Sweet Lord, this is early.

5:30 a.m. That's what time I got up to get ready to make my way to the Mission Creek Bike Path.

What the hell was I thinking drinking too much on Thursday night and saving this run for today?

I wasn't thinking. And therein lies my problem.

Just over 11 km is a long damn way.

Thank God for the spectacular scenery.

No one is on the path at 6 a.m. There are a few by 6:30 and even more by 7. But 6 is pretty desolate. It made me worry just a bit. I know few people in town and anyone could have been hiding in the woods or the creek (creek monster?).

People with big dogs are on the path. Big dogs that from a distance look like small bears. I had to muster all of my courage and stamina to remember what to do should I encounter a bear:

• Do I run scared and screaming hoping it will be more scared of me than I of it? No, that's not a solution.
• Do I run in a zigzag? No, I think you do that for large reptiles like crocs and gators. Although I did hear that was a misnomer. Run straight for crocs and gators. You will outrun them. You are screwed if you are in the water with them.
• Do I stand my ground and stare the bear down? Perhaps. And then I will piss all over my sweaty running shorts. Does urine attract bears? I don't know.
• Do I fall to the ground and play dead? I think this is one answer depending on the bear (Now I have to remember how to identify bears? Jesus, isn't running 11 km enough for one day?).
• Do I climb a tree? None of the trees in the area was really a climbing tree.

Of course, I go through all of this twice. Once for a large black dog. A damn ugly dog at that. And once for a large white dog. Because, you know, a polar bear got loose in the interior of BC.

But I felt prepared should I encounter a bear.

On my return from the 5.5 km mark or so, I see so many more people.

I also have an old man talk to me. I don't know why old men always want to say inappropriate things to me. He was on his bike and saw me run across one of the roads. It was my last kilometer and I was damn tired and probably looked as though I might die. He asked me if I was sweating already. Already? Dude, I've been out here over an hour and a half. Bite me!