6.8 Miles - ???
4.0 Miles - 37:00
On Sunday I found myself in downtown NYC at 7:20, about 150 blocks from my home in upper Manhattan. I, being the brilliant nut that I am, had the ingenious idea of racing the sunlight home and making it my long run for the week. I wanted a challenge and watching the sun set as you run, knowing that you might find yourself stuck in the dark is a good, if not somewhat insane, motivation. I didn't know if I could do it. Having no time to warm up I was struggling as I made my way uptown and I didn't know if I could make it. But lo and behold, at 8:30, just before the sun went down I found myself somewhere very familiar.
Yankee Stadium....In the Bronx.
Oops.
Okay, so I may not be really good with directions. I didn't beat the sunlight, but hey, I did run from lower Manhattan to Yankee Stadium in an hour and a quarter without meaning to. So I'm going to call that a challenge conquered and save racing the sunlight for another day. After all, this training is all about beating a set of challenges all wrapped up in one huge challenge that I'm setting for myself.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Sunday, July 10, 2011
10 Miles (Also, why I will run Manhattan)
10.4 Miles - 1:39:40
This morning was my first on pace 10 miles of training (and only my second ever 10 miler). Distance seems to take on a new meaning when you're running. 10 miles doesn't seem that long when you're running in circles in Central Park but in the grand scheme of things, that's a pretty long run. From Baker Field at the Northern tip of Manhattan to South Ferry at the lower tip is 13.2 miles. Sometime in my training I'll have to knock that out. Just so I can say I ran the length of Manhattan. Just one more goal to reach. Running these distances make some crazy things seem distinctly possible....
This morning was my first on pace 10 miles of training (and only my second ever 10 miler). Distance seems to take on a new meaning when you're running. 10 miles doesn't seem that long when you're running in circles in Central Park but in the grand scheme of things, that's a pretty long run. From Baker Field at the Northern tip of Manhattan to South Ferry at the lower tip is 13.2 miles. Sometime in my training I'll have to knock that out. Just so I can say I ran the length of Manhattan. Just one more goal to reach. Running these distances make some crazy things seem distinctly possible....
Monday, July 4, 2011
Keeping With The Program (Also, Finding Inspiration in Strange Places)
My feeling is that any day I am too busy to run is a day that I am too busy.
--John Bryant
3 Miles - 28:27
I don't know who John Bryant was but I'd like to imagine that he had a very important job. Something like brain surgeon or sanitation worker. And he still felt that there should always be time to run. My program has me running four times a week: Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I'll try and keep up with blogging each of those days but no guarantees seeing as John Bryant said nothing about blogging.
Today out running, I stopped at this wonderful Greek columned lookout point in the middle of nowhere along the Hudson River Greenway. It's only miles from where I grew up and yet I've never seen the place until I started running. It's a nice benefit to running places you've never been, or never had time to look around. I thought I knew Central Park but every time I run there I find a different previously undiscovered nook or cranny. Apparently the lookout is called Inspiration Point. How aptly named...
--John Bryant
3 Miles - 28:27
I don't know who John Bryant was but I'd like to imagine that he had a very important job. Something like brain surgeon or sanitation worker. And he still felt that there should always be time to run. My program has me running four times a week: Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I'll try and keep up with blogging each of those days but no guarantees seeing as John Bryant said nothing about blogging.
Today out running, I stopped at this wonderful Greek columned lookout point in the middle of nowhere along the Hudson River Greenway. It's only miles from where I grew up and yet I've never seen the place until I started running. It's a nice benefit to running places you've never been, or never had time to look around. I thought I knew Central Park but every time I run there I find a different previously undiscovered nook or cranny. Apparently the lookout is called Inspiration Point. How aptly named...
Sunday, July 3, 2011
How We Got Here (Also, what I think about when I can't get any wetter)
I talk to myself when run. I feel like I should get that out of the way just so you know what you're dealing with before you decide to read or not. Because insanity may show up fairly often in this space. It's just part of who I am.
This blog will contain my thoughts about running, training and preparing for the marathon. Sometimes that'll intersect with real life and you'll get to know me a little that way. I will try to be funny so that you don't get bored. I will fail probably just as often as I succeed. Some of you may know me, while others may just be passing through, but I appreciate you all reading nonetheless. I'm Joey and I'm not a runner. But I did run nine miles in the driving rain this morning. I'm training. I'll be running in the NYC Marathon on November 6th. My goal: To finish.
I always like setting challenges for myself. I do like to compete, and running is a really tough kind of competition because you are fighting against yourself. And when I fight, I tell myself exactly how I plan to beat me. Which brings us back to the talking to myself. But I'm not just doing this for me anymore. It's for the charity I'm running for as well. The Blue Card provides stipends and other services to Holocaust Survivors in need. (If you feel like helping the cause and supporting my quest the link is on the left of the page.) It's this worthy cause that I'm running for, and it's this encouragement that forces me to essentially swim 9 miles through Central Park on a miserable Sunday morning.
And when I couldn't get any wetter, I couldn't help but realize that these next few months are going to be a very unique, tough, and ultimately exciting experience. So join me for the ride. Just hope that the insanity isn't infectious...
This blog will contain my thoughts about running, training and preparing for the marathon. Sometimes that'll intersect with real life and you'll get to know me a little that way. I will try to be funny so that you don't get bored. I will fail probably just as often as I succeed. Some of you may know me, while others may just be passing through, but I appreciate you all reading nonetheless. I'm Joey and I'm not a runner. But I did run nine miles in the driving rain this morning. I'm training. I'll be running in the NYC Marathon on November 6th. My goal: To finish.
I always like setting challenges for myself. I do like to compete, and running is a really tough kind of competition because you are fighting against yourself. And when I fight, I tell myself exactly how I plan to beat me. Which brings us back to the talking to myself. But I'm not just doing this for me anymore. It's for the charity I'm running for as well. The Blue Card provides stipends and other services to Holocaust Survivors in need. (If you feel like helping the cause and supporting my quest the link is on the left of the page.) It's this worthy cause that I'm running for, and it's this encouragement that forces me to essentially swim 9 miles through Central Park on a miserable Sunday morning.
And when I couldn't get any wetter, I couldn't help but realize that these next few months are going to be a very unique, tough, and ultimately exciting experience. So join me for the ride. Just hope that the insanity isn't infectious...
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