Congrats to all the hardy runners who were out for the New Year's Eve runs in Central and Prospect parks (not to mention the Prospect Parkers who ran the club's Harry's Handicap race and then jumped in the water in Coney Island.)
*Don't send me pictures of the latter - I've seen them on Facebook already :-)
*Lots of interesting articles in the NYTimes recently, including the magazine cover story this week about losing weight, GPS watches not tracking accurately (that's a surprise?), other uses of McCarren Park's track (though where's the NBR mention!!), the challenges of elite athletes finding sponsors, how older runners perform
*My New Year's Day run was on the Brooklyn Bridge from the southern end of the Promenade. Mindful of the GPS inaccuracies, my new Garmin 210 showed that the Promenade is almost exactly 1/3 of a mile, and the run to the end of the Brooklyn Bridge is 1.93 miles.
*Speaking of which, song of the day that powered me (mentally) over the bridge, since I don't wear earphones outside: Gavin DeGraw's "Not Over You"
*NYRR Manhattan Half is closed, out, but still plenty of spots for the Joe Kleinerman 10K on Jan. 7
*For the speedsters among us, don't forget the indoor track races upcoming
*A reminder: 2012 Olympic marathon trials are in Houston this year. Brooklyn's Kelly Chin will be among those running.
*The Jets are done and the Pats clinched home-field advantage (cool). Good luck Giants tonight.
Showing posts with label Random. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Random. Show all posts
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Saturday Running Thoughts
*I love the fact that you can identify the hard-core folk aiming for New York Marathon in a couple of weeks (or Philly, or any of the late fall marathons). It's the belts, of course, with water, gel etc. It's the camaraderie (Yes, I've spelled this right). My run today, 15m, I nodded to several others out there in the final throes of training.
*Spent an hour at the tail end of the Rock 'N Roll 10K in Prospect Park. Purely judging on the music -- *THERE WERE NO LIVE BANDS*. I know the DJs tried, but cmon. My group passed four DJ stations, and no bands (3 on the loop, one on the upper transverse). If I missed any, apologies and I'll correct. But for the price of the race (I hope they got a great goodie bag), let's have some great music.
Searchable results should be here: The winning time: a blazing 29:01 (wow)
*Spent an hour at the tail end of the Rock 'N Roll 10K in Prospect Park. Purely judging on the music -- *THERE WERE NO LIVE BANDS*. I know the DJs tried, but cmon. My group passed four DJ stations, and no bands (3 on the loop, one on the upper transverse). If I missed any, apologies and I'll correct. But for the price of the race (I hope they got a great goodie bag), let's have some great music.
Searchable results should be here: The winning time: a blazing 29:01 (wow)
Monday, September 19, 2011
Random Thoughts on a Monday Evening
*The Staten Island Half (my favorite of the five official halfs that's not run in Brooklyn) on Oct. 9 is nearing capacity, so if you're planning to race, sign up now! Grete's Great Gallop on Oct. 1 still has space, though ... really ... do you want to race two loops of Central Park or go gallivanting on Staten Island?
*Boston Marathon entries continue this week, with the first round of entries already locked in. Now it gets interesting, as the remaining qualifiers seeking entry will continue be seeded based on how fast they beat their qualifying time. Entrants should know by Sept. 28. As of tonight, 88 people from Brooklyn were listed in the entrant database.
*Looking for some Northeast cross-country races this fall? Check out Chuck's X/C Calendar.
*Still looking to blast that final 5K of the year? Check out the Music That Heals 5K in Prospect Park this Sunday, Sept. 25. A look at upcoming races is here, courtesy of NYCRuns.
*Finally got down to Brooklyn Bridge Park (in Dumbo) the other day, where I haven't been for weeks. Checked out Jane's Carousel (it looks a little out of place, though is certainly beautiful), though even more importantly - you can now run in that area again and make a nice half-mile plus loop near the Manhattan Bridge.
*My DVD movie pick of the week (and maybe it'll inspire you to run in Red Hook): The Adjustment Bureau. Yeah, it's a cheesy sci-fi film (all the better), some great shots of the area, however.
*Boston Marathon entries continue this week, with the first round of entries already locked in. Now it gets interesting, as the remaining qualifiers seeking entry will continue be seeded based on how fast they beat their qualifying time. Entrants should know by Sept. 28. As of tonight, 88 people from Brooklyn were listed in the entrant database.
*Looking for some Northeast cross-country races this fall? Check out Chuck's X/C Calendar.
*Still looking to blast that final 5K of the year? Check out the Music That Heals 5K in Prospect Park this Sunday, Sept. 25. A look at upcoming races is here, courtesy of NYCRuns.
*Finally got down to Brooklyn Bridge Park (in Dumbo) the other day, where I haven't been for weeks. Checked out Jane's Carousel (it looks a little out of place, though is certainly beautiful), though even more importantly - you can now run in that area again and make a nice half-mile plus loop near the Manhattan Bridge.
*My DVD movie pick of the week (and maybe it'll inspire you to run in Red Hook): The Adjustment Bureau. Yeah, it's a cheesy sci-fi film (all the better), some great shots of the area, however.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Random Thoughts on a Tuesday Evening
The Brooklyn Bridge stinks ... literally ... at various points because of the painting. And we're in the midst of the summer tourism-hell season (with bikers who continue to ride over during rush hour). And yet we continue to go up there.
*Actually, the best time, paint smell not withstanding, I've found is the early morning. With the summer solstice upon us, you can actually capture the rising sun as part of your run - one of the prettiest sights here in NYC.
