Running From the Pushed-Down-Signpost All The Way To The Giant-Lego-Blocks

   Someone who is near and dear to me suggested very

One tree kind of picked
its own direction.

recently that I had been "slacking on the blog lately". Now, she didn't make reference to which blog I'd been slacking on but I've clearly been slacking on both of them, so she was totally correct, regardless.
   In light of this, and also because I have been a little stir-crazy lately, I decided to hit the trails yesterday. What made this somewhat different, however, was that I was actually planning on running, of all things!
   I've had this idea for a while now of heading to Komoka Provincial Park and running end-to-end on the portion of the Thames Valley Trail which bisects it. I can't tell you how many times I've

Starting point- The-Pushed-Down-
Signpost

been on this trail (literally, I can't, I go on it all the time) and it has a good mixture of terrain for trail-running. 
   My plan was to start at the old Oxford Street entrance and run all the way to where the trail meets Gideon Drive. I wanted to time myself and use that as kind of a benchmark for future, similar runs. Hopefully, the idea would be to run a little faster each time!
   I parked in the main parking lot at Komoka and slid $5.25 worth of change into the parking machine. This gave me two hours of parking and I thought to myself that there was no way I'd take two hours. I was almost wrong...
   Parking where I did meant that I would need to hike along the trail to the Oxford Street entrance. This gave me an opportunity to warm up. Once I got there, I started up my Garmin and started to run!
   

Ending up at The-Giant-Lego-Blocks

Okay, I'm not really sure that "run" isn't kind of misleading in this particular case. It could be that "shuffle" or "trot" are more accurate, hard to tell. Basically, I was doing whatever it is when walking stops being walking.
   Part of my plan, as well, was not to stop. Relentless Forward Motion! For the most part, I accomplished this---stopped once to fidget with a stubborn water bottle and one other time for about twenty seconds at the end of a steep climb. All in all, I was happy with that part of it.

   At the Oxford end of things, there's an old frame for what used to be a park sign which is now lying on its side, on top the underbrush. At the Gideon end of things, there are several concrete blocks

Upside-down but you can still read it

(which look exactly like Lego) positioned along the entrance, I'm sure to discourage motorized vehicles from entering. I

The Steps--you may recognize them

used both of these as my start and ending points. When I was done and sitting on one of those concrete blocks, I checked my Garmin. The "run" had taken me almost 52 minutes and I had only gone 4.1K! By the time I hiked back to where the car was, I had almost used up my two hours of parking. On streets, that would be a horrendous time but I had no problem reminding myself that I'm slowly working my way back into things and that trail-running is a whole different animal. Next time out---faster.

A great day to be in the forest!

Medical Monday: Better Knee And Good Head!

   *giggle*
   Okay this is a Saturday but for the purposes of clearly delineating what this post is about and allowing the reader to either sit there, rapt, or move quickly on, I present to you another Medical Monday post! 
   I could almost have actually posted this on Monday but I really wanted to wait til at least Tuesday because that was the day I was getting the results of the excisional biopsy they did on my head three weeks ago. There was a spot on my left temple which an earlier punch biopsy had determined was squamous cell skin cancer. The excisional biopsy (a considerably larger removal of tissue around the affected area) determined that there were, indeed, no remaining cancer cells! So...basically...YAY! What I will have as a reminder of this procedure is about a 2 inch scar along my hairline (which will in the future be known as the "knife fight in the alley" scar!) I will now return to regular visits with my dermatologist and the adventures of The Old Man And The Sun will continue. I use a very light tone when talking about all this but, essentially, and as nice as it seems with its warmth and ability to gladden, the sun is a fucker....
   Now, back to my right knee.
   My physio appointments have ended and it is now my job to take care of and assess my knee on my own. It is quite clear to me that the knee is fine for hiking and trail-running, so that part is all good. What has not been so clear is whether the knee will hold up under the duress of sprinting and/or sports.
   

My taped right knee. I've learned how to tape
the knee so that the kneecap is tracking securely.

It was the nagging suspicion that it might break down while running full-out which took me to physio in the first place but I've had a hard time finding a way to test it comfortably. Some of this has been due to the weather, more of it has been due to the psychological barrier I've set up around possibly injuring it all over again.
   This past weekend, I decided to head to the nearest football field and try my damnedest to run hard on it. I wanted to run on grass---something has been telling me that if the knee gives out while I'm running my fastest on a hard track then I'm gonna be in much worse shape than if I'm on a soft, grassy surface.
   It sort of worked out okay.
   I headed to nearby St. Thomas Aquinas high school, slipped on a pair of football cleats, measured out about sixty metres, warmed up a little, and then tried running hard.

