Following from Part 4 of the Travelling Canada series, this post today is dedicated to the 12km run i did in Mississauga. It is not as scenic as Ottawa. I believe i was spoilt by the beautiful Canal and it just wasn't the same when i ran in Mississauga. I charted the route a few days before and set it into the Garmin 910XT. Despite being able to read map and could navigate pretty well in the jungle, urban setting defies me. I ran the first 2km in the wrong direction.
All the while asking me to TURN BACK, I thought can't be....
I then decided to stop the navigation and started running where the road will take me. It was about 5.30am when i started the run and the sun was just breaking out from the horizon.
Nice hue
I ran along the main road i.e. Hurontario Road. There wasn't much thing interesting and i was about the only person on the road at that hour. I know. I have been giving the impression that Canada is deserted with no people. Rest assured, I started my days much earlier with the excitement of being able to explore the place before going for meetings/work.
Fire Station. Pretty modern design.
As i mentioned earlier, Toronto and the nearby area is filled with emigrants. Mississauga most likely see a large community of them. Here are a few photos that i snapped as i ran along - with the shop typically pointing to Asian and/or Middle eastern ownership.
Arab restaurant along the whole road
You name it, they got it
A Hakka India and Pakistan Chinese Restaurant. Are they referring to the food served, or referring to the owner's mix parentage?
The weather has been really kind to me when i was in Canada. I was running in "Genting Highland early morning" temperature with humidity no more than 30%. It was a bliss and maintaining a 5:30 pace throughout was very very enjoyable.
What it felt like was colder.
School is on Holiday due to Summer...and a gentle reminder to return the school's text book.
If this is flashed in Malaysia, no books will be returned anyway...
Houses along the main road
Damn Marfan (Malaysian Chinese slang for "troublesome").
I take these photos to show my MIL that there are Catholics everywhere.
To be frank, by the end of the first 4km, it got really boring. No other people running except me. Unlike in Ottawa.
Maple leaves lined the street on the right.
So, have to entertain myself. As usual, if anyone were to see me, they will know i am not local. No local in Mississauga runs at 5.30am or wear running singlet at 19degree C with chilly air worthy of nippy nipples.
As usual, good looking.
The most exciting thing that happened that morning was that i had a seagull hovering above me like a hawk. It swooped down on me twice and i actually freaked out.
Return of the Killer Seagull
Remember this Disney Mickey Mouse and Pluto Cartoon?
I can totally relate to what Pluto went through. Continuing the run, i set the Navigation function on again and looked like i am on the right track of where i am supposed to go. The 910XT tells me exactly WHERE to turn via distance marker.
Straight. Junction at 1m away in 00:00 time.
I soon found myself running in the suburb of Mississauga where many houses (individual) are located - much like a planned housing area where the houses all looked the same.
Good reminder. Malaysia should have signage like these. We drive too fast in residential area.
Typical home along the road.
And all has the walkway where the people can commute on feet or bike. It also gives you the impression that the paperboy will walk/cycle past and deliver papers.
They clean this everyday?
I soon reached the end of the housing area and it opens up to a park. I then realised that i had ran the other way around. I should be passing this place first, not the other way around.
Can see the Ultimate Towers at the end. That's near the Hotel. 3km more to go.
Big Bungalows
I might had ran into a more affluent neighbourhood with much larger homes dotting around the park. I can imagine my dogs running like crazy here. The park is what they known as an Urban park that creates a space for the people to take a walk or run. It also serves as a route to link up places and commuting.
Commuter's bridge. Main road below
Noticed how nice the sky were? We only got grey sky in Klang Valley.
Blur photo as i was running
The park i ran soon became more dense and i found myself running in a secondary jungle with a river that runs parallel to it. Very nice. I noticed the river was clear and clean. No rubbish. I was impressed. Maybe i did not look hard enough?
I can imagine if the water level is higher, it will be nicer.
The park looked like a secondary forest with well paved route and well maintained. Surface run off seems to be managed with the path running off on the left and right.
Trees allowed to come as close to the path as possible. Some trees were cut definitely, but not excessive
I noticed that there were opportunity for trail run too. I should had checked much earlier...
Trails!!!!
Soon, i exited the park and ended up at the side of the Ultimate Tower.
These are high end condos by the way.
Oh ya, did i mention that the buses here has a bike carrier infront? Our public transportation disallow even bringing in foldable bike into the bus.
there is also bike carrier at the back
Here is the 9km that I did.
Finishing the run (9++km + 2km), I went to make a cuppa coffee to start the day. A good run, a good cup of coffee and a good trip to Niagara fall which you all read last week.
100% Colombian Coffee
Superb!
If you have not read about the Niagara Trip, high time to do so!
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