We’ve done pretty well getting out running this trip. Hotel treadmill in Lethbridge, 9 km at Burrowing Owl, 6 km in the rain in Victoria, and then a 28 km long run to Oak Bay and back. The long run went ok, but it was a bit slow and I didn’t feel great. Afterward my left foot and right knee hurt, although not badly. Luckily they were fine on our hikes.
By the time we got to Tofino my foot and knee were better. When we headed out I was thinking an easy 10 km. I ran with Shelley for the first 2.5 km at an easy pace After Shelley split off I sped up till my heart rate was just under 120. I saw a sign for the information center so I decided to turn around there to make 12 km. (That also turned out to be the end of the multi-use trail.) The last few kilometres I ran a bit faster. I felt good and was pleasantly surprised to finish with an average pace of 5:30/km at an average heart rate of 123.
Two days later we headed out again. This time I decided not to look at my watch. I started out with Shelley again and after she split off I tried to set a pace I could just keep up for the remaining 9.5 km. It felt good to go a little faster than usual. My foot hurt for a bit but went away after a while. I hit the turnaround still feeling good. About 2/3 of the way I started to wonder if I’d gone out too fast. It got a little harder and my breathing increased. Looking at the stats afterward my heart rate also started to climb. But it wasn’t bad and I focused on maintaining a fast cadence and a light foot strike. I like to try to run as quietly as I can, hoping that minimizes the impact on my body.
I had my watch set to buzz every kilometre but I lost count and I thought I only had a kilometre to go. Somehow that made it easier. By the time I figured out my mistake I was on the home stretch. It didn’t feel like I had much kick left but I did manage my fastest kilometre if only by a few seconds. (So I guess I didn't go out too fast.)
Finally I let myself look at the numbers on my watch. I had managed my fastest times (since getting this watch) of 24:30 for 5km and 50:30 for 10km. I’d been wondering if I could manage a 5k under 25 minutes. I didn’t quite make 10km under 50 minutes but very close, especially since .5 km of it was still warmup. Of course, once upon a time I could run a lot faster than that, but that was then and this is now. Just as important was that I did it without killing myself. In fact I felt great afterward. I was also happy with my other stats - my average heart rate was 131, my cadence averaged 176, and my stride length and ground contact time were better than usual.
Speed generally isn't my focus. Most of the time I aim for a target heart rate and just try to run as efficiently as I can. I'd rather increase my distance and stay injury free than concentrate on speed. To paraphrase Michael Pollan, Run lots. Mostly slow. Occasionally fast. (his food version is: Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.) Of course, the definitions of "lots", "slow", "fast", and "occasionally" are highly variable. Regardless, once in a while it's nice to unwind a little.
I'm not sure why this random run in the middle of traveling turned out to be one of my recent best. It was an easy route - paved, flat, straight. And cool temperatures. And I'd been getting lots of sleep and low stress, plus a fair amount of hiking and running. Whatever the reason, I was happy with it.
By the time we got to Tofino my foot and knee were better. When we headed out I was thinking an easy 10 km. I ran with Shelley for the first 2.5 km at an easy pace After Shelley split off I sped up till my heart rate was just under 120. I saw a sign for the information center so I decided to turn around there to make 12 km. (That also turned out to be the end of the multi-use trail.) The last few kilometres I ran a bit faster. I felt good and was pleasantly surprised to finish with an average pace of 5:30/km at an average heart rate of 123.
Two days later we headed out again. This time I decided not to look at my watch. I started out with Shelley again and after she split off I tried to set a pace I could just keep up for the remaining 9.5 km. It felt good to go a little faster than usual. My foot hurt for a bit but went away after a while. I hit the turnaround still feeling good. About 2/3 of the way I started to wonder if I’d gone out too fast. It got a little harder and my breathing increased. Looking at the stats afterward my heart rate also started to climb. But it wasn’t bad and I focused on maintaining a fast cadence and a light foot strike. I like to try to run as quietly as I can, hoping that minimizes the impact on my body.
I had my watch set to buzz every kilometre but I lost count and I thought I only had a kilometre to go. Somehow that made it easier. By the time I figured out my mistake I was on the home stretch. It didn’t feel like I had much kick left but I did manage my fastest kilometre if only by a few seconds. (So I guess I didn't go out too fast.)
Finally I let myself look at the numbers on my watch. I had managed my fastest times (since getting this watch) of 24:30 for 5km and 50:30 for 10km. I’d been wondering if I could manage a 5k under 25 minutes. I didn’t quite make 10km under 50 minutes but very close, especially since .5 km of it was still warmup. Of course, once upon a time I could run a lot faster than that, but that was then and this is now. Just as important was that I did it without killing myself. In fact I felt great afterward. I was also happy with my other stats - my average heart rate was 131, my cadence averaged 176, and my stride length and ground contact time were better than usual.
Speed generally isn't my focus. Most of the time I aim for a target heart rate and just try to run as efficiently as I can. I'd rather increase my distance and stay injury free than concentrate on speed. To paraphrase Michael Pollan, Run lots. Mostly slow. Occasionally fast. (his food version is: Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.) Of course, the definitions of "lots", "slow", "fast", and "occasionally" are highly variable. Regardless, once in a while it's nice to unwind a little.
I'm not sure why this random run in the middle of traveling turned out to be one of my recent best. It was an easy route - paved, flat, straight. And cool temperatures. And I'd been getting lots of sleep and low stress, plus a fair amount of hiking and running. Whatever the reason, I was happy with it.
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