Where I ran--football filed at Thomas Aquinas

 
   The knee didn't give out and I was running faster than I'd run in the last two years. This was encouraging. There was no pain, just a nagging sensation that a part of my body was being asked to do something it had almost forgotten how to do. I am hoping that this sensation eventually goes away, with more training and practice. 
   However, I was not running at full speed. I was running very fast but not full speed and that is the remnant of the psychological barrier I was just describing. I have the funny feeling that I actually need to have a reason to run at full speed and I suspect this will only happen by getting re-involved in some kind of sports.
   Maybe ball hockey...
   Finally, to cap off the week that was, I made it out on to the Thames Valley Trail on Monday for a hike with my co-worker friend, Philip. Philip followed my last summer's tales of hiking the Trail end-to-end and was intrigued enough to purchase the guide book and also join the Thames Valley Trail Association. His plan is to do the trail as part of his Type 2 diabetes recovery so more power to him!
   

Philip's first visit to Kains Woods!

We met at the Kains Woods section of the trail, near the Oxford Street entrance, and left Philip's car there. We then drove to the other entrance off of Westdel Bourne and hiked the trail from there. It was pretty summery and an excellent day for hiking! We took a couple of water breaks and another break for munchies along the way. It was wonderful to see the very beginnings of the plant life starting to re-appear. It was also possible to see the aftermath of recent, almost historical, flooding in the area. Sections of Kains Woods go right through the Thames Valley flood plain and it was very clear that where we were walking was clearly underwater not all that long ago. The bases of the trees off to our right (the river was on our left) had piles of debris gathered around them, from where limbs, leaves and branches had been swept downstream and gotten caught. Quite the sight, really!

Piles of debris at the bases of trees!

   At the end of the hike, Philip seemed to have managed well and we agreed to get together again and hike another portion sometime soon. Looking forward to it!
   
   

Medical Monday--A Broken Leg, A Broken Head And An Update

   Okay, it's been awhile since I've posted here so there's some catching up to do!
   First of all, it wasn't my broken leg! I was hiking about a month ago in Komoka Park when I came across a young lady holding a couple of horses. You will occasionally see horses in Komoka but when I walked around her I spotted this other young lady lying on the ground. To make a long story short, she had been trying to ride her horse up an icy trail, the horse had slipped, she fell under the horse and her leg broke!
   

Where the horse landed on the woman. We think
her leg might have ended up between the horse
and that sharp rock you see in the middle of
the pic, causing  her leg to break.

Another couple of hikers came along and we stayed with her while one of her friends tethered the remaining horses and the other friend rode off to meet the EMS people at the park entrance. Eventually, nine firefighters and paramedics showed up and managed to get her on a stretcher and out of the park.
   Fortunately, this is the only time I've run into a situation like this but I do quite often think about something similar happening to me (likely minus the horse) while I'm out on my own, either hiking or running. In light of this, I am actively trying to decide whether a cell phone is enough of a safety net or whether some kind of beacon device might be in order.

My broken head, post-surgery.

   The broken head is mine however. You might remember awhile back when I told you I'd been diagnosed with a spot of skin cancer on my left temple. Well, two weeks ago I went in for day surgery and had it removed. I think it was likely the least painful procedure I've ever had done and I need to go back in about a week and find out whether they got all of it or whether they need to do a little more digging. Fingers crossed but I'm not too worried!
    If anyone still cares about my right knee, it's feeling better but still not 1oo%. We are having a massive ice storm in London this weekend, otherwise I'd planned on getting out and giving the knee a real test (my fears be damned) but, alas, unable to. Allison, my physiotherapist, keeps telling me there's nothing structurally wrong with it and that I should truly test it but the psychological end of it throws me. Okay, maybe when the ice is gone....
   On Monday of last week, something kind of cool happened. I had been contacted by a local blogger friend, Heather, from Explorationproject , who asked if I was interested in meeting her on the Thames Valley Trail and filming a segment dedicated to the Trail. I kind of jumped at the opportunity and so we arranged to meet at the aforesaid Komoka Provincial Park, which is part of the trail. We then spent about an hour walking and talking and filming. Heather is this amazing blogger who has hiked and explored all over North America and we ran across each other last year when we both realized we were hiking the trail at more or less the same time. She currently has become interested in vlogging and wanted to practise on me, so why not? 
   About three weeks ago I had an interesting appointment with my chiropractor, Zeinin. We kind of strayed beyond the usual adjustments and had a bit of a talk about my weight and health. I wrote about this in "Neanderings" and you can read it in my post called "Black Coffee".
   And today, I had potentially my final appointment with Allison. We agreed that my knee is much better now than when I first saw her and that I should test it out as much as possible and follow some of the guidelines she's given me. If, in the future, things seem wrong with it, I can always call for a follow-up. I thanked her profusely and am itching to get back out there!
   You are now all caught up, almost to the minute!

