The Running Jackal

I set out for three long hill repeats on P’kols and immediately realized I’d forgotten my voice recorder, so the phone, a discarded glove, and a bit of improvisation had to do. Mist, steady rain, soaked feet, and steep grades kept the effort honest as I moved between running and hiking, listening closely for zone changes. The climbs weren’t about speed but patience, rhythm, and accepting what the hill allowed. Between summits and familiar faces on the trail, thoughts drifted to future miles and long walks along Hadrian’s Wall. Imperfect audio or not, the work got done — unrushed, intact, and exactly as needed.







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P’kols, Unrushed
Join me midweek as I leave the streets behind and ease into the trees.
From Glendenning to Harrop, the pace softens and the forest starts to speak.
There’s no rush here — just breath, footfall, and the quiet work of moving forward.
This is a short run, a long exhale, and a reminder that not every effort needs an edge.
Lace up, tune in, and come wander P’kols with me.


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Long zone one run in my frosty ’hood, Avg Cadence:63
Cold air, quiet streets, and that pale winter light stretching your shadow out ahead like a compass needle. The frost on the path says early and honest—no rush, just steady forward motion. You’re moving through a neighbourhood that hasn’t quite woken up yet, hills holding the horizon, trees standing watch. It feels like a run where endurance mattered more than speed, where you let the rhythm settle and finished stronger than you started—exactly what the numbers back up. A calm, workmanlike coastal miles kind of morning: subdued, gritty, and quietly satisfying.

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Good morning everybody, Carlos here, recording my trailer video on Blenkinsop Road as I headed down toward the Lochside Trail. I planned to go up the Donwood stairs to Lohbrunnner Pond and thought that would be the title for this short midweek podcast. I had already captured quite a bit of footage on Mount Douglas and was running down toward the Lochside Trail as I spoke.Letting listeners know to watch my 'feed' for a midweek video podcast of about 24 minutes from that outing, mixing in a few walk breaks and some “eye candy" . I signed off as the Running Jackal from Lobrunnner West—or maybe East—realizing I should have checked the sign before saying goodbye.

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Broadmead and Rithet’s Bog are part of the same landscape history, shaped first by wetlands and later by agriculture and settlement. Rithet’s Bog was once part of a much larger marsh system that naturally drained and nourished the surrounding land. As settlers arrived, sections of the bog were drained to create farmland, leading to the establishment of Broadmead Farm. The name “Broadmead” came not from the land itself, but from Broadmead, a prized racehorse owned by Robert Paterson Rithet. Over time, most of the wetland disappeared under development, leaving Rithet’s Bog as a rare surviving remnant of that original environment.

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A gentle Wednesday loop around the Cedar Hill chip trail, keeping things relaxed and familiar. One steady lap around the golf course, soft footing underfoot, nothing forced. I slowed down long enough to say hello to some old friends — the ducks — who barely flinched as I shuffled past. That’s the beauty of this place: repetition without boredom. Thirty minutes of woodchips, small climbs, wandering thoughts, and an easy rhythm before heading off for errands and a few more miles on the bike. The Running Jackal signing off from the Queensbury Ave exit. Stats:
3.5 km · 70 m gain · 30:40 · Avg cadence 63

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I recorded a long on-the-move video and audio segment while running and walking through Mount Douglas Park the day after the salmon toss, narrating what I saw along Douglas Creek as it ran high from recent rain. I talked through my process of keeping audio and video synchronized, filming incidentals, and planning how the footage would become both a trailer and a longer podcast episode. Along the way I reflected on wet feet, muddy trails, fake bridges, zone-based heart rate alerts from my running app, and the challenge of staying upright on slick rock. I passed familiar landmarks like the hiker’s bridge, Elephant Rock, and the saddle, mixing trail observations with side thoughts about money, technology, past injuries, and even low-flying floatplanes. I nearly tripped while chatting on trail but stayed vertical, finished the climb, and signed off contentedly from a soggy but memorable run the day after the salmon toss.
































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I rode my e-bike twice today, using the first short loop to get moving and the second to close the loop and pick up my cycling gear. Between the rides, I settled into a solid 30 minutes of traditional weight training. The strength session felt steady and controlled, with an average heart rate of 97 bpm and just enough effort to keep me honest. Altogether, the second ride covered 6.61 km with 67 meters of climbing, giving the day a nice aerobic lift. It felt like a quiet homage to my virtual training buddy KG, sharing the work even when one of us didn’t hit record.

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Carlos introduces the hike while climbing the South Ridge Trail, showing off his new chest-mounted camera alongside his point-and-shoot. He pauses to give viewers a 360-degree look at the surroundings as he continues the ascent. The outing is framed as a straightforward trail update, with “South Ridge Ascent” set as the title for the day.











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I headed out on a familiar run toward the swoopy trail and the meadows, narrating as the podcast music faded and the downhill rhythm took over. Along the way, I tested my activity camera on its lowest resolution, talked through its settings and time-lapse features, and laughed at my ongoing habit of misplacing bits of gear while still learning how everything works. As the kilometers and calories ticked by, I decided my route based on how close I was to my daily burn, eventually committing to a climb up Little Mount Doug. Near the top, breathing hard in zone six, I reflected on how good my body felt, even crediting a recent pedicure for happy feet. I crested Little Mount Doug on the last day of 2025, set up the camera one final time, and signed off with a careful, focused descent, closing out the year on the trails. Episode link: https://play.headliner.app/episode/30910405?utm_source=youtube (video made with https://www.headliner.app)

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