avenue, which surprised me, but as I said I keep forgetting about how relatively small Saskatoon is. The second was at Cumberland, right beside a certain church. The third walk break at the river bank along Saskatchewan Cresent after I had turned north toward the U of S campus.

The fourth walk break was by the Deifenbaker Centre, beside a certain bench overlooking the river. I was beginning to remember how much history I have in this town.

Forty minutes was when I originally planned to turn around. But I felt reasonably good, so I decided to keep going. I ran to the 33rd Street railway bridge and crossed the river. More history.

On the other side, I descended the spiffy new stairway to the parking lot beside the weir and ran toward the Mendel Gallery. The trail beside the weir has been spiffed up considerably. It's almost unrecognizable to me, with the lighting and landscaping that has replaced the cracked weedy concrete apron that I remember.

Along Spadina, then down the short slope to the parking lot behind the Mendel, past the familiar stench emmanating from a sewer manhole by the path. Still there after all these years.

I passed the small sandy cul de sac where the Duck used to be (long since rotted and dismantled.) Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan has their tent up, and just past it, I popped out of the bush beside the Spadina Cresent underpass under the 25th Street bridge (which everyone calls the University Bridge.) I crossed that road, and ran across the grass to the pedestrian under pass, looping around to the walk on the other side of the bridge.

At the top of the bridge, I ran a short block down Clarence Avenue, and crossed to run down University Drive, which turns into Elliot Street after a block, then turned south down Bottomly Avenue. At 14th I turned east past that church again.

At Garrison Cresent I followed its long, gentle curve to the south, then turned east again at Main Street. I crossed Preston, and followed it to its end at Arlington. South on Arlington to 8th, then east to Acadia and my starting point.

This run was hot! I was used up after the ninety minutes it took, sweating like crazy. And I'd forgotten about the annual infestation in the city's beautiful elm trees of the chancre worm, which has a charming habit of dangling from the tops of those trees from a silk thread it spins, after gorging itself on the foliage. Actually I only saw four or five dangling in places where I had to dodge them.

I thought the lower elevation would have made a difference in my stamina, but perhaps whatever I gained with higher air pressure, I lost to the heat. Still, a great run, fun, and even proved that some demons really have been laid to rest.

Distance: 14.48 km. Time: 1:22:38 Average speed: 10.5 kph. (5:42 min/km)
Rest distance: 871.0 m. Rest time: 9:00.
Total distance: 15.35 km. Total time: 1:31:38.

Shoes: New Balance 1061.

Weather: Sunny and 23C to start, ending at 26C.