   

Medical Monday: Part Two--My Therapist Takes A Knee

   Today was another Medical Monday and, quite frankly, way too long in coming. I'd finally decided to see a physiotherapist for my bum right knee and today was the day we met for the first time.
   I decided to go to the local office of the CBI Health Group for my physio. There are all sorts of good places for physio in London but CBI is literally a three-minute drive from my place and the easier a place is to get to, the more likely it is I will get to it.
   I filled out the usual info forms and then Alison, my physiotherapist, showed up, introduced herself, and took me down to the physio room. 
   After hearing my sad story, watching me both walk and run, and bending the knee every which way possible, she came up with a theory.
   She noticed from my gait that I had a bit of a hip drop. This has caused the IT band to stretch into a position it is not accustomed to and has caused misalignment on that right knee. The tendons, ligaments, and meniscus appear fine so she is reasoning that the knee is not tracking properly and bone is wearing on cartilage.
   Part of today's treatment involved the use of a TENS machine and taping of the knee before I left.
   The TENS machine (and I'm guessing that most of you have had some sort of experience with one) works by attaching electrodes around the area of your body which is in pain and then running electrical current through that area. Basically, it creates a very strong, tingly sensation. 
   The TENS technician applied the electrodes to my knee and then turned the machine on, asking me to let her know when I could feel it. It took awhile but I could finally feel the tingling and told her that she could turn it even higher. Well, she did this and before I could say anything, the whole inside of my right thigh started to spasm! She turned it down quite quickly and got it back to a comfortable level. She then left the room.Now, what I wasn't expecting was that the machine, all on its own, would suddenly make my knee jerk and spasm. I was about to call someone when it stopped. It was fine for awhile and then started up again, causing more spasms. I finally figured out that the machine was simply cycling and giving my knee a wide range of different intensity levels. 

Home with a tape job! Not sure what's
taped to what, but the knee feels good!

   After the TENS, Alison returned and taped the knee. She figured the tape would last a couple of days and I am curious as to whether it will help or not. One thing I can say, though, is that tonight the knee feels great! I was sent home with exercises to do and was also told what and what not to do at the gym.
   So far, so good. It is such a good feeling to finally be doing something constructive with the stupid knee. Hopefully, running soon. Then....sprinting!

Medical Monday

   The day before yesterday was Medical Monday (yes, I enjoy alliteration as much as the next blogger) and I found myself headed off to do bloodwork, get x-rays done of my problematic right knee and then, to top it off, set up an appointment for a physio assessment for that same right knee. Then, after all that was completed, it was off to the gym for a workout!
   I went about all of this with a little bit of glee in my heart. Part of this had something to do with the fact that it was finally a sunny day. Sunshine's been scarce in these parts and to once again experience it was a true mood-elevator. Principally, though, I was happy because I was actually doing something.

There's the bastard. On the left. YOUR left.

   My knee has stopped me dead in the tracks from doing many of the things I'd like to be able to do, training-wise. I have this desire to be training for running sprints and a right knee that will allow me to hike and run through a forest but will not enable me to run full-out is stifling. Even attempting a swift jog a couple of weeks ago gave me grief for several days afterward. So, setting in motion some of the things I need to do to finally deal with this situation was a welcome change to limping around and feeling sorry for myself.
   

It seems as though I may have touched down gently...

Today, my doctor's office called and informed me that the x-rays of the knee were normal. Now, my knee is certainly not "normal" but the fact that the x-rays did not indicate anything structurally wrong was encouraging. The best part about this result, though, is that it kind of rules out arthritis as a major contributor. I was kind of worried about this, I have no qualms in stating. This also allows me to meet my physiotherapist next week and tell her that I'm already this far into the investigation and what the results were.

Is there no end to my dirty
right knee pics??

   Having said all this, today the knee doesn't feel all that bad. This has been the trap I've fallen into ever since I injured it last spring. The knee will give me tons of grief but then gradually start to feel better, at which point I think I'm healing all by myself, so I don't get the medical attention I probably need. This was the cycle I was on all last summer and fall. In fact, the knee did heal enough that I was able to run on the trails and gradually increase the mileage. I enjoyed all that but now I want to run fast and the knee won't let me.
   Today, one of my co-workers (one who actually follows this blog) asked me if I had hooked up with physio yet. I told her I had and where it was and she herself had been a patient there and said they were very good. This was encouraging and I will go there next Medical Monday and let them do their magic!

   

"I Come Bearing Bad Knees"

   I had my semi-yearly physical earlier on this week. My priority at the moment is to figure out exactly what is going with my bum right knee. I hurt it last April and, even though I've managed to do a ton of running and hiking in the interim, there is still a nagging pain that won't go away.
   As it happened, I didn't actually get to see my regular doctor because there was an intern (not the right word) who is currently assigned to my doctor's office. He seemed like a very bright young man, though, and I was happy with the visit. He did the usual check-up things and then we settled in to talking about my knee.

My bum right knee, in a better (albeit dirtier and bloodier) day!

