The Never Ending Run

Distance : 8.0 mi
Time 1:16:09

Sunday is LSD day so I headed to the Westhills Running Room with the hopes of completing a 16K (10 Miler). I Like running with the Westhills gang because they do not follow the 10 & 1 Philosophy that is the creed of most stores. In discussions with the other runners we decided that we would only do about 8 K.

So we planned a route mainly street running that would give us a nice flat 8 K run on good surfaces. After running about five we started to talk about adding on a couple. When we got to seven (time to turn for the store) we decided to add on about 2 to give us ten. When we got to nine and it was time to turn back to the store two of us decided to do a quick out and back to add more.

It is hard to plan pace when you don't know when you are going to stop.


Tried taking pictures with the iPhone again but it was a drab day fresh snow falling throughout the run and the pictures did not seem to focus. It might have worked better if I actually stopped and and held the camera steady.


Plod On

Procrastination Run

Distance : 4.25 mi
Time 41:39

I was planning on running on Thursday but did not, then was going to run on Friday but found a reason not to. Dinner with friends or something. So Saturday came and if I was going to get another run in before my long run it had to be today.



I got up early and attempted to time my run to catch sunrise as I ran back towards the city. It turned out that the skies were overcast and the sunrise did not materialize and when i looked back towards downtown all you could see was the brown haze obscuring the core. Another reason not to run from work - just look at the brown haze.


I continued along the ridge on the way home and came to one of my favorite spots on this run. The ridge drops off sharply and the trail either winds through scrub poplars or has a death defying drop to the ravine below. Notice the trails are kind of snow covered and icy.

As part of My 2010 program I am trying to take pictures on every run and post them. These were taken on my iPhone and seem blurry. I hope it was the low light conditions and not something else.

Plod On.

Speed Play - Session 3

I am taking a workshop through the Mount Royal College er University recreation department. The weekly workshop is called "Speed Play" . I don't know why they call it play, play involves fun and interval work is never fun. I guess the feeling that comes after the workout is complete is worth it but it is not fun.

Tonight after the warm up and dynamic stretching and five sets of strides we started the workout.

4 x 800 with 2 min recovery (3:20)
4 x 200 with 1 min recovery (0:40)

then just foam roller massage - no ab work.

Plod on

Place Holder for Maui

I may want to add some stuff here. Maui is such a cool place to run albeit a little on the warm side.

Finally Shorts weather

Distance : 10.5 km
Time : 57:42

Yee Haw - ran in shorts in Calgary for the first time this year. This might even be the first time in shorts this year. Indeed a major milestone in 2009.

I have been feeling a tightness in my Left periformis muscle and have some discoloration and pain under my left big toe toenail. So the run today was supposed to be a nice little thing just to get out and run. Cullen had his fencing again so I ren by the university while he fenced. I ran a similar route to the one last wee with an extra loop thru the univiersity to the Childrens Hospital. This was a nice change as it moved the first few kilometers farther from traffic.

The run was OK had to concentrate on rolling through my stride with both of the issues above causing a little pain. I think I will try taping my toenail in the long run on sunday. I have a nagging feeling that I am running too slow on these runs and should be able to knock a minute off the pace. But am having fun right now and that is what it is about.

Plod On

It really could be spring!

Distance : 28 km
Time 2:55:23

Sunday long run with no fresh snow and clear roads - what a concept. Ran from home to the Westhills Runningroom then ran with Krista and Karen for the middle 15k ALONG THE RIDGE AND thru springbank. Back on 17th thru strathcona and home. All in all a nice distance and an Ok run. cranked out the first 8.5 K to Westhills in a good time and the last 5 or 6 K home. Middle was a little slow.

Still experiencing some pain from the top of the arch on my right foot and some tightness in my left performis muscle. I was concerned that there would be pain in my toes from stubbing them on a chair yesterday afternoon. But that did not materialize.

We saw the first signs of spring running down the country roads you could see some budding on the poplar trees.

All in all a fun run.

Plod On

April Fools!

Distance : 8.1 km
Time: 43:26

Cullen was fencing so took the opportunity of the longer spring days to explore a route west from the university to the bow river escarpment then north to varsity drive then back to the university. I adjusted the time to reflect the wastage while I was referring to the GPS on my iPhone. Will have to research new runs before I go out.

It is a nice route but a little on the trafficy side on the way out and back and had to squiggle thru the research center to get the full 8 km in. I am still feeling a little pressure across the top of my arch even though i laced my shoes loosely in that area.

All in all a good run for a night that i definitely did not feel like running. Funny how it always feels good after you finish and even better when you did not want to go out in the first place.

Plod On