*Interesting article in the NYTimes on the 10% cap rule (i.e. you should only increase your mileage by 10 percent each week). I'm firmly of the belief that a) you train as to how your body lets you and b) rules are made to be broken. I have a colleague who jumps up mileage on one week, and then holds it for 3-4 weeks, breaks it down a week to recover, and then does it again.
*With the summer heat and humidity upon us, it's time to get creative. Rather than pounding out 15 miles, think about a two-a-day (breaking it up 7 in the AM, 8 in the PM) or run in the evening and then in the morning.
Some race updates:
*The NYRR Front Runners 5m on June 25 is now closed. The Achilles Hope & Possibility 5m on June 26 still has slots open.
*NYCRuns has links to both a Bad Ass Bay Ridge 5K and a Bad Ass Bay Ridge Challenge (with an an obstacle course) on June 25
*This is the on week for both the PPTC 5K in Prospect Park (on Wednesday) and the VCTC X-C race on Thursday.
*The Governor's Island 10K, however, is also closed at this point.
Get out there and run. And plan your summer vacations around some great running experiences, whether it be races or simply running in places you wouldn't normally.
*Actually, the best time, paint smell not withstanding, I've found is the early morning. With the summer solstice upon us, you can actually capture the rising sun as part of your run - one of the prettiest sights here in NYC.
*Interesting article in the NYTimes on the 10% cap rule (i.e. you should only increase your mileage by 10 percent each week). I'm firmly of the belief that a) you train as to how your body lets you and b) rules are made to be broken. I have a colleague who jumps up mileage on one week, and then holds it for 3-4 weeks, breaks it down a week to recover, and then does it again.
*With the summer heat and humidity upon us, it's time to get creative. Rather than pounding out 15 miles, think about a two-a-day (breaking it up 7 in the AM, 8 in the PM) or run in the evening and then in the morning.
Some race updates:
*The NYRR Front Runners 5m on June 25 is now closed. The Achilles Hope & Possibility 5m on June 26 still has slots open.
*NYCRuns has links to both a Bad Ass Bay Ridge 5K and a Bad Ass Bay Ridge Challenge (with an an obstacle course) on June 25
*This is the on week for both the PPTC 5K in Prospect Park (on Wednesday) and the VCTC X-C race on Thursday.
*The Governor's Island 10K, however, is also closed at this point.
Get out there and run. And plan your summer vacations around some great running experiences, whether it be races or simply running in places you wouldn't normally.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Random Thoughts on a Tuesday Evening
Is it me? No, it's not just me.
There's definitely some running excitement in the air.
I love this time of year, where we're on the cusp of shedding the cooler temperatures (I think I'm done with the tights, finally), and the prospect of singlets and shorts weather beckons.
I love going out for an early morning run and passing people of all shapes and sizes and speeds, some gearing up for their Boston Marathon blast, others just looking to shed some pounds (or give their dog a workout). On those runs, I don't *know* anyone, but I know them, such as the solitary runner on the Brooklyn Heights Promenade at 5:30 a.m., or the woman who runs in the Heights or on the Brooklyn Bridge in a long skirt.
I love the fact that running gives you a concrete goal. For some, it's simply to finish a race and a distance they've never done. For others, it's finishing a 8 x 400 with each one in 70 seconds or better. (Next stop, 16 x 400).
I was at Red Hook Track earlier this evening, desperately trying to reteach my legs how to run fast (it's always worse after I'm coming off an injury. I had a chance to watch some runners from Clara Barton High churning out some 400s, 200s, sprints - and it was pretty awesome.
There's definitely some running excitement in the air.
I love this time of year, where we're on the cusp of shedding the cooler temperatures (I think I'm done with the tights, finally), and the prospect of singlets and shorts weather beckons.
I love going out for an early morning run and passing people of all shapes and sizes and speeds, some gearing up for their Boston Marathon blast, others just looking to shed some pounds (or give their dog a workout). On those runs, I don't *know* anyone, but I know them, such as the solitary runner on the Brooklyn Heights Promenade at 5:30 a.m., or the woman who runs in the Heights or on the Brooklyn Bridge in a long skirt.
I love the fact that running gives you a concrete goal. For some, it's simply to finish a race and a distance they've never done. For others, it's finishing a 8 x 400 with each one in 70 seconds or better. (Next stop, 16 x 400).
I was at Red Hook Track earlier this evening, desperately trying to reteach my legs how to run fast (it's always worse after I'm coming off an injury. I had a chance to watch some runners from Clara Barton High churning out some 400s, 200s, sprints - and it was pretty awesome.
That's why I run. And ice.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Apologies
Ahh, rough couple of weeks, between work and battling some injuries (I find I don't post as much when I'm hurt, probably because I'm trying to tune out the fact that I can't run like I want to.)
That said, will get some posts out over the next few days, especially important given that the all-important Brooklyn Half is a bit more than 2 months away.
That said, will get some posts out over the next few days, especially important given that the all-important Brooklyn Half is a bit more than 2 months away.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Monday Morning Thoughts
Life has been interfering with blog posting (not with running, thankfully enough), so apologies. Few thoughts as the week begins:
*As noted earlier, the NYRR calendar is posted for the remainder of the year, albeit with some gaping holes. One might think the Brooklyn Half would be Sunday, May 22. One might also be completely wrong as it seems there are some things still being negotiated. (I can't see it being Memorial Day weekend). That raises the possibility of earlier in May, or later in June.