   He went through a range of motion test, pressed it here and there and discovered the 2 or 3 sore spots. After all was said and done, he was of the opinion that arthritis was involved and gave me a Rx for an x-ray and physio. I could have seen a physio when I first got hurt but the knee always seemed to be on the mend and so I never ended going. This time, though, it's physio for sure.
   I am not sure about the arthritis thing. I'm certainly at the age when arthritis enters the conversation but, at the same time, I know my body pretty well and it's not that the knee is constantly sore, it's that the knee feels like it's gonna give out now and then. The x-ray, I guess, should at least be definitive on the whole arthritis thing. After that, we'll go from there. I did ask about the possibility of getting an MRI but this is complicated a little by an almost 65-year-old chunk of metal in my brain. No real desire to have metal fly out of my head and clamp on to an MRI machine!
   The worst part about all of this is that I've temporarily shut down any kind of a workout that affects the knees. I've actually been pretty good about getting to the gym regularly but I've necessarily avoided doing leg work because it just aggravates everything. Kind of pisses me off because I'd just joined Ontario Masters Athletics with a view to running some sprints and, right at the moment, I can't sprint!
   So, likely this coming Monday I'll get in for that x-ray and there happens to be a physio place in the same building so I may stop in there as well. Maybe even get some bloodwork done cuz they do that there, too!
   The joy of it all....

What I Sometimes Think About When I Run

 
   I generally will only attempt a blog post when I have a run I want to share. This means I've gone through occasional long stretches when there isn't anything to blog about as well as the occasional stretch where there do seem to be things I think someone else out there might be interested in hearing.
   Today, I don't have a run I'd like to go on and on about. I would like to talk about something I think about pretty well every time I get out there, however.
   

2013---running through the forest begins!

I'm a heavy guy who runs. I'm not the only heavy runner I've encountered on the internet or in magazines but I'm one of the heaviest runners I've seen in these parts of Ontario---and I see a lot of runners, London is kind of a hot bed for runners, so even when you don't want to see any (like if you're injured, for example) you still see them.
   I suspect the odd runner I encounter who has noticed my weight has then looked at me with some sympathy, mild interest, or possible disdain. I suppose it's also possible that some of them see me and silently congratulate me for just getting out there. I also have the feeling that the occasional runner simply does not see me, in any way.
   Any and all of this is fine with me, I'm not out there trying to impress anyone but here's the thought that runs through my head----not many people could do what I'm doing. 
   To explain, not many runners I see out there could move 230 pounds through a forest as fast as I can. I see lots of slender men and women out there running who are very likely anywhere from 50 to 100 pounds lighter than I am. I then imagine them being given a fifty to a hundred pound rock to carry with them and then seeing just how far, or fast, they can carry it. I don't see them making much of a go of it for very long or very far.
   I don't run fast with my 230 pounds but I run further and further all the time and, because that's the only thing I'm really trying to do, I don't see the need to do it quickly. 
   But I can run fast. As a matter of fact, if one of those slender runners and I were to stop somewhere in the forest and pick a tree about a hundred meters away in order to race to it, I strongly suspect I would win. Now, if that tree were two hundred meters away, I strongly suspect I would lose (or come in second, as I would choose to describe it!) 

Me, in the middle, buddying up with Jessica Zelinka
and friends at SprintFit last summer. As much as I
enjoy the forest, it was nice to be on a track,
running sort of fast for a change!

   I'm not sure but I suspect my body type is more like that of a sprinter, rather than a distance runner. It is, however, likely dissatisfying to write a blog post about the 13 second run I did on the weekend! There is a mystique to long-distance trail runs that I seem to have bought into and I guess that's why I do them. I also have the feeling that the type of training I would need to do as a sprinter would not be nearly as fun as running through forests, past streams and deer and mountains.
   Like most people, I have body image issues. Part of me would love to be lean and svelte, to look the same as the other runners out there, the ones that are passing me effortlessly. As I relentlessly move my 230 pounds through the trees and up the hillsides, however, I tell myself a couple of different things--- one is none of them could do this and the other is I am amazing!

   

Upping The Mileage And Some Good News!

   Yesterday, in an effort to get my mileage up one more notch, I borrowed my wife's car (so that my wonderful stepsons would have the opportunity to put snow tires on my car) and headed off to Kains Woods once again.
   It was a couple of degrees Celsius when I left the house, so I layered up nicely before I walked out the door. I did this in spite of the fact that I knew much warmer temps were in the offing in the afternoon but I am kind of a wuss when it comes to my upper body being cold---I have a hard time forcing myself out the door on a run day if I know I'm going to be cold for the first twenty minutes or so. Better to start off warm, then yank off a layer or two.
   

On the paved walkway, running
around the collection pond.

I entered at the end of the trail where the first kilometer or so is paved walkway. This is kind of annoying as I was wearing Salomon trail shoes and their large lugs are not conducive to running on pavement so I tried as much as possible to run on the grass borders. Eventually I arrived at the true trail portion and things were much better. My right knee initially was giving me some minor grief but this went away after about half a K.
   It did warm up and by about halfway through my run I was way overdressed. I was running into people running in shorts and t-shirts and congratulating them on their choices!
   The goal yesterday was to run 8K. My plan was to run 4 and a half K and then turn around and head back. One of the problems with the trails in my area is that none of them are any much longer than 5K, so this always necessitates me doubling back to get in the mileage. No big deal, though, and I managed to reach my goal with few issues.
    Kains was a busy place yesterday, lots of hikers and more than the usual amount of runners as well. And lots of dogs! Dogs are supposed to be on a leash at all times but most of the ones I ran into weren't. They were all well-behaved but, at the same time, I don't know that until they demonstrate it. Until they demonstrate it, I have to stop dead in my tracks when I encounter them. I also wonder what would happen if a well-behaved dog suddenly spotted a deer or a skunk off in the distance...oh well. Now that I come to think of it, the only time I've actually ever been harmed by a dog while out running was a beagle (on a leash, on a sidewalk) that unexpectedly leapt up on me as I was passing and tore a hole in my brand-new running shirt, breaking my skin with a paw. So maybe it's safer in the forest!
    After the run, my right knee was more tender than usual. I don't actually experience pain in it while I'm running but the aftermath is swelling and the accompanying tightness. This usually disappears after a couple of days but is problematic enough that I might actually try and see the doc about it. Something tells me it might need to be drained....

