Training recap week of 8/4 (Dumbo Double Dare Week 2)

This week was really solid in terms of running - got a total of 6 days in!  I didn't do so great with PiYo though as much as I wanted too.  I somehow lost my will to get up early (I usually do my PiYo in the AM and run in the evening).  Oh well, hopefully this week I'll do better!

My weekend run schedule got a little bit switched around this week as my mom was in town on Saturday and Sunday so I knew I wouldn't be able to do my long run on Sunday (this was a back to back week).  We had a great time - went to see the musical Newsies on Saturday night.  I love the movie version and very much enjoyed the show!  I think it's going on a national tour soon, so if it comes to your town, I recommend seeing it!

Monday
Scheduled: Rest
Actual: 2.52 mi, 30:00, 11:54 pace

Even though it was a rest day, I attended a workout at the new Reebok FitHub in the city.  Olympian Carrie Tollefson was there to lead the run.  It was a fun time!

Tuesday
Scheduled: 4 miles easy
Actual: 3.07 mi, 32:18, 10:31 pace

My legs were feeling a little tired and since I ran the night before, I cut this one a little short.

Wednesday
Scheduled: 6 miles easy
Actual: 6.01 mi, 58:02, 9:40 pace

Thursday
Scheduled: 4 miles easy
Actual: Rest

Moved this run to Friday to get my back to back in.

Friday
Scheduled: Rest
Actual: 4.08 mi, 42:17, 10:22 pace

Saturday
Scheduled: 4 miles easy
Actual: 12.00 mi, 2:00:40, 10:03 pace

Was supposed to do this on Sunday, but switched it since my mom was in.  Enjoyed week 2 of Summer Streets by running through Lower Manhattan and doing a bridge run (Brooklyn, Manhattan and Williamsburg bridges).

Sunday
Scheduled: 12 miles easy
Actual: 4.20 mi, 40:48, 9:42 pace

Total miles: 31.87

Total August miles: 39.30

Miles until goal (1,250): 446.58

Summer Streets - Week 3

This past weekend was the last weekend of Summer Streets for 2013.  I talked last week about how much I love Summer Streets.  I'm sure it's not possible, but I wish they could do it a couple of weekends each season (ok, really just Spring and Fall.  We can skip Winter).  It would be such a nice break from our normal running routes.

This weekend, we met in the Park at 72nd St on the transverse.  I was leading the 10:00 pace group.  We were heading to the West Side first, running down and then crossing over to Summer Streets at various points to get your mileage in.  Almost everyone in the group (except me) was running in the 10-14 mile range, so I decided to stay with them and just stop when I hit my mileage.

We went down the westside and crossed on Houston.  It was still pretty early so Houston wasn't too crowded.  We joined Summer Streets on Lafayette and head North again.  It was another packed morning on Summer Streets.  I am glad so many people take advantage of them even if it does make my run a little troublesome.

I dropped of the group just past Grand Central.  It was a little farther then I was supposed to go, but I love the part of Summer Streets were your run around Grand Central.  It's a fun portion of Park Ave.  After I left the group, I walked a couple of blocks and refilled my water bottle.  It was cooler then it had been but still pretty hot!  When I was heading to the subway, I past the Banana Boat station for Summer Streets.  They had a bunch of booths with prizes or suncare tips and some hammocks and beach chairs set up for relaxing.  As I was sweaty and gross, I did not partake.  I did however take a frozen chocolate covered banana they were handing out.  It was a yummy post run treat!

Overall, another successful round of Summer Streets and I cannot wait until they come back again next year!

Summer Streets - Week 2

This past weekend was Week 2 of Summer Streets.  I missed Week 1 because I was home in PA, but I was really excited for Week 2.  Summer Streets is one of my favorite times of the year.

Don't know about Summer Streets?  The simple explanation is they close Park Ave and 4th Ave for a whole morning, leaving it open for runners, families with lots of activities.  The more detailed explanation, see the below description from the official website:

Summer Streets is an annual celebration of New York City’s most valuable public space—our streets. On three consecutive Saturdays in the summer, nearly seven miles of NYC’s streets are opened for people to play, walk, bike, and breathe. Summer Streets provides space for healthy recreation and encourages New Yorkers to use more sustainable forms of transportation. In 2012, more than 250,000 people took advantage of the open streets.

Summer Streets is modeled on other events from around the world including Ciclovía in Bogotá, Colombia and the Paris Plage. The event is part bike tour, part walking tour, part block party--a great time for exercise, people watching, or just enjoying summer mornings.

It's such a nice change of pace from the park and the West Side Highway.

This past weekend, we met at 52nd and Park and headed south.  It wasn't crowded until past Grand Central, then it just got more crowded.  While it's annoying to me running, I am glad so many people are taking advantage of Summer Streets!  We kept going south over the Brooklyn Bridge and then back north.  We kept going to 72nd St and headed into the Park.  I did part of the lower loop and then I was done!

It was a nice break from the park and turned out to be a great run.  Looking forward to Week 3 of Summer Streets!