The Brooklyn Half also has the potential to be one of those entry nightmares, so when you do see the application posted, get in there quickly.
*I've been dragging myself out of bed at the wee hours a few times in the past several days to go running, and I've got to say I'm truly heartwarmed (well, some part of my body better be warm) by the number of folk I've seen out on the streets and on the bridges
*The Fred Lebow 5-miler took place on Sunday; results are here. I realize the precautions put in place for shifting the running date, though keep in mind that ultimately, the only change was the steady wind in runners faces today (ugh).
*I want to run the numbers to be sure, though I think at this point, with NYRR making a decision to keep Fred Lebow a marathon qualifier regardless of whether you run (and the New Year's Eve runs on 2011 ... and potentially 2012 ... both of which could conceivably count for this year), I do think it's possible to race less than 26.2 miles in NYRR races and still fulfill the NYRR marathon qualifying goal, given the races they have listed.
*As noted earlier, the NYRR calendar is posted for the remainder of the year, albeit with some gaping holes. One might think the Brooklyn Half would be Sunday, May 22. One might also be completely wrong as it seems there are some things still being negotiated. (I can't see it being Memorial Day weekend). That raises the possibility of earlier in May, or later in June.
The Brooklyn Half also has the potential to be one of those entry nightmares, so when you do see the application posted, get in there quickly.
*I've been dragging myself out of bed at the wee hours a few times in the past several days to go running, and I've got to say I'm truly heartwarmed (well, some part of my body better be warm) by the number of folk I've seen out on the streets and on the bridges
*The Fred Lebow 5-miler took place on Sunday; results are here. I realize the precautions put in place for shifting the running date, though keep in mind that ultimately, the only change was the steady wind in runners faces today (ugh).
*I want to run the numbers to be sure, though I think at this point, with NYRR making a decision to keep Fred Lebow a marathon qualifier regardless of whether you run (and the New Year's Eve runs on 2011 ... and potentially 2012 ... both of which could conceivably count for this year), I do think it's possible to race less than 26.2 miles in NYRR races and still fulfill the NYRR marathon qualifying goal, given the races they have listed.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Random Thoughts on a Tuesday Evening
*Tomorrow is the last day for the PPTC 5K summer series (scroll down on the site). Perfect opportunity to find out how your summer training went, and if you can bash out a PR. Race time around 7 a.m. (cars in the park help to determine the start).
*Don't forget to register for the Battle of Brooklyn 10-mile race. The race - a 3-person relay in Prospect Park, or a "simple" 1-person jaunt - takes place Aug. 22.
*Let's be careful out there. According to a DoT study, the greatest number of NYC fatalities/injuries from car/pedestrian accidents in 2002-2006 took place in Brooklyn (based on raw numbers and per capita), the New York Times says
*Nifty new bike mapping tool from Google, highlighted in the New York Times over the weekend
*Trail racing is popular, the Wall Street Journal says (well, yeah ...)
*Including this year's NYC Marathon, there are 12 events on the NYRR calendar that can be used for qualifying races for next year's event
*Why doesn't everyone get their hearts a flutter say, if Ryan Hall, is announcing his plans for the New York Marathon like the Brett Favre saga? (The sporting world is warped, I tell you)
*Don't forget to register for the Battle of Brooklyn 10-mile race. The race - a 3-person relay in Prospect Park, or a "simple" 1-person jaunt - takes place Aug. 22.
*Let's be careful out there. According to a DoT study, the greatest number of NYC fatalities/injuries from car/pedestrian accidents in 2002-2006 took place in Brooklyn (based on raw numbers and per capita), the New York Times says
*Nifty new bike mapping tool from Google, highlighted in the New York Times over the weekend
*Trail racing is popular, the Wall Street Journal says (well, yeah ...)
*Including this year's NYC Marathon, there are 12 events on the NYRR calendar that can be used for qualifying races for next year's event
*Why doesn't everyone get their hearts a flutter say, if Ryan Hall, is announcing his plans for the New York Marathon like the Brett Favre saga? (The sporting world is warped, I tell you)
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Random Thoughts as the Temps Hit 90
Blech. Never like it when it gets this hot. Cranked out a few miles this morning, but am despairing about the remainder of the week; can only hope the overnight temps drop down somewhat. Either that, or it's on to the treadmill. Some thoughts from the weekend:
-- Had a chance to run down in Red Hook yesterday (in fact, was there for a second day in a row today after a trip to Fairway). It's been a while since I'd traipsed down some of the side streets. In this case, we darted back behind the IKEA, found some welcome sprinklers, and then stopped off at the track (more water). Not a lot of shade, but it broke up the routine that had increasingly included the Brooklyn Bridge.
-- There's a letter in the July/August issue of Running Times from Brooklyn's Mark Saxon, defending Scott Jurek (the article looked at both Jurek and Dean Karnazes). It's not online yet (and may not be), though one point Saxon raised seems to hit home: " ... I think Dean is great, and he inspired me and many people to go out there and do it, but let's give credit where credit is due: Scott is the real champion. It's not about stunts to keep you in the press; it's about the love of the sport."
-- Do you know who Chris Solinsky is? Think sub-13 5,000 meters. This is worth a read. One thing I love about this - he's 6'1" and 165 pounds (OK, he also runs 7 minutes faster than I do in the 5K). But there's hope.
-- There are 11 Bear Mountains in New York state alone, according to Wikipedia. But the one in Orange County is the one most of us know and love. Worth a trip to hike on the trails, swim in the lake - basically, get out of the city.
