Sunday, January 20, 2013

i AM a runner.

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I had been feeling pretty shitty the last few days. I slept wrong again, so my neck was bothering me, but not as bad as a few weeks ago. I've been busy at work, and not sleeping well, so it was all catching up with me. I was on the phone with a friend on Saturday, telling her about how the ringing in my ears was getting a little worse - and  confessing to her that I didn't think I was going to run today - I was feeling run down, and not very happy. I really felt like I needed to sleep.  I made sure to go to bed earlier last night, and I turned off the clock alarm and the Sleep app alarm on my iPad, so that I would have the opportunity to sleep as long as I needed.

My usual wake up time is 5:30. I was up and wide awake at 7 am. My neck was stiff, and my left flank around my ribs felt tight. My ears were ringing and buzzing like crazy. I had a cup of coffee, read some running blogs (bless you ALL)- and became inspired. I had it in my sights to try Bethpage Park. I SO needed a change of scenery, and I've heard so much about it from bloggers and running friends on Facebook. I was compelled to get out despite the way I felt for a few reasons. It was supposed to be the last warm day in at least a week and a half, by most weather accounts. The last time I had neck issues, the runs actually made me feel BETTER. I could not pass up this opportunity today. 

It was 40 degrees on my deck (it faces north, btw) when I left for the park. On my way there, I watched the thermometer in the car slowly rise, until by the time I got there, it was 44 degrees. I opted not to wear a jacket that I had brought.  I had my water belt with water in one flask, and GU Berry dissolved in the other. I had eaten 3/4 of a P90X PB bar on the way there, sipping water with it. I had 2 tech shirts, (I really could have only worn one) - my gloves, skull cap and electronics. With my ears buzzing, I didn't feel like listening to music,  the radio, or podcasts. Again, it felt really strange not to have anything to concentrate on as I started out, but by the end of the first mile, I was loving just listening to my footsteps and breathing.
A few miles in I came up behind a man that looked like he was running the same pace I was. I stayed behind him until he turned around at mile 5.5. I kind of missed him after he left, although he did do a lot of spitting. 
I was so happy to be out there. The trail I thought, was actually lovely.  There were bridges, overpasses, running streams, and larger bodies of water. It was supposed to be pretty windy today, and I thought that the trees would act as a buffer against some of the stronger gusts, depending on the direction the path was taking. I imagined that it must be cool there during the summer months - the greenery lending shade. I believe someone told me that about this trail.
I had not changed my pace goals on Runmeter, so she was reminding me when I was not staying within a 9:30 - 10:00 pace. I wanted to stay around 10:30 - but I was feeling very good, and I'll have to check the final stats,  it wasn't till the end of the run that I NEEDED to slow down.
There was no discomfort as I approached the 7,8, 9 mile mark! My breathing was steady, my stride felt even. I came up under a funky overpass with water streaming over a man made fall - then to my utter horror and spewing 'eeeww!' I found myself running behind some commercial brick building spilling out onto a highway!






 I abruptly turned around, my serene demeanor fading fast - and I couldn't wait to get back under that overpass and back onto the trail. 
I stopped to take a picture.



The run on the way back seemed faster than the way out. By that time, there were more people around, lots more bikes. A group run had started from somewhere in the middle, and I was following them, but not able to keep up. I had to remind myself that I had been running an hour + already, and they were fresh. I was not. A few more miles later, they had turned around, and they passed me coming from the other direction. They could have been going out for 5 or 6 miles.

The hill going back was rough. As I came back up to the entry of the park, I needed to walk up that hill. By that time, my left knee and ankle were acting up. But at least the discomfort had waited until the very end. I started running again before I reached the top of the hill, and then went around the parking lot to make sure I completed 13 + miles. I  stretched diligently when I got back to the car. I had a half hour drive home, and stiffening up is always a problem.
But I was thrilled.

Could I possibly be made for distance instead of speed?



P.S. The discrepancy of pace and distance is a little annoying here, even if I did forget to shut off Runmeter a hundred yards or so after the Magellan. It shouldn't be off by so much. If I remember correctly, MapMyRun wasn't as far off as Runmeter is when compared to the Magellan. Anyone using Runmeter have the same observations?


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10 comments:

  1. Welcome to the Bethpage experience. That was my second home during my half marathon training and it's my go to route for training runs longer than 6 miles. I was amused by your take on the final hill leading to the parking lot. It's been my bĂȘte noire on almost every run that I've done there.

    My new strategy is to run about three miles south on the bike trail and come back to the hill while I'm still fresh. I then continue north on the new trail to get my mileage. Hope you are feeling better now.

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    1. ER, where do you pick up the new trail? Is it marked? I think I'd like to try that next time!
      I AM feeling better, thank you! Neck pain, be gone!

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    2. You can enter the newer trail right off the driveway that leads to the main lot (100 or so feet ahead of the house where you pay the entrance fee). They have an orange mesh "fence" with a sign that says no admittance or something like that but no one regards it. In fact the fence was laying flat across the path last time I was there. You can run as far north as Washington Ave from there, but you'll need to to cross Haypath and Old Bethpage roads to get that far. Depending on time of day, the traffic can be sparse or moderate.

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    3. Ok- I think I remember seeing that orange fence there. I'll need to take a look at a map again. Thank you!

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  2. You ARE a runner! And less than a year ago you started C25K. Wow! I'm so impressed! Love you, sista!

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    1. Thanks! In the words of YOU.. "Who woulda thunk it?"
      I love you too!

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  3. I have been wanting to try that run for awhile now, I have done a couple of races down in Massapequa which go on it for a bit. What part did you do? Where was the entrance? I was told there is one by Stop N Shop in Syosset I think on Jericho Tpke.

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    1. There is an entrance to that trail in Syosset?? Really.
      If you open the link to either the Magellan or Runmeter data, you'll see the map and the trail I ran. You can zoom in for the particulars!

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    2. Trailview State Park entrance (part of the Greenbelt trail) is adjacent to the Stop & Shop. You can park at the entrance and get right on the trail. The trail goes a little less than a mile and terminates either on Woodbury Rd or Syosset-Woodbury road. If you come down on the Syosset-Woodbury Rd. side you can cross and pick up the trail into Stillwell Woods and go north, cross Stillwell Ln and continue on the Greenbelt all the way to CSH.

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    3. Wow! So many options opening up to me now! I love what blogging is giving back to me. Thank you all!

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I appreciate you taking the time to read my musings! Thanks for commenting!