Through the trees, on the other side
of the river, you can see the golf
course belonging to the London
Hunt and Country Club (careful how
you say that) Could hear the skeet
shooters as I ran!

   Good news! In my blog post last week I briefly mentioned that I had quickly gained a huge amount of weight recently. I signed off with a throwaway comment that perhaps I should start going to the gym. Well...I did! I finally got up the drive to head over to the Goodlife in the nearby Superstore and use my Fit For Less membership. I've had this membership literally for two years and have never used it! Stupid or what?! It took  me awhile to remember how to use some of the machines but eventually I got into the swing of it. The best part, though, is that the ice has finally been broken! I'm off again today!
   

Yesterday and Today and 7K!

Behind those trees, "The Steps"!

      Yesterday, Sunday, I had a little bit of free time in the afternoon and really wanted to get out there for a run. Hopefully, I would be able to get 7K in the books, in an effort to continue upping the mileage. What I did, though, was fritter away a large chunk of the day doing pretty well non-stuff and then, by the time I finally gathered myself up to run, the sun was perilously low in the sky. It was still very bright though and bright sunshine is not something we've seen a lot of lately here in London, Ontario so I headed out anyway. I drove to the Oxford Street bridge, near the entrance to Kains Woods, and parked on the bridge (there is room for this). From there it was up the hill and into the woods and off I went!
   I can't honestly say the legs felt all that good, however, and the more I ran the more I had an opportunity to do the math in my head wherein I calculate the length of time I need to get in 7K versus the actual amount of sunlight I had to work with. The math really wasn't working in my favour and the very last thing I wanted to be doing was running through a forest in the dark. Not to mention the "coyotes at dusk" warnings posted at pretty well all of London's forested areas. So I cut things short, ran about half a kilometer, and the hiked the rest of the way, all in all about 4K. No big deal.

This is the top of what 230 pounds
of Brian Baker looks like!

    Today, Monday, I had the day off and, after a little bit of work stuff first thing, I was able to head out with lots of daylight at my command. I headed for Komoka Provincial Park and left my car at the easternmost end of it. I usually walk the first half kilometer to get warmed up but I took a couple of extra minutes when I got into the forest and did some stretching. I then started to run. Slowly. As usual.
   It was about 4 or 5 degrees Celsius today with no precipitation and a good deal of sunshine left over from yesterday. Pretty awesome for running! There were a couple of muddy sections due to recent rain and a little bit of snow but these were minimal and un-deterring.
   I'm out of shape. Today I was propelling almost 230 pounds of Brian Baker through the forest and that just ain't right and shouldn't be. For a variety of reasons, I have had huge meals lately (and often) and I have done a terrible job of showing any restraint. I hopped on (gingerly) the scales last night and by the time the digital readout had done its thing, I was weighing in at 229.5. It's been ages since I've weighed that much and my jaw just kinda dropped. Okay, time to get back to work. The only good thing about weighing that much is that I can get it off pretty quick if I'm a little more conscientious. This, however, only usually gets me back down to about 224 and there is truly so much further to go! Perhaps that gym membership I've never used....

The mighty Thames!

   The run today was fairly uneventful. Passed a few people enjoying the park, which is always kinda nice. In aiming for 7K, the plan today was to run for 4, turn around (you almost have to turn around, the park's only 4K long), and then run another 3, on the way back. This was over almost before I knew it and I then hiked another kilometer to get back to my car.
   A weird thing happened when I got into my car. As I was lowering myself into the driver's seat, all of the sudden I started to get a muscle spasm on the outside of my right calf and shin. It was quite uncomfortable and I hopped out of the car as fast as I could (not very fast) to get the leg back into a comfortable position. As I was standing beside my car, I lifted my leg off the ground and my foot started to rotate to the right, all of its own volition. A very strange thing to feel and watch---my muscles making my feet do things I hadn't asked them to do! I plopped the foot back down on the ground, stood on it and then walked around til it felt as though I could get back in the car and drive. By the time I got back home, it was more or less back to normal. I put the whole episode down to perhaps having over-exerted my lower legs with the uneven trail I'd just been on for the last almost two hours. Will keep an eye on it for next time!
   Last week I bought a combination lock. This was my radical first step toward getting back (it's been years) to the gym once more. This week, I'm actually going. The scary part is, I just told you I was going.....
   
