Wreck Beach repairs runner's rut

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My quest to completely humiliate my sister in the upcoming Toronto Women’s five kilometre run continues. I’ve been busy.

Runners can typically be divided into two groups: those who tread and those who don’t. As a math geek, I am one of the few advocates for machine-assisted running. I like watching numbers track my distance, speed and time.

However, sometimes I can’t help but feel like a hamster on a wheel. Also, continuous treadmill running is a main cause of runner’s boredom, according to a recent Vancouver Sun article. I can understand this. I stared at the same gym wall for 120 minutes last week.

So, on a recent Tuesday afternoon, I took on Wreck Beach.

Located within Pacific Spirit Regional Park, every stretch of this beach guarantees a scenic run. There were views of the Coast Mountains before me. To my left was the Pacific Ocean.

With most students in class or at lunch during this time, the beach and nearby trails were vacant. Only a few other runners were outside enjoying the overcast day. We all smiled at each other as we passed, as if we shared a well-kept secret.

Still, outdoor running can quickly lose its appeal if runners don’t do some homework.

In closing, I’ve come up with a list of tips on how to keep running interesting:

• Choose trails that have interesting landmarks
• Don’t run the same route multiple times in one week
• Select trails with incline variety (level ground, steps and hills)
• Remember to enjoy the view!