Sunday Morning Run Again

I've been hiking the past couple of Sundays, but this weekend, with the promise of rain, I went for a run instead. It was grey and drizzly at the start, although the real rain had stopped earlier.

I wasn't getting out too fast either. For some reason, it was a slow Sunday morning, and it took time to get free of my bed, and stay away from my couch. Don't know if I was really tired or just felt lazy, but it was hard to get going.

I went out and began slowly. The hiking is using different muscles and they were making their presence known. All stiff and tight in the hips and thighs, and it took awhile to loosen up some.

I ran down to Centre Street as usual, and across the river. Passing Eau Claire, there were the familiar orange traffic cones to guide another run along the river. I was passing about a half hour before the start of the Father's Day Run for Prostate Cancer.

I passed several runners with numbers, warming up. As I continued, I passed more orange cones, and a volunteer or two. The cones directed the course up onto the Mewata Bridge, while I continued along the river.

From there it was quiet, although there were lots of runners out. By the time I reached Crowchild, what ever rain had been falling was gone and it was just grey skies. And all along the south side of the river, not even a train going by; a pretty quiet morning.

At Edworthy, I crossed and headed back as usual. It was even quieter on that side of the river, and nothing much was happening other than my running. I didn't have the speed that I've had in the past few months, but I was moving respectably.

At 14th, I caught up to the walkers in the charity run, and it was a formidable crowd. It was pretty clear until I got to the underpass at 10th Street, and traffic thickened. It's where the path narrows, right near the C-Train bridge, where the crowds piled up.

After that, I weaved through and past groups, often taking to the grass. People seemed to be having a good time, even the little kids in the extra large tee shirts that must have been handed out.

At the bridge to Prince's Island, the crowd went right while I went left over Memorial, and to The Stairs. A hard plod up The Path, and then after a short walk break, a leisurely run the last 800 m.

Distance: 16.13 Time: 1:35:13
Average speed: 5:54 min/km. (10.16 kph)
Rest distance: 1.53 km. Rest time: 10:00.
Total distance: 17.67 km. Total time: 1:43:43.

Shoes: New Balance 769.
Today's earworm: The Merrie Melodies theme.

Weather: Cloudy and 10C, with some drizzle at the start.