As winter winds down I wanted to pass on what I have learned this snowy winter about training on the snowy trails. I have spent the winter in Aspen, Colorado, a place with plenty of snow and many winter distractions, but I have nevertheless endeavored to keep in some sort of running shape. Read the rest of this entry »
Coasting at the 15-Mile Mark
I have had this book for quite a while but held off on writing a review until putting it to the test. I ran my first marathon this month - the New York City Marathon, at age 61. My personal target was 4:30 and I succeeded in just beating that. I used many sources of inspiration and information, some printed and the others verbal or web-based. This book, which intrigued me, was one such source.
It is a short book (about 100 pages). It is a little out of date. Nevertheless, I found it very relevant, easy to use, and often of help. If someone wanted to run their first marathon and was limited to reading no more than one 100-page book, this book is undoubtedly the answer. Read the rest of this entry »
I ran the NYC Marathon Sunday - my first marathon. What an amazing experience! It was much more than just a 26.2 mile run. The route, touching on all five boroughs, is uniquely exciting. There were over 43,000 runners. The massive, enthusiastic crowds along the route were loud and supportive of all runners. The whole event was orchestrated extremely well by New York Road Runners and the many other organizations that play a role in making the day a success.
Personally I was very happy with my 4:27 finish, beating my goal for the day and establishing a respectable PR. I am already planning to do this marathon again next year.
One of the most important things in getting me to a successful marathon finish was my local running club, the Reservoir Dogs. What a fantastically supportive group of young people - superb athletes, with social activities always prominent! My best advice for any budding marathon runner is to find a club, such as the Dogs, to train with and support you.
Having now survived not only the marathon but also the Reservoir Dogs marathon night celebration, I am now working on total recovery. Legs are aching but life is good!
On Sunday I ran the ING NYC Marathon Tune-up, an 18-mile NYRR race in Central Park. It poured rain the entire time getting to the 7:00 am start, running the race, and getting home afterwards. It was, without question, a very miserable experience.
With a temperature in the 50’s or above, I don’t mind running through the rain, making no attempt to keep dry. I see runners running in plastic jackets and garbage bags but cannot subscribe to that since I feel they will suffer from lack of airflow and will get wet anyway.
However, you really want to stay dry until the race start and also have dry clothes at the finish for the trip home. I duly traveled there with waterproof protection (umbrella included) and a change of clothes in my day-pack. But I missed one detail - I had to put my partly wet outer jacket and very wet umbrella in the pack to check it before the race start. Result: At the end of the race everything in my pack was soaked. Lesson learnt: On a rainy day always include some plastic bags and ties, allowing you to group and separate items of different dryness in your checked bag. (And as I interpret the rules for the NYC Marathon, they must be clear plastic bags.)
Kathrine is famous as the first woman to officially run the Boston Marathon (under circumstances of some controversy, back in 1967). After that historic event, she continued a powerful running career, which included winning the 1974 New York City Marathon. Kathrine is furthermore credited as one of the main influencers of the development of competitive distance running for women internationally, including the establishment of the women’s marathon as an Olympic event.
This book is Kathrine’s story. While that story is a fascinating one for anyone involved in running, it is more than that – it is a source of inspiration for anyone fighting against the odds in similar situations.
However, it is not just the story that makes this book special. It is written in such a casual, enjoyable style that I, for one, could not put it down. Marathon Woman is a must read for anyone who calls himself or herself a runner.
Warwick Ford, Author of Fun on Foot in New York
This week I remeasured all the trail segment mileages on the Charles River between the Museum of Science and the Eliot Bridge. I used a much more accurate GPS device than previously so the new figures are much better than before. I have also included Kilometers as well as miles.
I have adjusted some mileage reference points, which explains some discrepancies between old and new figures. For example, the reference point for the Boston end of the BU Bridge is now where the Baystate Rd. pedestrian overpass meets the river trail. These new reference points facilitate the adding up of segment mileages to give accurate loop mileages.
The map with the new mileages can be downloaded at www.funonfoot.com/boschrmap.html
On Labor Day Sunday I tried something different - a 14.2-mile training run from roughly the top tip of Manhattan to the bottom tip of that island. Read the rest of this entry »
Our free Central Park runners map is so popular we decided to do the same favor for Boston. The Charles River is the most popular running place in Boston and Cambridge and it was once my regular running place. However, there are so many route choices using all the bridges that you really need a map with all the segment mileages (and, of course, all the other details like water fountains, T stations, etc.) So here is my map - download it free, print it, and carry a copy. The only thing we ask is that you simultaneously subscribe to our free newsletter (you can opt-out at any time). And please email us with any suggested map improvements. Get the map at www.funonfoot.com/boston.html
Nola and I trekked west to San Diego to run in Sunday’s Half Marathon (August 16). It was an excellent event, with over 7000 runners, and well organized. The course is really spectacular. It starts at the Cabrillo Monument a little after sunrise and proceeds around the shore of San Diego Bay, into the heart of downtown San Diego, and then climbs the hills to finish in beautiful Balboa Park. For details of the main parts of this route, see our San Diego chapter in Fun on Foot in America’s Cities.
The course is mostly flat, with a downhill stretch near the start, and a very nasty uphill climb extending over a mile just before the finish. The latter feature makes the run quite challenging.
The weather, however, was just perfect, as San Diego’s weather almost always is. The temperature was in the low 70s and there was cloud cover hiding the sun for the first three-quarters of the route. On hearing from our friends how difficult the New York City Half (run the same day) turned out, with 90+ temperatures, we were very thankful that we had chosen to go west for that day’s race.
Both Nola and I were successful in our runs in San Diego, with both of us scoring PRs. What a fantastic event! We shall definitely keep it in mind for future years.
