David Barker

@nouspique

Toronto based writer / photographer. Took up distance running at 60. Every decade deserves a new challenge. 🇨🇦

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David Barker@nouspique· 3d

Spent the morning doing hills in the heat. Used a white picket as an excuse to pause. Reminded me of a famous photo by Paul Strand. Though I doubt he sweated so much when he made his photo. #Running #HillSprints #RunSky #RunnersOfBlueSky #MarathonTraining

Image of a white picket fence with one missing slat. The image comes from the poster’s Strava account and so is overlaid with running stats and the words, “Up Hill And Down Dale.”

David Barker@nouspique· 16d

I get along with humidity the way Obama gets along with Trump. Today’s #run proved I’m definitely not acclimated to warmer weather conditions. I know it’s bad when I’m #running along & all I can think of is how much I miss the snow. #RunSky #RunnersOfBlueSky

A purple wildflower set against a backdrop of cat o’ nine tails. Because the image comes from the poster’s Strava account, it’s overlaid with running stats and the words, “Looking forward to crisp winter days.”

David Barker@nouspique· 19d

Sometimes your runs aren’t the ones you want but the ones you need … #run #running #RunSky #RunnersOfBlueSky

A teasel in flower against a backdrop of greenery. Because this image comes from the poster’s Strava account, it’s overlaid with running stats and the words, “Lots of stops to smell the flowers.”

David Barker@nouspique· 22d

Sometimes people kvetch about life in #Toronto, but on occasion the city gets things right. Like their refurbishment of the East Don River Trail. I went for a #LongRun up there and—holy guacamole!—they’ve done a fantastic job transforming this space. #Running #CityLiving

Photo of the East Don Trail Pedestrian Overpass. A network of struts and girders supports a looping circular walkway over railway tracks. It is situated in the greenery of an urban forest and above the trees are dark clouds. Because this image comes from the poster’s Strava account, it’s overlaid with running stats and the words, “Exploring the newly refurbished E. Don River Trail.”

David Barker@nouspique· 25d

If the experts are to be believed, my #run today was impossible, further bolstering my view that max HR calculators are useless for older runners. If, like me, you’re in your 60s & train consistently & frequently, consider lopping 10 yrs off the top when making max HR calculations. #running #RunSky

A park bench sits at the Chester Springs Marsh in Toronto’s Don Valley. To the right and extending into the distance is an asphalt path that disappears into the greenery. In the background are the black iron struts of the Prince Edward Viaduct. Overhead, the sky is a bright blue with puffy white clouds. Because this image comes from the poster’s Strava account, it’s overlaid with running stats and the words, “Running under a proper blue sky!”

David Barker@nouspique· 27d

10km #run on a #treadmill while listening to a Guardian Long Reads podcast about AI & ethics. If AI gets sold to us on the basis of convenience or productivity, then I’m out. As #running teaches me, resistance is everything. What’s true for the body is doubly so for the mind. I live for the effort.

Selfie of the poster, a middle-aged to older white man wearing a red cap, Shokz ear buds, and a grey T-shirt. He is sweating copiously and is posing with gym equipment in the background. Because this image comes from the poster’s Strava account, it’s overlaid with running stats and the words, “Treadmill on a hot tin gym.”

David Barker@nouspique· 29d

Ran indoors today as #Toronto currently enjoys the world’s worst air quality. Coming off a big nothing-burger of a knee injury (ruptured baker’s cyst) so taking it easy. #Treadmill #Recovery #Run #Running #Training #RunSky #RunnersOfBlueSky

Toronto cityscape looking north over Rosedale Valley. The sky is tinged a hazy orange thanks to smoke from forest fires in northern Ontario. Because this image comes from the poster’s Strava account, it’s overlaid with running stats and the words, “Indoor run with a Hepa filter!”

David Barker@nouspique· Jun 27

Félix Guarttari offered an eerily prescient algae quote 37 years ago!

