Festive Running in Vancouver

I did a bit too much running last week and so was very grateful to my physio today for some traction and some IMS. . . . and some encouragement with a decision I’ve been pondering (more on that later; it’s running-related . . . )

On Christmas morning, Pater and I ran the Stanley Park Seawall together from our apartment, which makes for a decent 13.5 kilometres, a good preparation for the brunch we’d have at one daughter’s and for the afternoon of hors d’oeuvres followed by a huge, wonderful turkey dinner at another’s (that daughter and her partner hosted 20 — his family and ours — despite not having done a Christmas or Thanksgiving meal before, a very impressive First, I’d say!)

But on Friday morning, I headed out for a shorter run, thinking I’d do a circuit across the Burrard and Cambie bridges. Instead, once en route I decided I’d prefer running around the inside of False Creek , thus avoiding one bridge. Although that made the run a bit longer than I’d intended (it clocked in at something like 10km), it was a gorgeous run, and I’ll definitely be covering this territory more often.

With the typical Vancouver greys as background, I think the splashes of red are splendidly festive, the little False Creek ferry shuttling toward the Stadium, the coloured bars highlighting the exteriors of high-rises, the  red hulls of rowing vessels echoing the base of Science World’s scintillating geodesic dome, and the rust-red cranes far in the background. . . .

In fact, the architecture and landscaping seem designed to inspire Christmas decorations . . . here, at Olympic Village, the barn-red craft building in the background is perfection to me behind those tall grasses, the bold graphics of the First Nations plaque in the foreground. . . . and the giant sparrow . . . .

turning to look at Giant Sparrow #2, both of them works of art in Graphic Earth Tones, all the Christmas-cheery colours of the architectural fillips behind them, the colourful lamp standards, banners. . . .

This week, my running will be much more prosaic, round and round and round my little island, 4.4 kilometres being about the most I can stretch a loop out. As a big compensation, though, my island runs are on dirt roads, saving my joints from the pounding that city pavement imposes. But what a lovely run that was, pavement-pounding and all. . . .

For now, though, it’s back to my armchair, with a book . . . .It’s all about the balance, right?