AMAZING Misty Run

SUCH SUCH SUCH a good run :) 43 minutes, 4.8 miles = just under 9 minutes/mile (my longest AND fastest run this week!). You can see my Upper Manhattan run route here.

It was 62 degrees and raining on and off today which is basically my ideal day (I think that nature is WAY more beautiful on a day like today than when it's all sunny).

I was thinking I'd run in the park, because Central Park is gorgeous on a day like today, but for some reason Upper Manhattan was calling to me.

I've never run north in Riverside Park before, and so I thought "ok I'll explore a new run."

It was a bit frustrating at first, because the park didn't really have many through paths in the beginning, so I kept entering and then crossing back to the Drive, and I was FREEZING in the beginning. You can't see it on the map of my run, but part of it (just like 5 blocks) is on a kind of bridge/expressway (which, in my infinite lack of geographical knowledge, I thought was the George Washington Bridge going to New Jersey, until I saw that I was only like 8 blocks from my house lol) and it was so windy I was thinking that I might have to turn around. I got really into the run, though, with all the new scenery around me (there is a lot of good running up there!), and I was actually thinking that I might run all the way to the real George Washington Bridge, which didn't appear to be that far in the distance (very deceptive lol).

I saw on a freeway sign when I got to 160th st. that the turnoff for the GW Bridge was at 178th, and if I was going to also run across it and back then that would be adding several more miles to my run. I looked down at my watch and I'd already been running for more than 20 minutes, so at 163rd st. at the top of a nice climb I turned around at the 23 minute mark. I actually brought my metro card with me today in case I decided that I'd rather run until I had to stop, rather than save enough to get back, but that strategy really only works when you're reasonably close to a metro or bus (like if you run in the park) and I knew that if I made the commitment to cross the bridge then I'd be really screwed if I tired out. It would have been really bad on my muscles (and probably just my system in general) to be stuck walking on a windy bridge over the Hudson in 60 degree weather, spitting rain, my legs tightening up, etc. On a warmer day I think I'll try to make it to New Jersey and back :)

Until I looked at the route online just now, I was thinking that maybe it was a net elevation gain on the way there and mostly downhill on the way back, because I made it back to my starting point in only 20 minutes (that was an 8:20 mile on the return!) but looking at the elevation map it was actually pretty even both ways (lots of ups and downs) and 163rd st. is about at the same elevation as 120th.

I'm really happy with my progress this week. That's more than 16 miles run this week and I'm feeling really fit (my legs are holding up quite well).

I've been eating really bad, but that's not really the point. I think if I can go out and run like I did today, noting that my fourth run this week was the best one yet (probably was good that I rested yesterday), then I'm doing pretty well.

VC