-- The Ladder 5 Cross Country Challenge takes place in Staten Island next weekend - worth a look if you can get out there.
-- Thinking about a fall marathon/half marathon? The latest issue of Marathon & Beyond highlights the Mohawk Hudson River Marathon in early October. Very flat, good "no frills" Boston qualifier. And how can you beat the date? 10-10-10
Happy 4th everyone.
-- Had a chance to run down in Red Hook yesterday (in fact, was there for a second day in a row today after a trip to Fairway). It's been a while since I'd traipsed down some of the side streets. In this case, we darted back behind the IKEA, found some welcome sprinklers, and then stopped off at the track (more water). Not a lot of shade, but it broke up the routine that had increasingly included the Brooklyn Bridge.
-- There's a letter in the July/August issue of Running Times from Brooklyn's Mark Saxon, defending Scott Jurek (the article looked at both Jurek and Dean Karnazes). It's not online yet (and may not be), though one point Saxon raised seems to hit home: " ... I think Dean is great, and he inspired me and many people to go out there and do it, but let's give credit where credit is due: Scott is the real champion. It's not about stunts to keep you in the press; it's about the love of the sport."
-- Do you know who Chris Solinsky is? Think sub-13 5,000 meters. This is worth a read. One thing I love about this - he's 6'1" and 165 pounds (OK, he also runs 7 minutes faster than I do in the 5K). But there's hope.
-- There are 11 Bear Mountains in New York state alone, according to Wikipedia. But the one in Orange County is the one most of us know and love. Worth a trip to hike on the trails, swim in the lake - basically, get out of the city.
-- The Ladder 5 Cross Country Challenge takes place in Staten Island next weekend - worth a look if you can get out there.
-- Thinking about a fall marathon/half marathon? The latest issue of Marathon & Beyond highlights the Mohawk Hudson River Marathon in early October. Very flat, good "no frills" Boston qualifier. And how can you beat the date? 10-10-10
Happy 4th everyone.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Random Thoughts on a Sunday Evening
*The water fountain at Cadman Plaza nearest the Brooklyn Bridge is working. Very few others at some of the local parks are, however.
*The Central Park reservoir will be dedicated to Alberto Arroyo tomorrow evening at 6:30 p.m.
*The main PPTC Web site now has a pretty decent calendar of upcoming races (scroll down a bit from the home page)
*Good tickets are still available for Usain Bolt's visit to New York at the Adidas Grand Prix on June 12
*The Central Park reservoir will be dedicated to Alberto Arroyo tomorrow evening at 6:30 p.m.
*The main PPTC Web site now has a pretty decent calendar of upcoming races (scroll down a bit from the home page)
*Good tickets are still available for Usain Bolt's visit to New York at the Adidas Grand Prix on June 12
Saturday, January 30, 2010
10 Miles, 11 degrees (-12 degrees Celsius)
Ah yes, one of those morning runs in frigid Brooklyn. You know it's cold when you're running down the Promenade around 9 a.m. and *there is no one else there.* There was also a deceptive breeze blowing in your face as you cross the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan that basically just knifed through you. (The reading above came from the Watchtower clock).
And that's why I run.
Happy training this weekend, and dress warmly.
Just think - the Manhattan Half could have been this weekend. :-)
And that's why I run.
Happy training this weekend, and dress warmly.
Just think - the Manhattan Half could have been this weekend. :-)
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Some Quick Dashes
-- According to the NYRR Facebook site, it looks like registration for the some of the spring races will be up by Feb. 1
-- A Club Council meeting is being held on Jan. 27, at which point club points races will be determined
-- Registration is open for the North Face Endurance Challenge Races on May 8-9.
-- Nice homage in this week's Sports Illustrated to Mary Decker, who set a record in the women's 1500 30 years ago at Millrose. Tickets for this year's track event can still be purchased.
-- A Club Council meeting is being held on Jan. 27, at which point club points races will be determined
-- Registration is open for the North Face Endurance Challenge Races on May 8-9.
-- Nice homage in this week's Sports Illustrated to Mary Decker, who set a record in the women's 1500 30 years ago at Millrose. Tickets for this year's track event can still be purchased.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Random Thoughts on a Friday Evening
The pending stormy weather cut short a trip to Maine, so find myself unexpectedly back in Brooklyn on New Year's Day (hence all the posts). So let's clear out some backlog:
-- First off, apologies for the lack of stuff over the last couple of months (and even when I did post, I concede, they were kind of blah). Work, family and running will always take precedent toward the blog, which impacts the posts ... but even this was kind of strange. And part of it was, after running a fall marathon, I definitely fell into the post-marathon yucks.
What helped? Honestly, while I was away over the holidays, I did a couple of runs that were, well, different. This included a run from "work" to "home" that included some bounding across some highways (not advised) as part of the strategy to simply "head in one direction and then figure out where to go when I got there." And it was a blast. After being so focused on a goal, I needed to, simply put, not be. Running is fun. Never forget that.
So, I'm back. (Yippee!). And one thing I decided is to try to expand the blog a tiny bit more. So, while I'll be focused a lot on running, you might see some tangents (bars, pizza, etc.) that relate to "the running life", but aren't always apparent. (OK, I'll concede, I'm also dealing with some pizza blahs -- that'll be fixed quickly, I think).
-- Wanted to say thanks to "Meredith" who sent me a note thanking me for the blog. The point of doing this is to help folk run in Brooklyn. So will continue to try to do this.
