Losing a part of me

I barely beat the rain that was not predicted to come just a few hours earlier. Our story:

I finished teaching my class around the usual time. As has been the case for the last few days, I made my meal replacement shake, and then called Leslie to chat for a bit while I changed into my exercise kit. I sat down at the computer to continue chatting with her, mostly so that I could make sure that none of my stragglers – by which I mean the students who were assiduously and faithfully staying late to complete the last lab of the day – had any questions. Sure enough, the clock struck, and I was able to end the session completely.

While that has not always been the case, this time the only reason I was looking at my computer screen while talking with my wife is because I wanted to close the class, which she understood. While looking at the screen, I noticed in the bottom right corner an advisory that rain was coming. My recollection from when I checked this forecast this morning was that there was no precipitation expected today. As we like to say, if you don’t like the weather in Canada… wait a minute.

I clicked on the advisory and saw that the rain was predicted for just after 7:00pm. Leslie understood that I was going to get going immediately, which I did. I took to the trails, setting out to do a simple and familiar walk around the block… which is actually a seven-kilometre walk that I’ve done several times. Most of the time I supplement the basic rectangle with some added detours, paths, and trails; today my goal was to get home sweating but otherwise dry.

• Distance: 7.03 km (9 km)
• Duration: 1:12:07 (1:37:36 minutes)
• Average Pace (Min/km): 10:15 (10:42)
• Best Split-Pace Kilometre: 10m02s
• Steps: 9k (11.6k)
• Calories burned: 725 (500)
• Elevation gain: 29m (36m)
• Average cadence (steps per minute): 126 (118)

There are some numbers on these stats that do not add up. I have no idea, for example, how I bested my cadence by 8 steps per minute… although looking at the graph it does seem to show that I was walking at a faster pace than usual. Most likely I was taking shorter steps and more of them, which would account for that.

I am going to hit the showers so I can clean up and then make my evening meal replacement shake, and be ready in time for my date with an angel later this evening. I also want to make a note to call the vet for Princess Sophie, who has been having gastro issues since Saturday. Let’s see if I can get her in to see the doctor over the weekend.