The Running Jackal

Short Coastal O&BA short coastal out-and-back just under an hour, covering 6.42 km. I ran for 56:25 with a relaxed overall pace of 8:47/km, averaging 6.83 km/h. Heart rate stayed mostly easy at 125 bpm on average, peaking briefly at 155. Cadence was low and economical at 67, and the effort felt great throughout. About 529 calories burned on a steady,



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I completed a purposeful ride–run–ride day, stacking short e-bike sessions around a steady trail run. I kept my heart rate low throughout, staying firmly in aerobic territory and focusing on efficiency rather than intensity. I used the Golf Course Loop run as a controlled endurance effort, letting it complement the rides instead of turning it into a hard workout. I finished the day feeling durable and composed, confident that the work supported long-term progression rather than short-term fatigue.

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Hello everyone—Carlos here, taking a few audio notes before I properly hit record. I’ll be filming the show later today on an epic summit run, hands free, with a point-and-shoot camera strapped to my chest. Douglas Creek is in full storm-surge mode this morning, swollen and loud, the kind of water that demands a photo or two for context. All of this is just note-taking for now, setting the scene before the actual program begins up near the resort.

The sun is out, fifteen minutes in, hydration check done, and I’m heading toward Ash Road on the west side of the creek, trying to stay relaxed and honest in Zone 2. This route took me about an hour and fifteen last summer, and there’s no need to rush it today. A brief stop, a drink, a friendly exchange with a fellow trail traveler and her dog, and a reminder that the mountain always introduces you to someone—or something—unexpected.

That’s enough notes for now. Time to stop talking, start climbing, and let the summit do the rest.

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A Trip Around the Chip I headed out midweek from Queensbury Avenue toward King’s Pond, setting off on a familiar loop of the well-drained chip trail at Cedar Hill. The run felt like a trip down memory lane, with ducks on the pond, the million-dollar view, and the soft crunch of fresh chip underfoot despite the recent rain. I mixed steady jogging with short walk breaks as the rolling hills, muddy patches, and creek crossings kept things interesting. Even with interruptions for photos and trail chatter, I held a comfortable sub-nine-minute pace and stayed mostly in zone three. I finished the loop relaxed and content, knowing I’d parked the e-bike nearby to grab groceries before riding home.

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I headed out for a short, sharp hill repeat session on Glen Denning, keeping it simple with relaxed recoveries and aiming for about three climbs. I used the early kilometres across Mount Douglas to check in on my body, calm the system, and note that my heart rate spiked early, confirming I was a little stressed before the real work began. I completed each hill repeat by labouring up, turning around gratefully at the top, and enjoying the downhill resets, pausing occasionally for photos, brief walks, and friendly trail-side encounters. As the session unfolded, I settled into zone three efforts, reflected quietly on family, generosity, and Christmas while descending, and accepted that today’s work was about effort, not speed. I finished with three hill repeats plus the jog to and from, turned toward Harvest Lane at 3.68 kilometres, and signed off on the connector trail feeling worked, steady, and ready to head home.








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I rode my e-bike down to the Lochside Trail and started my out-and-back run toward the trestle bridge over Blenkinsop Lake, which I always called Roy’s Bridge. I fumbled with my voice recorder at the start, laughing at all the clothing noise before finally tucking it back into its glove. As I crossed the cedar planks, I enjoyed the glockenspiel-like sound of my shoes tapping along the wooden bridge. A little farther down the trail, I bumped into Chris running in the opposite direction doing his K-repeats. I carried on down the path, feeling like the Running Jackal signing off near the end of another rambling trail podcast.

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I slipped back into the forest of fun for a steady hour on the trails, covering 6.49 km. My pace stayed easy and smooth, settling into long stretches of Zone 1 and 2 with a few spicy climbs pushing the effort higher. The route wound from the neighbourhood streets into the cool woods, then out toward the beach before looping home. My legs felt strong, my heart steady at an average of 126 bpm, and by the end I’d burned 584 calories. It was one of those relaxed Saturday runs that left me feeling great from start to finish.
(This description was summerize from my data by an AI algorythm)

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I headed out early for a relaxed 5-kilometre walk through Gordon Head, keeping a steady pace of around 10:30 to 11:00 per kilometre. My heart rate stayed low at about 107 bpm, and my cadence hovered around 127 steps per minute, so it really felt like an easy errand walk. The route took me through quiet neighbourhood streets with only small rises and dips in elevation. Along the way I passed a giant Canadian Santa and a whole lineup of inflatable Christmas pups that made me smile. It was a calm, steady way to start my morning.

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On a bright, sunny Sunday morning, I headed out solo for my Two Cove Run with a goal of burning 600 calories. I covered 6.98 km in just over an hour of running time, holding an easy, steady pace of 9:17 per kilometre. My heart rate stayed comfortably controlled, averaging 121 bpm and peaking briefly at 140. I spent most of the run in Zone 2 and Zone 3, keeping the effort aerobic and relaxed. I finished feeling great and nearly hit my calorie target with 582 burned.

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Learning from the forest
I went for a solo run in the Forest of Fun and let the trail pull me into its cool, green quiet. I moved past the rushing creek and noticed how swollen the water looked after the recent storm. I ran by the Douglas Weir signs and paused just long enough to read about storm surges and rain-garden projects. The mix of forest sounds and fast water kept me focused and steady on the climb. By the time I finished, I felt refreshed and grounded from being out there.

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