NYC Runners, You Don’t Want to Miss This!

That’s right, the can’t-miss fun run of the year is happening June 1st! I highly doubt you’ll find a run with better samples and prizes than this one! Plus, you get to hang out with some really awesome Oiselle team runners! (ahem, like me!)

The details:

• Date: Saturday June 1
• Time: 8:30am
• Sponsored by Oiselle, Nuun and Picky Bars
• Hosted by Greatist
• Choose between 4miles or 8miles – and ALL runners are welcome
• Josh, aka @speedysasquatch, will lead the run and answer questions
• The event is free, but to help out Jocelyn and Meggie, who are organizing this awesome event, if you know you are going to come please sign up HERE, you can also check out the Facebook event page for more details! 
• #weRUNnyc

HOPE TO SEE YOU ON THE 1ST!

Race Report: Japan Run (4M)

So yeah, this is a bit overdue. The past week has been a bit hectic and draining. I did not run the Brooklyn Half Marathon today like thousands of New Yorkers, but I want to say a big congratulations to those who did, like Grace & April!!

Last Sunday I ran the Japan Run, an annual four mile New York Road Runners race in Central Park that I’ve run several times but not in the last few years. I’ve been picking my races carefully this year, and this was my second race of the year – the first being this very cold one. I woke up to rain, so I put a few extra items in my bag and headed up to Central Park. The start line of this race has moved down to near East 68th Street from 102nd when I last ran it, which I much prefer since we were able to tackle Cat Hill very early on.

Since Boston, NYRR has instituted several new procedures – runners can only check clear plastic bags that are provided by NYRR, security checks at the porta-potties – and expected that it would take a bit more time to get through it all, but it actually wasn’t bad. Plus, I found out that if I fold it up and put it in the clear plastic bag, that I can still use my incredibly awesome Oiselle spike bag.

I found shelter from the light rain for a bit under a bridge with a ton of other runners then headed to the corral about 15 minutes before the race starts. I never quite understand why they close the corrals 10 minutes before the start (although usually you can find a place to sneak in). As we were getting the race instructions, the clouds started to part and the sun came out in full force. I had been a little worried about my wardrobe choice when it was damp and chilly but then thankful that I went with just my Oiselle singlet and distance shorts by the time I hit the top of Cat Hill!

I started a bit conservatively this time but each time I knocked off another hill my confidence rose a little and my speed crept up just a tad. While there were thousands of people running, for some reason it didn’t seem as crowded and hectic at the start and throughout as it usually does. While I don’t run in the park as often as I used to, I still know it very well which is always helpful when running a race. It’s good to know what’s ahead so you can adjust your speed or plan depending on how you’re feeling and how the race is going.

There were a ton of people out for this race – many of whom had run the UAE 10K the day before and many who were planning to run the Brooklyn Half today. It turned out to be a really beautiful mother’s day and a great race! While not my fastest time, I’m still happy with how I did and ready to tackle my next two races that are coming up quickly!

Apparently I had some trouble getting my number on straight that morning!

There was a pretty big post-race festival along the Mall but I decided to head out and walk down to Times Square to pick up the subway since it was a beautiful day and still pretty early. Usually I’d rather be just about anywhere except Times Square, but I’ve been finding myself there more often lately for one reason or another. This time, for some reason, I felt the need to stop and get a picture.

Next race up is May 30th – AHA Wall Street Run (in my ‘hood!) – then the NYRR Oakley Mini 10K on June 8th!

Are you racing this weekend or have one coming up?

Running Hills X 2; A Day Trip from NYC

This weekend was pretty fantastic. I did a good bit of running, got out of the city for a day trip with Woody and the weather was absolutely amazing!

We don’t have a car so we rarely leave the city unless we’re leaving the state, but Woody was invited to go golfing in Connecticut with a colleague on Saturday morning, so he rented a car and ended up getting a great deal that allowed him to have it the whole weekend. What that meant was 1) we drove to Trader Joe’s rather than having to lug our groceries for the week home on the subway (which was running local) and 2) DAY TRIP!!!

As soon as Woody mentioned we’d have the car till Sunday evening and suggested we use it to do something interesting we don’t usually get to do, I knew exactly what that was. The day after our rowing experience, April, her husband and a few others went up to Rockefeller State Park Preserve in Sleepy Hollow, NY to go running. I’ve been hearing about this place for years as it’s apparently a great place to run, but it’s really only accessible via car. Metro North goes to Sleepy Hollow but then a cab ride would be necessary, so it’s not too convenient for those without cars. Woody was game as soon as I suggested it.

But first, on Saturday when Woody was off golfing, I headed up to Central Park for a run. I have a race next Sunday and needed some practice on the hills. I’ve not been running up there like I should be. It was an absolutely beautiful morning and I’m beyond happy that I got myself uptown to run.

With guidance from April, we headed out around 7:30am and arrived at Rockefeller State Park Preserve within an hour. Surrounded by trees, it felt like we were thousands of miles from New York City. I tucked my phone in my jacket pocket – it was chilly and April advised that GPS might come in handy – grabbed my handheld and we were off.

The sun was out and so were a number of other people. The park wasn’t super crowded as there are a lot of trails to explore, but there were a lot of people walking and running. Dogs and horses are allowed on the trails, but bikes aren’t. I swear this is true when I say it: 98% of the people we passed along the way either said “good morning” or “hi” or waved as we went by. When I used to run in Central Park in the morning, often there would be an acknowledgement between runners but it pretty much never happens elsewhere or at other times in this city. Please tell me if your experience is different, I hope it is! It was really nice to see so many people – of all ages – out enjoying the trails on a Sunday morning.

We wound up doing 6.65 miles according to my Garmin, but didn’t even touch half the park. This is not a flat park; these are hilly trails with slight variations in the surfaces and beautiful scenery. At times, we kept going up and up and I didn’t think there was any further up to go, but it kept going! I admit, I did slow to a walk a few times, but I’m pretty proud of myself considering I haven’t run that many miles for a long time, I don’t run hills often and I never run on trails. This run definitely boosted my confidence going into next Sunday’s race! We had a great time exploring the park and enjoying a beautiful spring morning!

After we finished our run, we found a diner in Tarrytown for breakfast then walked around the quaint little town a bit. It was really cute with a very busy coffee shop, a juice/smoothie bar and a bunch of other little shops and restaurants. Rather than taking the highway back to the city, we chose the scenic route and stopped in a few other little towns along the Hudson River. We stumbled upon the Red Barn Bakery, which is down the street from a riverside park with views of NYC and right by the Metro North station in Irvington. While everything looked amazing, we chose a peach muffin to split later.

It was a great day trip and a fantastic weekend. With so much running, blue sky and fresh air, I am ready for the week ahead!

What were the highlights of your weekend? Do you run on trails or stick to the road? What is your ideal day trip?