Run 32

Well, today was supposed to by a quick and easy run, back and forth a few times and then I'm out of there. But if you look at the map of today's run, I hit 7 dead ends and had to turn around each time.  It was one of the most obstructed runs I've done so far.  It was a bit frustrating, good thing most of my routes are not like this or I would have never gotten this far.  The map is looking pretty good, have you peeked at it lately??


Time:1:45pm
Distance: 5.02 miles
Time: 39:56 minutes
Music: Aida

Run 30 & 31

I was able to squeeze another run in with Steven before he headed back to DC.  I had to get to work and he had to catch his bus, so time was a bit limited but we ran 58th and 59th streets.  That now ends my obstacle free river to river runs.  If you look at my map, from 60th-110th street I have a this little thing in the way called Central park.  Down south I'm still dealing with street names and streets running in any direction they want, forget the east/west orientation, lol. I'm just happy that the weather has been beautiful and so far NYC winter has not stopped me from hitting the road.


Time: 1:30 pm
Distance: 4.72 miles
Time: 46:38 minutes
Music: Chatting with Steven


Today I needed to take the subway up town.  Instead of wasting being up there I decided to to an uptown run.  So far I've mainly be running the streets in order working away both directions from my house, with just a few exceptions.  I'm not married to the idea, just some sort of order seems to make sense to make sure I cover every square inch.  I was up on 96th Street and ran south, between the Hudson River and Central Park, covering 96th-91st streets.  This area was mainly residential. I struggled a bit today.  It was my third day in a row running.  I didn't have Steven to motivate me.  It was just after a holiday.  I was able to force myself to do 4 miles.  Running uptown was a little less exciting than my other recent runs.  But before I make too harsh a judgment I want to give it another try.  So for now I'll bite my tongue. :P      


Time: 1 pm
Distance: 4 miles
Time: 34:46 minutes
Music: Chess

Run 28 & 29

It's cold and dark out side and I'm very tempted to stay in bed, snuggled tightly underneath my covers.  It's hard to get motivated to bundle up and go running, but once I'm out there I'm very glad and excited.  I love the way the winter light hits NYC.  I'm seeing things in a way I haven't before.  It's motivating and makes me want to see and do even more.  Today I ran east on Houston street and then back west on Prince street. Prince Street in SoHo was downright magical.  Cobble stone streets, great independent shops, endless restaurants to try, cute apartment buildings, and such a great vibe and energy.  I'm thinking next time I need to move this my be one of the places I look for an apartment.   


Time: 1 pm
Distance: 4.23 Miles
Time: 38:06
Music: Alanis Morissette


Today was my first time with a guest runner.  My best friend Steve is visiting me from DC and he joined me running 56th and 57th streets today.  It was a very beautiful day. Having him on the run, renewed my thinking a bit.  Some times I forget to enjoy my surroundings,  To look up and see the buildings, look out and see the views.  But since I was trying to show off my city and my running experience,  it was fun to notice small old buildings, we saw a cute little old church, we run into a nice park at the end of the street over looking the east river with a great view of the Queensboro Bridge.  I love NYC! 


Here's Steven's thoughts about joining me on my run: "Running outside in NYC with my best friend, inspired me and made me look forward to the future. It reminded me of what a strong person I am and how much life has in store." 




Time: 2pm
Distance: 5.71 miles
Time: 56:04
Music: Chatting with Steven

Run 27

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, every where I go.


I was running out of time today, so I ran closer to home. I ran 52nd-55th streets. I'd been busy and out of town and it's been to long since I've run. I probably should have done a shorter run, to get me back into the swing of things, but at the same time I wanted to make up for lost time and run far. I ended up running over 8 miles. My hip socket hurt the next day. It's about a week before Thanksgiving and everywhere I looked I could see Christmas decorations being put up or already up. The store windows have Christmas displays, the trees and buildings have lights, The Rockefeller Center tree is being assembled, It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. NYC is a quite magical around Christmas. It is going to be a nice time of year. But I'm not gonna jump full into the season until after turkey day.