Just as monstrous and mutant algae invade the lagoon of Venice, so our television screens are populated, saturated, by "degenerate" images and statements. In the field of social ecology, men like Donald Trump are permitted to proliferate freely, like another species of algae, taking over entire districts of New York and Atlantic City; he "rede-velops" by raising rents, thereby driving out tens of thousands of poor families, most of whom are condemned to homelessness, becoming the equivalent of the dead fish of environmental ecology.
- Félix Guattari, The Three Ecologies, 1989

David Barker@nouspique· Jun 21

It’s Father’s Day where I live. I’m blessed to have a father who, at 90, continues to thrive, doubly blessed because I have a father who modelled for me a healthy masculinity unafraid to feel compassion, show kindness, & enjoy free play. Love you Dad.

A tree trunk of rough bark mottled in varying light and dark. Fixed to the tree is a wooden heart painted green and on it the word Dad.

David Barker@nouspique· Jun 17

On my morning #run up the Lower Don Trail and along Taylor Creek, I came upon not one, but two—yes two!—baseballs roaming free in the wild. Such rare creatures & clearly amphibious. #Running #LongRun #RunSky #RunnersOfBlueSky #Toronto #Baseball

A green baseball sits in the waters of Toronto’s Don River. Overhead power lines are reflected in the water. Because this image comes from the poster’s Strava account, it’s overlaid with running stats and the words, “Baseballs in the Wild!”

David Barker@nouspique· Jun 15

Back in #Toronto for a few days. Went for #run in the Don Valley where I can be blissfully oblivious to all the FIFA hype. If I were a Shakespearian character, I’d say: I give not fig for thy spectacle. #Running #RunSky #RunnersOfBlueSky

A heap of concrete slabs, each painted a different colour, stacked in the middle of the Cottonwood Flats, a small wooded area in Toronto’s Don Valley. Because the image comes from the poster’s Strava account, it’s overlaid with running stats and the words, “Avoiding the FIFA hype.”

David Barker@nouspique· Jun 13

If I don’t feel like #running, I always have the option of stopping for a party. #ThunderBay is full of such surprises. #Ontario #Run #RunSky #RunnersOfBlueSky #LongRun

A low red brick building with a metal door entrance. Hanging over the entrance is a sign that says, “Free Party Room.” Beyond the building are trees shrouded in fog. Because the image comes from the poster’s Strava account, it’s overlaid with running stats and the words, “Free Party Room.”

David Barker@nouspique· Jun 11

Another #run in #ThunderBay this time sunny with brilliant blue sky (tho still patches of #fog down by the lake shore). Got the munchies & finished the run clutching a bag of Cheetos & a loaf of bread. #running #RunSky #RunnersOfBlueSky #LakeSuperior

Three parallel train tracks recede and ultimately disappear into a fog. Beside the tracks are utility poles and green grass. Because the image comes from the poster’s Strava account, it’s overlaid with running stats and the words, “Beautiful Sunny morning in TB.”

David Barker@nouspique· Jun 10

Lovely foggy morning in Thunder Bay. Ran up to the Trowbridge in Centennial Park then a loop around Boulevard Lake. #ThunderBay #Ontario #Fog #Run #Running #RunSky #RunnersOfBlueSky

A pine tree leans precariously over the water, almost parallel to the surface, almost kissing its own reflection. It’s impossible to see the far shore for all the fog. Because this image comes from the poster’s Strava account, it’s overlaid with running stats and the words, “Foggy Run in Thunder Bay.”

David Barker@nouspique· Jun 2

A morning #run thru mid-town #Toronto. When I was a child, I felt ambivalent about the stretch of subway south from Davisville. They call it a subway, but it isn’t really sub, is it? #running #RunSky #RunnersOfBlueSky

A view from Toronto’s Kay Gardner Beltline Trail where it crosses Yonge Street and the TTC’s Davisville marshalling yard. In the foreground are subway tracks and trains. In the distance is a tall condominium building still under construction at the intersection of Yonge & Delisle. Because the image comes from the poster’s Strava account, it’s overlaid with running stats and the words, “Kay Gardner to the Allen & Back.”