   
   

Not the right kind of "cold, wet one"!

   I was checking my stats on Blogger just yesterday and what it told me was that there had been no page views that day and there had been no page views the previous day, either. This meant that people had stopped even accidentally reading my blog and was a sure sign that I had not written anything in a long, long time.

   

Out of the reasonably clear...

I really only blog when I run and I had not run in about four weeks, partially due to a nasty head and chest cold and then a stream of social commitments, not the least of which was my wife's 50th birthday. Today, however, was a day in which nothing had been planned and my legs were feeling kind of restless and so I thought let's give 'em a go!

   We have been through a long, bleak and wet spell in these parts lately and today was no different. Rain was in the forecast but by the time I was ready to go there was nothing more than a wet mist going on out there. I threw on a light running jacket just before I headed out the door, it wasn't really cold enough for one (it was 8C) but the mist just seemed to make it feel that much colder.

...and headed into the dark and dismal.

   I headed to Komoka Park, hoping to be able to park for free at the far end of it and, with the nasty weather today, this seemed like a pretty good bet. Sure enough, lots of room to park and off I went. My normal routine is to walk the first half a kilometer before breaking into a run and this is what I did today. I was a little worried after being off for four weeks that my legs wouldn't respond and was pleasantly surprised when they reacted appropriately.

If you're from around these parts
and do any kind of hiking or
even reading about it, then you've
probably seen this tree. It has all
sorts of  love notes on it but today,
in the wet gloom, it looked kind
of antediluvian and foreboding

   I wanted to run 7K today and had a bit of a rough idea what portion of the park I would use for this. About 3K in, though, it started to rain in earnest. This was no really big deal but then, when I looked down at my Garmin, it had switched from the usual screen telling me time and distance and had reverted to screen which shows me how my virtual run partner was doing. This would have been okay if perhaps I had set this up beforehand but i hadn't (I rarely use this option) and in fact my virtual partner today was riding a bike. And I was 24 minutes behind him/her. This was not helpful and, in the rain, I had a lot of trouble getting the Garmin back to the correct screen. When I eventually got back to the screen I needed, everything had been set back to zero!

   This, on its own, did not stop me from continuing my run but soon my ankle and Achilles started to act up and then I just lost my, for lack of a much better word, mojo. At that point, I turned around and walked it back in. No, I hiked it back in, that sounds better.

   By the time I made it halfway back, I was drenched. My running jacket is not rainproof and provided little comfort. It was only about 3 p.m. but it was dark in the forest and I actually started to run again just to get back to the car a little faster.
   So, as it turned out, I did not get my 7K run in and, really, this was fine by me. I had assuaged that restless feeling and this was the main purpose of getting out today. Hopefully, I can now get back into a more regular routine and actually give people something to read, either by accident or on purpose!

Ran 6K And Stayed Upright!

   It was a warm and dry late-October day here in London and I decided to head on out to the trails once again. The plan was to tack on another kilometer to the mileage I've been gradually increasing so today that brought me up to the huge total of 6K! Woo hoo!

The view in Warbler Woods

   I've gone out to Komoka Park the past couple of weekends and I thought I would change things up a bit and head for Kains Woods. Kains is within walking distance and I usually hike through nearby Warbler Woods, under Commissioner's Road, and then on down Oxford to the southern entrance to Kains. I then continue to hike til I get past a couple of problematic ravines. Once past them I break into my typical slow run.
   After my little face plant episode last week, I decided to pay way more attention to where my feet were landing today. The problem is that this time of the year the path is covered with leaves and, underneath said leaves, lurks the gnarly root. Fortunately, today went well and there were hardly even any close calls.
   It's bizarre and unseasonably warm these days and I don't know whether this is brought on by global warming or is just one of those cyclical aberrations. Whatever the reason for it, I can only enjoy if it's not also responsible for Puerto Rico getting wiped out....
   

The view in Kains Woods.

I decided to run 3K and then turn around and run 3K back, for my 6K total. Running such a short distance does always feel odd but, at the same time, I'm trying to break in an injured knee very slowly, hence the low mileage. At the end of the run portion, I was then left with a 3K walk back to my house. I think this might be the part I didn't plan out all that well. The past couple of weeks, I've been able to park right where I did the running, so no hiking to get there and then no hiking to make my way home. Today, I ran the farthest I've done in  months but was then faced with a long walk home. At the end of it, I was looking at close to 12K of being on my feet and this evening, both my knees are feeling it! So we just won't do that again!

Back to 5K! And a Face Plant!

   It's the weekend again and today looked like it was going to be kind of rainy so I took the opportunity to get out yesterday and give it a go at running 5K on the trails.
   Once again I headed to Komoka Provincial Park, have finally found a little place at the far end of the park where you don't have to pay the parking fee so Komoka is now a more affordable option.

Passing through a grassy meadow.
It looks flat but is actually pretty steep.

