2016 Ted Corbitt Run Around Manhattan Memorial 50K

What a great day to run around Manhattan - and honor Ted Corbitt in the process!  Thankfully, Dave called an audible on Friday and moved up the run to Saturday, from Sunday, because of the forecast for rain!  It may have cut our numbers by a bit, but the fantastic weather more than made up for it.

This was my 3rd official Run Around Manhattan 50k - my last one was back in 2011 (it didn't come off in 2012, when that nasty chronic compartment syndrome snuck up on me mid-year - and derailed my ultrarunning for a while!).  I've also run this course a few times - unofficially :D

With our three planned stops - and a couple of other smaller digressions - it took just under 8 hours to do the entire loop of Manhattan.  What an excellent Saturday!

2016 Leatherman's Loop: Race Photos & Results

What an excellent day to run trails - and the Leatherman's Loop!  This was my 3rd loop (spaced across 2011, 13 and today - - need to shorten those intervals).   My 1:03:38 finish time was two minutes faster than 2013 and a minute slower than 2011.  I was more than happy with it and makes me all the more determined to finish the loop in under an hour :D

Here are the official results from the Leatherman's Loop site - and links to plenty of pictures (some of which I posted here)!

2016 Poem in Your Pocket Day!

For the first time in all the "Poem in Your Pocket" Days that I've carried around a poem - this time it was my very own!  Last year my poem "Beat Tavern" was published in Aphros magazine (and my 2015 Poem in Your Pocket Day selection was from Jack Kerouac).

So here is a Beat inspired poem for 2016 :D

I'll add a transcription as well....

Greenwich Cup Half Marathon: Race Photos & Results

The Greenwich Cup Half Marathon started off on the sand - that was an interesting twist!  Except for a chilly start (mostly a pesky wind chill), it was a great morning to be outside and run.  The half included a loop of Todd's point at the start and finish - with the middle portion on the streets of mostly Old Greenwich and Riverside.  It was a great course.

As for my race, I surprised myself with a 1:42:06 - my fastest half in a while!  It was even more surprising since it was my first race in almost 2 months - and coming off a winter of relatively low weekly mileage.  Overall, it's a good benchmark for me as I start building my mileage base back up for the Spring :D

Here are the official race results from Hi-Tek.

April 2016 Race Schedule

After a lull in my running and racing over the winter, last month the mileage finally began to creep up again. The 137.5 miles for March was my highest mileage month since last November! Hopefully the low mileage months are now behind me :D

This weekend kicks off with Mudders & Grunters on Sunday.  It conflicts with my hometown 15k, but opted for the trails (and water crossings) over the roads.  The following weekend also has another conflict, with the NYRR 4 miler on the same day as the VCTC Urban Environmental Challenge 10k.  I'll stick with the 10k and trails that weekend :D

I haven't planned a race for the Boston Marathon weekend, but may find one to run.  The week after will be the Leatherman's Loop - one of my all time favorites (and another weekend on trails)!  The only question for me is whether to run the Sybil Ludington 50k the day before :D

Here's how it looks so far:

4/3 - Mudders & Grunters, 10k
4/10 - Urban Environmental Challenge 10k
4/24 - Leatherman's Loop 10k

As wlways, if you're at any of them - say hello!

Happy Spring Equinox - 2016!

Happy Spring!  It officially arrived at 12:30 AM this morning!

But it doesn't seem as if the weather gods have gotten on the same page because a snowstorm was forecast for today (now pushed back to tonight and the amount of snow predicted has been reduced substantially).  Still, the idea that we're welcoming the first day of Spring with snow, however slight, is a bit chilly :D

Either way, enjoy the day - and the prospects for warmer (and sunnier) ones coming up!

March 2016 Race Schedule

 

Even with the extra "leap day" this time around, February flew by - and it seems Winter did along with it!  Looks like the groundhog's prediction for an early Spring is coming true.  That said, February saw my lowest monthly mileage (when I wasn't injured) - my first sub-100 mile month (95)in what seemed like forever! But hopefully the warmer weather will see my running mojo (and mileage) rebound this month.

As for races, I think there are only 3 that I've penciled in for sure - the Taconic's St. Patrick's 10k, the Boston Blow-out 30k and the Bunny Boogie 3 Miler (a somewhat eclectic mix).  I had wanted to run the NYRR 5k this weekend (team point's race), but was closed out :(

Here's how it looks so far:

3/13 - Taconic St. Patrick's 10k
3/20 - Boston Blowout 30k
3/26 - Bunny Boogie 3 Miler

As always, if you're at any of these - say hello!