David Barker@nouspique· Jun 1

Passed this poster on my run this morning & had a momentary fantasy about teaching English pronunciation my way. I’d start with the phrase “Doug Ford” which is correctly pronounced as “Corrupt Asshole.” Yes, the English language can be challenging. #run #running #RunSky #RunnersOfBlueSky #OnPoli

A poster taped to a utility pole says: improve your pronunciation with the English Circle! Because this image comes from the poster’s Strava account, it’s overlaid with running stats and the words, “I want to learn to speak like a runner!”

David Barker@nouspique· May 31

Did the Mansfield 25km #TrailRace - seems a runner bumped a sign & a bunch of us missed a 5km loop. At the finish line they sent us back to make it up but our chips already recorded us as done. What a fustercluck. At least 20km of it went well. #TrailRunning #Running #RunSky #RunnersOfBlueSky

View from a trail lookout at the Mansfield Outdoor Centre which sits on a stretch of the Niagara Escarpment. It looks over a wooden fence and nearby trees to rolling farmland in the distance. The sky is a beautiful blue. Because this image comes from the poster’s Strava account, it is overlaid with running stats and the words, “Mansfield 25 km.”

David Barker@nouspique· May 26

Ran up to the Elevated Wetlands Sculptures and red winged blackbirds pecked my head only once. #Run #Running #RunSky #RunnersOfBlueSky #Toronto #PublicArt

A large concrete form roughly the size and shape of an elephant has small trees growing from it and water pouring from a spout. In the background are green trees and a blue sky. Because this image comes from the poster’s Strava account, it’s overlaid with running stats and the words, “Elevated Wetlands Sculptures.”

David Barker@nouspique· May 25

I recently had a friend ask if I could recommend a local #running route that didn’t have any hills. I’m afraid I gave her one of those looks. No hills? But hills are a runner’s best friend. You need resistance to develop. Struggle. Effort. Sturm und Drang. #run #RunSky #RunnersOfBlueSky #HillRuns

A crumpled yellow sign, with a stylized walking figure in black and the words “slow pedestrian,” lays on a forest floor among last fall’s dead leaves and this spring’s green shoots. This image comes from the poster’s Strava account and is overlaid with running stats and the words, “A Few Good Hills.”

David Barker@nouspique· May 24

It rained here thru the night so, for this morning’s #run, I stayed out of the ravines & kept to the high ground. Sounds like a metaphor for life, no? #running #RunSky #RunnersOfBlueSky

Mauve lilac flowers hang amid their green leaves over a damp sidewalk that recedes into the distance. The image has been pulled from the poster’s Strava account and so is overlaid with running stats and the words, “When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d” which is the title of a Whitman elegy for Abraham Lincoln.

David Barker@nouspique· May 22

While out for my morning #Run my wandering mind wondered if you can apply the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle to #Running i.e. The stats for any given run are inherently unreliable because that very run produces adaptations that ultimately change the stats. #RunSky #RunnersOfBlueSky

A vaguely green pressure treated utility pole with spray painted Japanes(ish) characters on it. Behind it is an asphalt road and greenery beyond the road. Because the image comes from the poster’s Strava account, it’s overlaid with running stats and the words, “Running Mechanics: The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle.”

David Barker@nouspique· May 21

Morning urban #TrailRun & while the air around the North #Toronto Waste Water Treatment Plant was um gag worthy, a pause at the main pond of the Evergreen Brickworks more than made up for it. #Run #Running #RunSky #RunnersOfBlueSky

A tree with mauve flowers leans over a pond. Because the image comes from the poster’s Strava account, it’s overlaid with running stats and the words, “Morning Trail Run With A Pause In The Evergreen Brickworks.”

