Seems Like Spring

In fact there isn't even that much ice out there. The top of the bluff is still all packed snow, of course, and later in the day it'll get slippery with a little melting in the sun.

Approaching the bluff was to be greeted with a magnificent view of the western horizon. The sky was a washed out blue close to the edge, but not a trace of haze to obscure mountains. I turned my back to them and plodded toward the Centre Street bridge.

I was wondering if I'd be over dressed for this run. It felt wickedly chilly when I was out earlier, and I dressed in an extra layer or two. Crossing the Centre STreet bridge, was to feel the cold wind from the west, and it was biting all along the promenade. However, by the time I reached the Louise Bridge I wasn't noticing the cold.

I didn't feel this was all that great a run for the first while. I was back to feeling heavy and plodding and slow, although the GPS was mostly saying otherwise. Passing the Pumphouse, I decided it was going to be a slow run and that was OK.

Actually, after I crossed to the north side of the river at Crowchild, I felt I was moving a little easier. Meanwhile, the Sunday crowd was moving with me or coming at me. Such a sunny day, it had brought a lot of people out. There was a couple of big groups by the Extreme Bean, one of which had a member kneeling in the middle of a circle of runners doing their preparatory stretches with a Canadian flag tied on like a cape. Olympics enthusiasm, I guessed.

The rest of the run outbound was good. I rounded Angel's Cafe and made a quick stop at the public washroom. And as usual the return trip seemed to be when I was warmed up. My pace picked up and I pushed hard all the way to 10th Street.

It wasn't an easy push though, I felt it and started to develop a little ache just below my waist, just a little left of my spine. Meanwhile my left leg was feeling heavier and felt like I was hitting the ground harder. Still I persisted, not sure if it was something developing or just one of those little aches that come and go as I run.

Nearing the ramp up to the footbridge at the curling club, I was feeling pretty used up. Fading a little and having to push it to keep moving. At The Stairs, I did not bound, or skip up the stairs. It was more a slow laborious climb, only two flights to get off on The Path. On The Path, I was merely shuffling, head down, not really paying attention to where I was, until I passed the transition to young pavement, the fifty metre stretch at the top that was replaced last year.

At the top, I switchbacked on to the trail along the top, still feeling like I was shuffling. I managed to pick it up a little as my breathing settled, but I was glad when I approached my finish line. Hopefully this one will get easier as I get back into long runs and it gets closer to spring.

Sunday's run:
Distance: 16.52 Time: 1:35:05
Average speed: 5:45 min/km. (10.42 kph)
Rest distance: 0.95 km. Rest time: 10:00.
Total distance: 17.47 km. Total time: 1:45:05.

Shoes: New Balance 769 (blue).
Today's earworm: Sleepy bunny tunes.
Weather: (Been forgetting this part lately) Sunny and -11C at the start, but up to -3C at the finish.