Happy Easter

Slept in a little bit, at least later for me, so was a little bit late in getting through my morning ritual with coffee and the newspaper. And a little bit later in getting out the door for this run.

It is a spectacular day for getting outside and doing anything, certainly for running. Shorts and t-shirt, of course, not even worth considering anything warmer. I crossed the avenue I live on and on to the street to the bluff. At the park by my starting point, a large group of kids stood with pastel baskets in hand, clustered together and smiling at assorted adults with cameras, while one of them explained the scope and rules of their egg hunt.

Along the bluff, were lots of cars parked on both sides of the street. People were wanting to be out in the spring weather, I imagine. I got to the top of The Path Under The Stairs, shuffled down about 20 metres before deciding to go the other way, towards Centre Street.

As I got near Eau Claire, I saw runners with racing bibs, warming up. Another race? Lots of people milling about by the Y, but I couldn't see if there was a starting gate or something. However the pylons set up to direct running traffic westward, and the group of EMS personnel gathered near by clinched the idea a race was about to start.

I kept on along the side of the river to Crowchild, where I crossed to the north. I briefly thought about continuing all the way to Edworthy on the south side, but last year at this time there was still several feet of ice in places below Spruce Cliff from the natural springs that dribble out of the side of the forested slope. Best to give it another month before checking it out.

At the end of Crowchild was a volunteer setting up to direct traffic and I asked what was happening. It was the Spring Trio, and I was about fifteen minutes ahead of the start.

I soon passed the turn around for the 10K run, at which volunteers had just finished setting up. I passed and continued on, passing a few more markers for the 15K part.

A quick turn around Angel's, and then I started meeting the front runners on the 15K. It seemed like there was a lot of traffic all of a sudden.

True to what ever I've been doing lately, I was fast, having a couple of intervals well under 5 minutes per kilometre. I was having a good fast run again, and began to run into lots of traffic too. Lots of good mornings, but the racing crowd were a little focused and often I don't think they even noticed I'd said anything.

Passing under Crowchild, traffic thinned a lot, as the racers were directed to the south side of the river. I kept the pace up. At 10th Street, I discovered the path under the bridge was open. They must have chipped the ice away, since there was still a thick layer beside the path.

Eventually I got to The Stairs, I climbed the first two flights to the first landing, and stepped off on The Path. I was almost to the top when the alarm buzzed for my last walk break. Just as I topped the path and stepped on the red shale along the top of the bluff, I began the last interval, and took it a little slower, for the last six hundred metres.

Distance: 16.42 Time: 1:25:49Average speed: 5:09 min/km. (11.64 kph)
Rest distance: .8627 km. Rest time: 9:00.
Total distance: 17.50 km. Total time: 1:34:49.

Shoes: New Balance 769.
Today's earworm: L n K.

Weather: Sunny, 8C to start and finishing at 11C.