Vitamin D Run.

Well, not quite, maybe. The sun is so low, I wonder how much UV-B rays are getting through all that atmosphere. But the promise of double digit temperatures got me out in shorts and tee.

I did expect to be a little chilled for the first few minutes, though, and I wasn't disappointed. The weather web site said calm winds, but that's measured at the airport. I was feeling a brisk breeze from the west.

Along the bluff, the snow was still hard packed and solid, not too slippery. I got to the top of the paths and onto dry pavement, taking the Awful Little Hill down to Centre Street bridge.

The breeze was chilly out over the river, and even when I got down on the promenade. But I was warming up fast, so it wasn't too uncomfortable for long. The fun moment was when a big rambunctous Birnese Mountain dog decided he'd rather run with me that his master. Gorgeous pups, those.

At the C-Train bridge, I crossed to the north side of the river. There was a fair bit of traffic on the trails, probably groups from both the Eau Claire and Kensington Running Rooms. The wind wasn't bad, until about 19th Street, when the trees, bare as they are and affording very little wind resistance, thinned to nothing. But still not bad.

Just past Crowchild, it got busy again. Someone going the other way, taking a walk break, while crowds of other runners chugged in the same direction. It took a few minutes to register, but I coulda swore that was Wave Maker. If I wouldn't have been so foggy, I would have said hi.

Now, where did all this energy come from? My intervals were seriously faster than usual, and everything felt so good. Breathing good, hips and hams feeling good. None of the usual aches that begin when I stretch my stride. I love that kind of running.

I looped around Angel's Cafe and headed back, still moving very well, and a few minutes earlier in the run than usual. With the wind behind me now, I was warming up an awful lot, too.

I planned to cross the river at Crowchild, but completely missed it, so crossed at 14th Street. Pushed hard down to the promenade and to where I cross Prince's Island to The Stairs.

And I even ran The Stairs. Not really fast, but all the way up. Running much slower at the top along the bluff, of course, but I wasn't slowing to a walk. The rest of the run was getting slippery, with the temperatures rising.

Great fun run.

Other news: I signed up for the Police Half last night. Usually I don't think of it until it's sold out and that usually happens pretty quickly. It's about time to get back into some races.

Distance: 16.62 Time: 1:30:25
Average speed: 5:26 min/km. (11.03 kph)
Rest distance: .9701 km. Rest time: 10:00.
Total distance: 17.59 km. Total time: 1:40:25.

Shoes: Asics GT-2130.
Today's earworm: Jingle Bells, of all things.

Weather: Sunny and 3C, climbing to 6C.
lnk