This morning was another beautiful day for a run … 41* and sunny. I went with a long-sleeved shirt, shorts and gloves. It didn’t take long for me to regret not wearing a cap. I still worked up a good sweat, but on the way to and from the park I felt the chill in the air.
I decided to revisit an older route to switch it up … the extended Bridle Path, which runs around the Reservoir up to 102nd Street and down to 60th Street along the West Drive of Central Park. The route is a bit more scenic as you roll south passing Strawberry Fields (John Lennon tribute), Tavern on the Green and a number of bridges. What I remember about this route is that at the end I always feel like it is (a) distance is incorrect and (b) my time cannot be correct. Today was no different. I eased into the run with a measured warm up and then let it roll. I felt fine throughout. No heavy legs, no labored breathing, but not really gliding either. I didn’t really feel any effects from yesterday’s hill and tempo work. As expected, my time threw me for a loop … 8.00 miles at 8:16 pace. I know my fitness has made some strides in the last 3-4 weeks, but that pace just does not compute for the minimal effort I expend. My watch is fine so that isn’t the issue. Despite there being signs all over the park stating the distance of the route (4.2 miles, which I reverse to work my way home), I still don’t believe it. I checked a bunch of sites that show a similar distance for the same route. I’ve even used the GPS and while there is some variation, the reported distance is pretty close. I think this is why I generally avoid this route. I don’t like uncertainty when I run. I want to just enjoy the run and not worry about silly stuff like determining whether the distance is accurate. I will say that there is a long downhill portion to the route, which I usually hit splits around 7:55-8:00. However, I still need to go uphill when I reverse it, so maybe it all balances out.
On the running club front, I am doing some research and chatting with folks about their experiences. I’ve targeted a couple of well-known clubs and will likely attempt a few training runs with them soon. It’s really important to me to find the right fit. I want serious/competitive, but not psycho. I’m not looking to win any awards here and relative to the reputation of one club in particular (fastest in NYC), I am definitely on the slow side. Will let you know when I schedule a run.
Are any of you members of local running clubs?