-- The NYT had a great article the other day about my favorite running bridge that gets no respect (Manhattan, of course).
-- How many miles did you run in 2009? And what's your goal for 2010? I crested 1,000 (I think), after a bunch of injuries curtailed me. Hills Are My Friends hit 1860. *UPDATE - I ran 1,120 miles, with a top month of 183 in October (and a low month of 4, in April).*
-- "Results" are here from the NYRR Midnight Run in Central Park - basically a fun run except for those trying to win it. There were 4,465 runners.
-- One Runners World went to Rockefeller State Park yesterday - a worthwhile trip, it seems.
-- The NYRR Web site is devoid of information about this year's indoor track meets at the Armory. However, the Armory has this info about the races ... The first one is Thursday, January 7, and probably features the mile, 800 meters and the 2 mile. Cost is $15 a night (up from $10 last year)
-- First off, apologies for the lack of stuff over the last couple of months (and even when I did post, I concede, they were kind of blah). Work, family and running will always take precedent toward the blog, which impacts the posts ... but even this was kind of strange. And part of it was, after running a fall marathon, I definitely fell into the post-marathon yucks.
What helped? Honestly, while I was away over the holidays, I did a couple of runs that were, well, different. This included a run from "work" to "home" that included some bounding across some highways (not advised) as part of the strategy to simply "head in one direction and then figure out where to go when I got there." And it was a blast. After being so focused on a goal, I needed to, simply put, not be. Running is fun. Never forget that.
So, I'm back. (Yippee!). And one thing I decided is to try to expand the blog a tiny bit more. So, while I'll be focused a lot on running, you might see some tangents (bars, pizza, etc.) that relate to "the running life", but aren't always apparent. (OK, I'll concede, I'm also dealing with some pizza blahs -- that'll be fixed quickly, I think).
-- Wanted to say thanks to "Meredith" who sent me a note thanking me for the blog. The point of doing this is to help folk run in Brooklyn. So will continue to try to do this.
-- The NYT had a great article the other day about my favorite running bridge that gets no respect (Manhattan, of course).
-- How many miles did you run in 2009? And what's your goal for 2010? I crested 1,000 (I think), after a bunch of injuries curtailed me. Hills Are My Friends hit 1860. *UPDATE - I ran 1,120 miles, with a top month of 183 in October (and a low month of 4, in April).*
-- "Results" are here from the NYRR Midnight Run in Central Park - basically a fun run except for those trying to win it. There were 4,465 runners.
-- One Runners World went to Rockefeller State Park yesterday - a worthwhile trip, it seems.
-- The NYRR Web site is devoid of information about this year's indoor track meets at the Armory. However, the Armory has this info about the races ... The first one is Thursday, January 7, and probably features the mile, 800 meters and the 2 mile. Cost is $15 a night (up from $10 last year)
Monday, October 5, 2009
Random Thoughts on a Monday Evening
I am not a huge fan of running the early mornings. 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. starts, I can do with no problem. Even 6 a.m. isn't so bad. 4:30 a.m., after being awoken by a persistent (and yet undead) mosquito - not a fan. I read about the people who regularly get up for 5 a.m. runs and come back after a 10 mile jaunt - consider me impressed.
Yet circumstances and training necessitated a 9 mile run this AM
The few things that remain in my sleep-deprived mind (there is no way I'll see the second half of Monday Night Football tonight):
-- at 4:30, the Brooklyn Heights Promenade is empty, and beautiful when there is a full moon shining on the water
-- at 5 a.m. in Prospect Park, there are more power walkers (and couples, I might add) then there are runners
-- the park's raccoon and swan population is alive and well
-- I have to be really, really, really desperate to open one of the PortoPotties at that hour (I didn't)
-- It's harder to sprint for a subway car after running 9 miles
Other stuff as I'm thinking about it:
-- The Prospect Park Track Club is sponsoring a marathon bus ($10 for members, $15 for nonmembers) to get to the NYC marathon start. Also of interest: a Gatorade supported group run on Oct. 25 of the last 10 miles of the race
-- Check this out: Photo and article in Prospect Park, including resident Chris Bither, about running with a stroller
-- I asked Heavy Metal Runner for his description of an almost 20-miler that he's been running, and he obliged. To quote from his e-mail:
"It's a pretty good route. Lot's of water available on the 2nd half. I run from carroll gardens up union street to easter parkway, then up bedford all the way through williamsburg. I make my way into long island city over the pulaski bridge, the over the queensboro bridge, across manhattan to the west side and then I take the west side down until I hit chambers street and then i head over the brooklyn bridge and straight home. I like this route also because it covers a lot of territory that the marathon covers which I had yet to run on (this years marathon is my first so i figured it would be to my benefit to run some of it's faraway from home stretches to gain a little familiarity)"
Yet circumstances and training necessitated a 9 mile run this AM
The few things that remain in my sleep-deprived mind (there is no way I'll see the second half of Monday Night Football tonight):
-- at 4:30, the Brooklyn Heights Promenade is empty, and beautiful when there is a full moon shining on the water
-- at 5 a.m. in Prospect Park, there are more power walkers (and couples, I might add) then there are runners
-- the park's raccoon and swan population is alive and well
-- I have to be really, really, really desperate to open one of the PortoPotties at that hour (I didn't)
-- It's harder to sprint for a subway car after running 9 miles
Other stuff as I'm thinking about it:
-- The Prospect Park Track Club is sponsoring a marathon bus ($10 for members, $15 for nonmembers) to get to the NYC marathon start. Also of interest: a Gatorade supported group run on Oct. 25 of the last 10 miles of the race
-- Check this out: Photo and article in Prospect Park, including resident Chris Bither, about running with a stroller
-- I asked Heavy Metal Runner for his description of an almost 20-miler that he's been running, and he obliged. To quote from his e-mail:
"It's a pretty good route. Lot's of water available on the 2nd half. I run from carroll gardens up union street to easter parkway, then up bedford all the way through williamsburg. I make my way into long island city over the pulaski bridge, the over the queensboro bridge, across manhattan to the west side and then I take the west side down until I hit chambers street and then i head over the brooklyn bridge and straight home. I like this route also because it covers a lot of territory that the marathon covers which I had yet to run on (this years marathon is my first so i figured it would be to my benefit to run some of it's faraway from home stretches to gain a little familiarity)"
Monday, September 28, 2009
Random Thoughts on a Monday Evening
I started typing the subject line ... and realized I've done this before. Some quick hits/thoughts before I get sucked into the work week:
-- Some guy on Craigslist is offering $500 for a marathon bib (note this is illegal and will get you banned from future races). I'm interested in discovering how he manages to avoid the NYRR sting operation, since you know they troll the site as well.