David Barker@nouspique· May 14

Celebrating my 63rd turn around the sun with a run up to the Forks of the Don and then onto a lovely trail. Given my father’s astonishingly good health at 90, its reasonable to suppose I’ll be doing the #running thing for many years to come. #RunSky #RunnersOfBlueSky #run #Toronto #TrailRunning

Selfie of the poster, a white man sitting on rocks and staring at rapids on Toronto’s Don River. He is wearing a white cap, green T-shirt and black running shorts, and colourful knee-high compression socks. Because the image comes from the poster’s Strava account, it’s overlaid with running stats and the words, “Another year, another boatload of trainers & trail shoes.”

David Barker@nouspique· May 14

In my #CrossTraining sessions, I like to pretend I’m being chased by a horde of rabid #zombies. Of course, on a stationary #bicycle, it doesn’t matter how fast I pedal, they still eat my brains. #cycling #XTraining

Graffiti stencil on a light brown wall depicting a yellow tin can with black edges and a label in black letters that reads: “Elbow Grease.” Because the image has been pulled from the poster’s Strava account, it is overlaid with a bicycle symbol, riding stats, and the words, “Afternoon Ride.”

David Barker@nouspique· May 11

First trail(ish) #run of the season to mark the start of training for a 50 miler this September in the Haliburton Forest. I love #running through the trees! Too bad construction destroys the trails. #TrailRunning #RunSky #RunnersOfBlueSky #Toronto

View of the Ontario Line construction project with a lot of chewed up dirt in the foreground, a trailer in the middle distance, and trees and the Toronto skyline in the background. Because this image has been pulled from the poster’s Strava account, it’s overlaid with running stats and the words, “So begins training for the Haliburton 50 miler in Sept.”

David Barker@nouspique· May 9

Early morning recovery #run thru the vineyards of St. David’s Bench in the Niagara region. #Running #RunSky #RunnersOfBlueSky #Wine #WineCountry

An old wooden barn with a red roof sits atop a grassy hillside, trees behind it, rows of grape vines running down the slope in front of it. Because this image comes from the poster’s Strava account, it is overlaid with running stats and the words, “Loop thru St. David’s Bench.”

David Barker@nouspique· May 7

Recovery #run through the vineyards to the Niagara River. Achy quads after Sunday’s #marathon but should be feeling good by next week. #Running #RunSky #RunnersOfBlueSky #Wine

Early morning view between the rows of a vineyard. There is a narrow band of bright sky sandwiched between shaded grape vines below and dark clouds above. Because this photo comes from the poster’s Strava account, it’s overlaid with running stats and the words, “Run to the Niagara River.”

David Barker@nouspique· May 5

So I caved & bought the #marathon photo pkg. Very revealing! For example, it turns out I smile a lot when I #run almost as if I enjoy myself. I particularly like this shot. A close inspection shows a midge hitching a ride on my chin. Just a short hop to the mouth. #RunSky #RunnersOfBlueSky

A 60-something white man runs on an asphalt surface. He wears a red cap and sunglasses, blue T-shirt, green shorts, colourful compression socks, and blue trainers. Pinned to his shirt is a race bib displaying the number 358. He has raised his arms and is making a “jazz hands” gesture while wearing a goofy smile on his face. There is a black dot on his chin which turns out to be a midge hitching a ride.

David Barker@nouspique· May 4

Ran the #Toronto #Marathon with a chip time of 4:00:25. Wanted a sub 4 hour time so those extra 26 seconds are disappointing. Still, a fun race & a great day. Chilly start, but it warmed up. #Running #RunSky #RunnersOfBlueSky

A white man in his 60s poses at the intersection of Bathurst and Fort York Boulevard in Toronto. There are tall buildings in the background. He wears a red cap, sunglasses, a black hoodie, green shorts, colourful compression socks, and blue running shoes, while holding a red bag in his right hand. Because the image comes from the poster’s Strava account, it is overlaid with running stats and the words, “Toronto Marathon.”

David Barker@nouspique· Apr 12

Resorting to the stationary #bicycle (technically a unicycle) to keep up my conditioning while my calf strain resolves itself, hopefully in time to #run a #marathon in 3 weeks. Feeling a bit squirrelly in the meantime. Talked to a guy in the gym who recently had a stroke. Amazing recovery story!