Once around the park (literally)

Harlem Meer in north Central Park

Yesterday's run (Central Park): 6.15 miles at 9:20

It's always fun to break new ground in terms of running experience and that was the case for me yesterday. I've been getting to Central Park every Friday afternoon for a run and this extra mileage has helped me push closer to my weekly goal of 20 miles a week. I have stuck to the routes I'd learned through running with Adventure Girl last year but prior to Friday I had never braved the territory north of the reservoir. Classes have ended at Yale so AG is back in town for a few weeks. She'll be heading to the west coast to conduct a graduate research project over the summer. In the meantime we'll get a few runs in when we can.

We headed up to Central Park under sunny skies and 69 degree temperatures. When we reached the start along the lower loop we did some dynamic stretching before starting off. While that was happening I felt something hit my back but largely ignored it. I figured it was a big bug or something that fell off a tree. Once done we headed north at a sub-9 minute clip that we maintained for the first mile or so. About one mile later we came upon a waterfall tucked in beside the path. We took a brief break to look at it and saw goldfish swimming in the stream fed by the falls. AG said that it's common and unfortunate that people dump pets like fish, lizards and snakes in Central Park because it's not ecologically sound to do this with non-indigenous species.

We were soon on our way past the Meer and I got to experience the famous "Harlem hills" that weren't all that steep but they went on for a long while. Once we got past them it was a bit easier going although there were few noticeable hills just north of the reservoir as we headed south. By the time we reached the southern end of the reservoir I was back in familiar territory and the last few miles were more downhill than up. Despite that, I was pretty exhausted and when we finished I saw that we'd covered 6.15 miles. When we arrived back at work AG followed me into my office and saw that the thing that had hit my back before we started our run was a "gift" from a bird overhead. I was lucky it hit my back and not my head and very glad that I didn't know what happened at the time.

It was great to run again with AG in the city. It was the first time since last August that we'd run in NYC and longer still since we'd run in Central Park. I'm happy to have finally run the full loop and I plan to do it again this summer. Those hills are plenty tough but after yesterday's experience they just don't scare me anymore.

Test new running shoes? Yes, please

The new Saucony Kinvara

Today's run: Central Park (planned)

I was recently contacted by a PR person from Saucony about an opportunity to try their new Kinvara lightweight trainer. This shoe is more neutral than what I'd normally wear but I'm interested in its low profile with a heel-to-forefoot ratio of 18/14 mm. I haven't forgotten about mid foot running but my Brooks GTS-10's are so great I would be reluctant to give them up. Given their unique nature, and their low profile the Kinvaras may make a great addition to the Emerging Runner's collection of running shoes. Besides the Brooks GTS-10's I also have pairs of GTS-9's and ASICS GEL-1130's. On the trail side I have Helly Hansen Trail Lizards for the toughest technical terrain, Adidas Response 15's for multi-surfaced trail and street running and some NB 460's that fit and perform really well despite being a "value priced" shoe.

Left out of this collection are any lightweight trainers or racing shoes. I was very interested in the Brooks Green Silence when it was announced but when the time came I opted for the 10's to replace my 600+ mile 9's. I signed up for (and was accepted to) Brook's test program but I have not been contacted to try anything. Even if I do I won't be able to talk about the shoes or mention them on this blog, per the terms of the program. No problem there, the chance to try Brooks experimental shoes is worth the silence, green or otherwise. I'm happy to try any running shoes or gear that companies want to send to me to review. I'd even try Nikes but not those silly ones with the shock absorbers on the heel.

I'm planning another Central Park run today and I'm hoping to cover some new ground north of the reservoir. I keep hearing about the hills up there and I'll see how well my training has paid off.

Foregoing my run today

No workout today

I decided to forgo my usual Thursday workout this morning and take an additional day of rest this week. I'm looking to add more distance to my weekend runs and I've recently added a longer run on Fridays in the city. It's taken a while but I'm beginning to understand the value of rest as an enhancement to my training. On a recent run with my friend and running advisor, CK, we talked about the frequency of my runs. CK suggested that more rest would be beneficial for recovering from longer runs and the additional rest would probably help me improve my performance. I'll see if that's true tomorrow where I plan to run the big loop around Central Park (6 miles). My goal is to average around 20 miles a week and I should be able to do that even if I take two days of rest on some weeks.

Return to Jackrabbit

Today's run (street): 2.4 miles at 9:24 per mile

Yesterday I headed over to Union Square with my friend CK for lunch and a visit to Jackrabbit Sports. CK was in need of a new pair of running shoes. The NB 1225's he was using were a year old and had a lot of mileage. He was never very happy with these shoes, mostly because of their wide toe box that can make the forefoot feel unstable. I showed him the Brooks Adrenalines that I wear and really like. He tried on a pair and initially said he felt "flat-footed" but after a few minutes he said they felt very comfortable. I could tell CK was ambivalent about the shoes and I encouraged him to try other pairs. He selected a pair of Saucouny Guide 3's and loved the fit and the energy return that he thought was better than the GTS-10's. CK bought the Guides and I picked up an Amphipod water bottle that is form fitted for carrying while running and has a strap that secures it to your hand. I'll probably use it on Friday during my Central Park run. I could have used it last weekend when temperatures were close to 90.

This morning I headed out again for my run and was surprised by how cool it was compared to Tuesday. I actually felt cold having dressed for warmer temperatures. It took a few minutes to get comfortable but once I did it felt pleasant because there was little humidity in the air. My pace felt much brisker than yesterday's and while it was still a leisurely 9:25 average per mile that was :15 per mile faster than the day before. If not for my time constraints I would have added more miles. I returned home fresh and wishing I had more time to run. I guess it's always to finish wanting more.

An illuminating run

Today's run (street): 2.4 miles at 9:40 per mile

Not quite this bright!

I know I've already made too much of Sunday's long run but this morning my legs were really sore. I tend to feel the effects of a tough workout a couple of days later and that was the case today. My first thought upon awakening was to give myself a break and take another rest day. I dismissed the thought and considered an easy elliptical or treadmill session instead. Once I saw that the temperature at 4:00 AM was in the high 60's I decided to run outside.

The last few times I'd run with my Petzl Tikka headlamp I noticed that the intensity of the LED beam seemed low, even on the brightest setting. It had been a year since I bought the Petzl unit and had not yet changed the batteries. I corrected that on Sunday and this morning I was amazed by how well the lamp illuminated the streets. I had obviously become used the diminishing beam and had actually done an early morning run recently without the headlamp and didn't notice until I returned home. It was fun seeing my neighborhood lit up this morning, the bright blue-tinged light again creating illusions of evil faces reflected off the front of BMWs and Acuras. More importantly I could see the road better and was able to avoid a torn up stretch where a gas line was recently installed.

I didn't run fast today but I really felt great while I was out there. The air was cool enough to keep things comfortable and my legs, though tired, were fine once I hit the street. It may not have been my most rigorous workout of late but it was one of my most enjoyable early morning excursions. Today I plan to visit Jackrabbit with a friend who is looking for a new pair of running shoes. Between this morning's run and an opportunity to visit a running store during the work day, I couldn't be more pleased.