-- I'm looking, but not seeing yet, the results from the Brooklyn Triple Crown. I think it's a great concept, and am sorry Brooklyn Running didn't do more to promote it. Some decent local sponsorship, and better marketing - I think it's got a shot to thrive. Chalk it up for a goal for 2010.
-- I ran in Central Park earlier today, and got sucked into the same trap that happens most of the times I run a full loop. I see a runner, I want to pass him/her. Then I start picking up the pace, and all of a sudden I'm running tempo pace for what's supposed to be an easy 6 mile run. (This doesn't happen in Prospect Park, or actually, many of my other solo runs. I'm suspecting this has to do with the fact that my ratio of Central Park runs/races is a lot higher.). Open to any thoughts on how to avoid this, beyond better self-discipline.
-- Following up on some earlier speculation: I'm told that no, you can't get two qualifying races by registering both the short (1.7 miles) and the long( 13.1 miles) at the Norwegian Festival in Central Park this weekend. (Kudos to anyone who pulls it off and gets credit). I bet you get two cracks at the smoked salmon for the bagels, however.
-- My first blog entry on this blog was two years ago tomorrow. Since then, when I'm actively posting, the blog is getting more than 100 page views a day, and I'm now up to 10 followers. (Which is both awesome, and a little creepy).
For a variety of reasons, I don't do a lot of promotion or outreach, pushing this to other Brooklyn sites or setting up a Twitter account (the latter because I think I'd annoy myself.) But I wanted to thank you all for your comments and feedback over the past 24 months, because it shows your dedication.
Stuff like this, which was sent to the e-mail account, makes my day.
"I just wanted to send you a quick email to let you know that your blog is awesome. I came across it a while ago and I check it repeatedly, pretty much because I'm a running nerd myself and I also live in brooklyn."
That's who I'm trying to help. And if one of the things I pontificate about takes off a few seconds from your 10K pace, then I've done my job.
So, please forgive my foibles and occasional lack of timely response (for example, if "Heroes" wasn't entering its death spiral - it already jumped the shark, now it's being eaten, I wouldn't be posting tonight). And good luck to all of you as we enter Year 3.
-- Some guy on Craigslist is offering $500 for a marathon bib (note this is illegal and will get you banned from future races). I'm interested in discovering how he manages to avoid the NYRR sting operation, since you know they troll the site as well.
-- I'm looking, but not seeing yet, the results from the Brooklyn Triple Crown. I think it's a great concept, and am sorry Brooklyn Running didn't do more to promote it. Some decent local sponsorship, and better marketing - I think it's got a shot to thrive. Chalk it up for a goal for 2010.
-- I ran in Central Park earlier today, and got sucked into the same trap that happens most of the times I run a full loop. I see a runner, I want to pass him/her. Then I start picking up the pace, and all of a sudden I'm running tempo pace for what's supposed to be an easy 6 mile run. (This doesn't happen in Prospect Park, or actually, many of my other solo runs. I'm suspecting this has to do with the fact that my ratio of Central Park runs/races is a lot higher.). Open to any thoughts on how to avoid this, beyond better self-discipline.
-- Following up on some earlier speculation: I'm told that no, you can't get two qualifying races by registering both the short (1.7 miles) and the long( 13.1 miles) at the Norwegian Festival in Central Park this weekend. (Kudos to anyone who pulls it off and gets credit). I bet you get two cracks at the smoked salmon for the bagels, however.
-- My first blog entry on this blog was two years ago tomorrow. Since then, when I'm actively posting, the blog is getting more than 100 page views a day, and I'm now up to 10 followers. (Which is both awesome, and a little creepy).
For a variety of reasons, I don't do a lot of promotion or outreach, pushing this to other Brooklyn sites or setting up a Twitter account (the latter because I think I'd annoy myself.) But I wanted to thank you all for your comments and feedback over the past 24 months, because it shows your dedication.
Stuff like this, which was sent to the e-mail account, makes my day.
"I just wanted to send you a quick email to let you know that your blog is awesome. I came across it a while ago and I check it repeatedly, pretty much because I'm a running nerd myself and I also live in brooklyn."
That's who I'm trying to help. And if one of the things I pontificate about takes off a few seconds from your 10K pace, then I've done my job.