   There were, however, drops of rain on my windshield by the time I arrived and off in the distance the skies were pretty threatening so I wasn't quite sure how dry this run was really going to be. No raingear with me but it was unseasonably warm so I headed out anyway.
   Once again, I briskly walked the first half a kilometer to get warmed up and then I started a slow run. A very slow run. It was the kind of run where you can actually have a fairly lengthy conversation with walkers as you sort of pass them. Yes, that kind of run.... 
   I am, however, much more interested in accumulating some mileage these days and seeing how my injured right knee holds up. At some point, the speed with which I run will be addressed.
   I ran in Komoka last week and I really didn't want to replicate the same run today so when I reached the junction of the Blue and White trails, I headed off on the Blue. This takes you up and down a few steep sections, so I quickly began to wonder if I'd made the right decision. In the end, though, I figured it was all part of the process.
   I ran with trekking poles once again yesterday, as I'm now accustomed to doing. I got used to them on my hiking adventures this past summer and find that they provide a little more stability on some of the more technical terrain. In my mind, they also enable me to imagine that I am some sort of badass mountain trail runner. On level parts of the trail, I

Some of the scenery at the west (and
less-traveled) end of the park.

simply carry them in my hand. I'm starting to become fairly adept at switching back and forth and moving quickly (for me) up and down rocky slopes. What much of this means is that in a park where most of the people are either walking their dogs or spending romantic time with their significant other, I really stand out. And that's fine, kinda enjoy doing my own thing!
   Just before the end of the running portion yesterday, I passed one of those romantic couples I just mentioned, going the other way. I was about 10 meters past them when my toe snagged on a root and I landed hard. The noise of this (imagine a tree falling in a forest) alerted the romantic couple and they turned around to see me lying there in a heap. They asked if I was okay. I assured them I was and that only my pride was slightly bruised. I also swore them to secrecy and they were fine with that. It was my right (and injured) knee that took the brunt of the fall and I was quite happy to see and feel that there were no ill effects suffered. Good to know, actually, it confirmed in a new and different way that the knee is continuing to heal the way I need it to.
   

The aftermath. All is well, though!

So my 5K trail run is in the books and the good news is that I could quite easily have continued. The knee is a little swollen today but is not paining me at all and did not pain me yesterday as I ran, so this is good. My plan is to try and incorporate some kind of run mid-week this week so that I end up running more then just once a week. The other good thing that occurred to me about having run 5K yesterday is that it is an actual race distance. You quite often hear people talk about how their 5K run went and it is simply nice knowing that I am once again back to that level. Onward and upward!
    
   
   

Upping the mileage in Komoka Park

Good to be back in the
Komoka woods!

   Yesterday was a day off for me and I took the opportunity to head out to Komoka Provincial Park and get in a bit of a hike/run.
   I've been trying to make sure I get out every weekend and up the mileage each time as I work my knee back into ship-shapeness. I missed last weekend due to a little bit of toe tendinitis which had me limping around and this weekend was busy with Thanksgiving plans so yesterday was the day.

The Steps! A good place to turn
around cuz, if you don't, you
have to run up them!

   It's been unseasonably warm here in London the past couple of weeks and yesterday the temp was in the low 20s (C)---perfect for shorts and a t-shirt. I managed to find free parking at the far end of the park and started my hike/run there. I hiked for half a kilometer and then started a slow run.

The Maples always turn first

   The goal for yesterday was 4K, just adding a kilometer every week at this point. I hiked for the first half a K and then started the run portion. There was almost no discomfort in the knee whatsoever and the 4K went by without incident. I ran as far as the bottom of The Steps and then turned back and continued to run until I hit the magical 4K mark. What made it even more magical was that I really felt as though I could have kept on running (so slow was my pace, likely) so I guess this bodes well for my next outing, which will be 5K. From that point, I just hiked my way back to the car.

Looking out at the changing
colours of the Thames Valley.

   It's starting to become clearer that I can likely up not only the mileage (thank goodness, it's kinda hard to report on 4K runs) but the frequency, as well. Today I feel as though I could hit the trails again and not be suffering too much so perhaps one more day a week is in the offing? We'll see!

On The Trails Again And Some Actual RUNNING!

   This was supposed to have been the summer I really got into trail-running. I got a bit of a taste of it at the end of last summer and vowed that I would get into it full-time come this summer.
   I actually ran trails most of the winter long (it was a reasonably mild winter here in London) and felt that I was well on my way to enjoying an awesome Spring and Summer. 
   Unfortunately, these plans got a little de-railed back in May. Wanting to see what marvelous benefits my winter training had wrought, I attempted to go run the streets in my neighbourhood. My knee popped on me about four houses down and that was it for running. My doctor told me that walking would be okay, so that's what I did. Started easy and then got into it with a vengeance and ended up hiking about 110 kilometers worth of the Thames Valley Trail in the month of July.