I found an article written last year about how St. Patrick's Cathedral prepares for Christmas:

(Click for Article) Photo: Ozier Muhammad/The New York Times

Time: 2:00 pm
Distance: 8.16 miles
Time: 1:06:37
Music: Alanis Morissette

Run 26 Behind the scenes

If anyone out there is actually following this, you might have noticed that it's been over a week since my last post.  I hurt my foot so I had to take a little time off.  Not really sure how I did it, or what is wrong, but taking it easy for a few days seemed to work.  


Today I ran 4th, 3rd, 2nd and 1st streets.  Kind of an accomplishment since I have been counting down since I started over 2 months ago on 47th street.  Too bad it's a false sense of accomplishment, because I'm far from done.  I'm still far from the southern tip on Manhattan and then I have to work my way north.  


I've decided to add a new feature to the blog.  I would really like to cover the areas I jog twice.  Like I've mentioned before, I can't jog and take pictures at the same time.  So ideally, after my jog I'd like to go back the same route and take some shots.  In reality, I don't have time to do that.  I do want to share some of my photographs with you.  I'm going to introduce a few different albums.  When I first post them, they may only have a few photos, but as time goes by I will continue to add photos to them.  By the time the blog is over, they should be a nice little collection.  I will introduce the albums in posts, but there will also be a separate page, where you can go straight to all of them.  


There are many things NYC is know for.  I like to quote Jonathan Larson's RENT and say, "New York City, center of the universe." One thing that isn't talked about much is how all this can happen in such a small area.  How can over 1.5 million people live on 23 square miles of land on the island of Manhattan.  As I have been running I am seeing things that most people don't.  Lots of people see or go on a horse drawn carriage ride in central park, but how many people see where the horse stables are?  We expect the trash to be removed and the streets plowed after a snow storm, but where are the garbage trucks kept?  


Here is my first NYC album,  entitled, "Behind the scenes". It's images of construction sites, alleys, storage, anything that isn't "meant" to be seen.  I hope you enjoy. 

(click for full album)

Time: 10:30 am
Distance: 5.59 miles
Time: 51:33 minutes
Music: Jo Dee Messina   

Run 24 & 25

Well, it's a good thing I'm flexible.  I started a run yesterday and right after I started I got a text message that I needed to be back home asap.  So instead of continuing on my planned route I took a a b-line up 8th ave back home.  I hadn't run enough to consider it a run at the point I got the text, and I knew I could probably run home just as fast as waiting for the subway.  So I did my first jog on an avenue instead of a street.  There was more traffic, but that meant the lights were in my favor, more often.  I got home quickly and still was able to complete 4.5 miles and cover new territory.


Time: noon
Distance: 4.53 miles
Time: 39:55 minutes
Music: Sugarland


NYC is beautiful right now.  We got scared that we were going to skip fall and head straight into winter.  But days like today (and yesterday)  give me hope we still have some decent days to come.  The air is brisk but not freezing.  The leaves are changing colors and the sun is low in the sky creating harsh sunlight and long drawn out shadows.  It really is unique and different if you take the time to stop and notice.


Time 3:30pm
Distance: 6.09 miles
Time: 55:43 minutes
Music: Next to Normal

Run 23

It finally stopped raining/snowing/sleeting and my muscle soreness has weaned enough to hit the road again.  So I took off on a run today trying unsuccessfully not to get lost.  As I took my first few steps I realized I was very unprepared for this run.  First of all I forgot my knee strap.  Second, I didn't have my Nike+ running chip in my shoes, so this run will be undocumented, you will just have to take my word for it.
Running shoes are starting to become a thorn in my side.  I've now been through 2 pairs.  If I was running so much and so hard that I wore out 2 pairs in two months, that would be one thing.  BUT, instead they are just falling apart or being ruined by room mates, lol.  After returning from a crazy summer, where my old shoes became Hawaiian trail hiking shoes, I got a new pair at about the same time I started this blog.  They only lasted about a month and then a big chunk of the foam on the heel broke off.  I knew that couldn't be good for my feet or running posture, so I got a new pair.  After breaking in this new pair just in time for the race, I got them all muddy running the Urbanathlon.  I washed them after the race, and trying to be helpful my room mate threw them in the dryer.  Running shoes and dryers don't mix.  They are now melted and totally misshapen and deformed.  Hopefully the next pair last much longer.






Time: 10:30 am
Distance: 4.45 Miles
Time: 0:39:56 minutes
Music: Kelly Clarkson