So, please forgive my foibles and occasional lack of timely response (for example, if "Heroes" wasn't entering its death spiral - it already jumped the shark, now it's being eaten, I wouldn't be posting tonight). And good luck to all of you as we enter Year 3.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Random Thoughts on a Saturday Morning
Would rather be running this AM rather than blogging, but sometimes other priorities come up. Still, a chance to go through some assorted stuff that's accumulated in my brain (and e-mail box) in no apparent order ...
-- My first reaction when I saw this article on the new High Line: I must run on it ... For a time, I worked near the portion around 34th Street, and it was always so tempting to hop the fence that blocked it and go for a stroll. Alas, this was also post-9/11, meaning the odds of getting arrestedas a result had drastically increased. A portion of the route is open now, and more to come ...
-- For a variety of reasons - injury, timing, etc., I'd managed to put off the first decently long run of the year in 70-plus degree conditions and 90+% humidity, until yesterday. Blech. A bit more than an hour, and I was four pounds lighter as the sweat poured down my body. (And I was hydrating throughout). Blech. Obviously I need to do a bit better. Here's a link, BTW, to an attempt to map NYC water fountains.
-- Apropos of nothing: The Princess Bride remains one of the best movies ever. "My name is Inigo Montoya ... "INCONCEIVABLE!" -- so many great quotable lines (I'm reminded because you can now link to Facebook groups directly ... such as the NYRR (or, I suspect you will, when they get it working.)
-- Let's Run has ongoing coverage of the NCAA Division 1 championships, and the amazing Galen Rupp. It's worth clicking on the mini-videos that are part of Day 2 and Day 3 (and are now on the main home page) of the coverage to watch the final three minutes of his 10K and 5K victories, respectively. Ahh, to have that kind of talent.
-- If you wanted to get in some low-impact (i.e. grass, trails) *downhill* running - say at least a good 200 meter stretch, where would you go? It's easy to find pavement - it's less so to find the low-impact stuff. The wooden slats on the Brooklyn Bridge aren't bad, but not preferable, especially on the weekends when Tourist Hell arrives.
-- Woefully behind on calendar/fall marathon lists, etc. Will have downtime at weird hours this weekend, so watch for updated posts. Happy trails.
-- My first reaction when I saw this article on the new High Line: I must run on it ... For a time, I worked near the portion around 34th Street, and it was always so tempting to hop the fence that blocked it and go for a stroll. Alas, this was also post-9/11, meaning the odds of getting arrestedas a result had drastically increased. A portion of the route is open now, and more to come ...
-- For a variety of reasons - injury, timing, etc., I'd managed to put off the first decently long run of the year in 70-plus degree conditions and 90+% humidity, until yesterday. Blech. A bit more than an hour, and I was four pounds lighter as the sweat poured down my body. (And I was hydrating throughout). Blech. Obviously I need to do a bit better. Here's a link, BTW, to an attempt to map NYC water fountains.
-- Apropos of nothing: The Princess Bride remains one of the best movies ever. "My name is Inigo Montoya ... "INCONCEIVABLE!" -- so many great quotable lines (I'm reminded because you can now link to Facebook groups directly ... such as the NYRR (or, I suspect you will, when they get it working.)
-- Let's Run has ongoing coverage of the NCAA Division 1 championships, and the amazing Galen Rupp. It's worth clicking on the mini-videos that are part of Day 2 and Day 3 (and are now on the main home page) of the coverage to watch the final three minutes of his 10K and 5K victories, respectively. Ahh, to have that kind of talent.
-- If you wanted to get in some low-impact (i.e. grass, trails) *downhill* running - say at least a good 200 meter stretch, where would you go? It's easy to find pavement - it's less so to find the low-impact stuff. The wooden slats on the Brooklyn Bridge aren't bad, but not preferable, especially on the weekends when Tourist Hell arrives.
-- Woefully behind on calendar/fall marathon lists, etc. Will have downtime at weird hours this weekend, so watch for updated posts. Happy trails.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Random Thoughts on a Saturday Evening
** If you were procrastinating about signing up for Boston, or hoping to get a qualifying time in early February, that option is no more. Boston filled up as of Jan. 26, according to this press release on the BAA site. This is one of the earliest dates the race as closed, if not the earliest.
** At least 102 Brooklyn residents are signed up for the Boston race, according to the entrant database.
** Results are here from last night's Millrose Games. Lagat and Goucher were among the big winners ... anyone go? There's a link here which has some televised schedules of some of the bigger U.S. track meets.
** Friggin' cold today (again). It wasn't so bad with the wind at the back, but if you had the misfortune this morning to be running into the headwind (as I was, heading on Ocean Parkway toward Prospect Park) .... brr. The highs on Sunday and Monday (at least 42 degrees Fahrenheit according to Weather.com) look promising, though.
** The NYRR Gridiron Classic (4 miles) tomorrow is not closed yet, though suspect there will be some kind of cut off.
** I've always been a Marion Jones fan, and am saddened by the choices she made. This Yahoo! article offers more evidence about her fall from grace. Sigh.
** At least 102 Brooklyn residents are signed up for the Boston race, according to the entrant database.
** Results are here from last night's Millrose Games. Lagat and Goucher were among the big winners ... anyone go? There's a link here which has some televised schedules of some of the bigger U.S. track meets.