Warbler

   I also spent a great deal of time  on my knees in the  backyard, laying stepping stones and border rock. What with all the hiking and kneeling, my right knee never truly had a good chance to recover.
   Lately, though, I've managed to take a break from all this and my knee ended up feeling much better. So much so, in fact, that I actually decided to try and go for a short trail run this past Thursday.
   My plan was to hike through nearby Warbler Woods and then on to Kains Woods, which are more or less adjacent to each other. Once in Kains, the plan was then to run for at least a kilometer and see how I felt.
   Well, I started to run and it did not feel good. Had a fair amount of pain in the knee and after about a hundred meters I shut it down. In my head, I began this list of all the medical stuff the knee was going to require and especially began entertaining concerns that I was now dealing with something chronic, as opposed to temporary.
   And then I remembered almost every other time I had ever gone running, especially after a layoff. My knees always hurt. And even though they always hurt, I persevere until gradually things loosen up, parts fall into place and I end up running just fine, thank you. It occurred to me then that this might be what was happening. I decided to give it another shot and, sure enough, after a little bit the knee came around and ended up being quite workable. I ended up running for the allotted kilometer and then returned to walking briskly. I had set my Garmin when I walked out the door and as soon as it hit 5K I turned around and headed back the same way I came.
   

The entrance to Kains Woods. Took my
trekking poles for the hilly, hiking parts.
While I was running, I pretended they
were spears.....*giggle*

The right knee seemed fine at the time but I knew that the telling part would come the next day. On Friday, however, the knee continued to feel good (well, as much as a 64-year-old knee can) and I had no issues with bending, kneeling or using stairs. Woo hoo! 
   So now the plan is simply to do this a little more often and up the running portion of it by small increments. I also still have the option of seeing a PT for the knee, as I do have a referral, if at some point it flares up again. Perhaps a little hard work mixed with
optimistic caution will get me trail-running next summer! We shall see!

This Week-The Waters Recede

    I decided to bite the bullet yesterday and drive to Komoka Provincial Park, pay the parking fee, and go for a quick hike.
   A couple of weeks ago, I actually walked all the way there and back (no parking fee!) but was exhausted at the end. My bum right knee was also a little the worse for wear and basically, I overdid it. Last weekend, I walked through Warbler Woods and Kains Woods as they are much closer and, afterwards, I wasn't suffering quite as badly.
   In fact, I almost decided to try running just a little bit yesterday but then common sense overtook me (this rarely happens, ask my wife) and I ended up opting for another hiking session. So off to Komoka I went!
   It was a beautiful day for a hike and the parking lot off of Gideon Drive was already pretty busy when I got there. The lot is situated somewhat in the middle of the park and I decided to head east and walk to one end and then simply turn around and walk all the way to the other end and then I would be done.
   The woods yesterday were even more green than two weeks ago and this is increasingly a welcome sight. What's even better is that the trails have almost totally dried out, except for three or four spots. Much more pleasurable!
   Much of the trail follows along the Thames River, sometimes high above it and sometimes right along beside it. Two weeks ago when I was here, London and all of eastern Canada had just been suffering through many days of constant rain and flooding. I took a couple of pics back then and promised I'd take the same pics the next time I was there and that's what I was able to do yesterday. Here they are, two weeks ago on the left and yesterday on the right!

The same stream, flowing
through all the water plants

This is a small stream entering the
Thames, which you can almost see,
off in the distance. The river was so
swollen, it flowed back up the stream!

It looked like an island, off in the distance
but the river had simply overflowed its
banks, making the little jut-out look
like an island

 

Really no island there at all!

  Once again, I had my trekking poles with me and I'm starting to realize how much of a difference they really make. It's so much easier doing the uphills with them---not only do I get the extra push but they also help, balance-wise. Now, Komoka Provincial Park does not for the most part get terribly technical and the vast majority of people you see there are just casual hikers enjoying the scenery but it is quite easy to see how much of a difference the poles would make if you were negotiating mountains!

   Apart from the poles, I had also taken along my CamelBak, minus the bladder, and just carried a water bottle in it. So I've got my poles and I've got the vest and the hiking boots and I'm walking along and then I meet this young family with their dog and three little kids, coming the other way. I stop and stand off the path so they can pass. The dad's in the lead, then the kids, with the mum bringing up the rear. The first two kids just kind of look at me but the third kid ( who I think was probably 5) looks up at me and says, "Are you a skfjdy?" Well, I didn't quite understand the "skfjdy" part so I said, "I'm sorry, what was that?". The boy replied, "Are you a skfjdy?" I looked at the mom and told her I hadn't caught any of that and she smiled and said, "It's okay, I don't think he's ever seen a real hiker before." I laughed and told her I didn't think I was a real hiker and then we all went on our way. Maybe I should try and look like a real runner one of these days!

   Not only was the forest full of people but the river was too. Lots of canoeists and kayakers. Two weeks ago, the river had been so high and fast that people were being warned away from it but now that it was its more benign self, people were able to get out and enjoy it. Such a huge resource!
   Okay, the next time I hit the trails I think I need to be running them. As much as I've enjoyed all the walking I've been doing the past few weeks, I still really miss the moving at a high (or at least slightly higher) clip. The knee's been feeling stronger and I haven't had it give out on me in quite awhile so maybe I'm good for a little light running. Time to get some fresh dirt on the new trail shoes!