** Friggin' cold today (again). It wasn't so bad with the wind at the back, but if you had the misfortune this morning to be running into the headwind (as I was, heading on Ocean Parkway toward Prospect Park) .... brr. The highs on Sunday and Monday (at least 42 degrees Fahrenheit according to Weather.com) look promising, though.
** The NYRR Gridiron Classic (4 miles) tomorrow is not closed yet, though suspect there will be some kind of cut off.
** I've always been a Marion Jones fan, and am saddened by the choices she made. This Yahoo! article offers more evidence about her fall from grace. Sigh.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Plane Thoughts
Frigid morning, eh? Might have the been the first time that the length of my run topped the starting temperatures (a balmy 7 degrees Fahrenheit).
I swear, the only two things that got me out of bed was the knowledge that a) I'd already made arrangements to meet with people -- always a great motivator when it's this cold -- and b) a pretty good idea that we'd all have the same idea - make the trek from Brooklyn to see if we could get a view of the plane in the Hudson, despite the freeze. Runners are weird that way, ya' know?
Turns out, that really wasn't the strangest thing on this run (from Grand Army Plaza, over the Brooklyn Bridge, along Chambers to the West Side, and then a loop down around Battery Park before heading back - about 11 1/2 miles to 12 miles). We did see the plane, or at least the wing, sticking out of the water, but the cops were doing a pretty good job of keeping the crowd away as the workers made preparations to haul it out of the water.
But wow, it was cold. So cold that when we were coming back up to the park, we passed a guy who, I swear, had fully formed icicles coming from his beard.
Oh, and the strangest thing? Running through Battery Park, there was a wild turkey trotting around right by the Staten Island Ferry terminal.
I swear, the only two things that got me out of bed was the knowledge that a) I'd already made arrangements to meet with people -- always a great motivator when it's this cold -- and b) a pretty good idea that we'd all have the same idea - make the trek from Brooklyn to see if we could get a view of the plane in the Hudson, despite the freeze. Runners are weird that way, ya' know?
Turns out, that really wasn't the strangest thing on this run (from Grand Army Plaza, over the Brooklyn Bridge, along Chambers to the West Side, and then a loop down around Battery Park before heading back - about 11 1/2 miles to 12 miles). We did see the plane, or at least the wing, sticking out of the water, but the cops were doing a pretty good job of keeping the crowd away as the workers made preparations to haul it out of the water.
But wow, it was cold. So cold that when we were coming back up to the park, we passed a guy who, I swear, had fully formed icicles coming from his beard.
Oh, and the strangest thing? Running through Battery Park, there was a wild turkey trotting around right by the Staten Island Ferry terminal.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Random Thoughts on a Saturday Evening
** I'm listening to the Boston-Montreal hockey game over the Internet, and trying to decide if it's more or less interesting than trying to watch the streaming video, with limited audio, from the Division III National X/C championships from earlier today. (I've got some NYU ties, so was hoping for the upset ... no luck ...) So far, the jury is out ... Hope the Div. 1 Nationals are better.
** If you haven't signed up for this Thursday's Turkey Trot in Prospect Park, don't wait until the last minute. Race applications are higher than ever, and it's possible that last year's record turnout will be threatened (meaning you show up, get into the race, but won't get the swag). Details here about how to sign up for the 5 mile race. (And hey, if you pick up your stuff at JackRabbit, support the local running community)
** PPTC has a link to some comments from the finisher's of the NYC Marathon earlier this month. If you download, note that it's an Excel file.
** Good luck to everyone running the Philly Marathon tomorrow. Hopefully, the colder temperatures won't affect the times too much (though have got to admit, my run this morning was curtailed because I just simply couldn't get my legs loosened up)
** Am hearing some rumblings that we *might* see more NYRR races outside of Central Park in 2009. This, obviously, would be dependent on a ton of factors - city permits, venues, etc. Worth keeping an eye on, especially if any come to Prospect Park or elsewhere in Brooklyn (hey, maybe a Red Hook track series?)
** Speaking of JackRabbit, some good and bad news. The good: they will have a huge post-Thanksgiving clearance sale. The bad: It's only at their Union Square location, according to the recent newsletter. Still, an opportunity for some cheap running stuff as we head into the dark days of winter (I need new tights, I realize).
** If you haven't signed up for this Thursday's Turkey Trot in Prospect Park, don't wait until the last minute. Race applications are higher than ever, and it's possible that last year's record turnout will be threatened (meaning you show up, get into the race, but won't get the swag). Details here about how to sign up for the 5 mile race. (And hey, if you pick up your stuff at JackRabbit, support the local running community)
** PPTC has a link to some comments from the finisher's of the NYC Marathon earlier this month. If you download, note that it's an Excel file.
** Good luck to everyone running the Philly Marathon tomorrow. Hopefully, the colder temperatures won't affect the times too much (though have got to admit, my run this morning was curtailed because I just simply couldn't get my legs loosened up)
** Am hearing some rumblings that we *might* see more NYRR races outside of Central Park in 2009. This, obviously, would be dependent on a ton of factors - city permits, venues, etc. Worth keeping an eye on, especially if any come to Prospect Park or elsewhere in Brooklyn (hey, maybe a Red Hook track series?)
** Speaking of JackRabbit, some good and bad news. The good: they will have a huge post-Thanksgiving clearance sale. The bad: It's only at their Union Square location, according to the recent newsletter. Still, an opportunity for some cheap running stuff as we head into the dark days of winter (I need new tights, I realize).
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Running Fun
Apropos of nothing, was reminded of the following video from Brooks that came out, what, two years ago? And remembered how perfect it is ...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)