#runwestchester

[doublel79]

Downstate 50K Training Cycle Week 15 (5/16-22): Total time running 5 hrs, 12 mon Total elevation gain 1,844 ft Total distance 35.5 miles •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• I decided on the name "Downstate 50K." I will elaborate below ⬇️. ● Monday road run: Van Cortlandt Lake and back ○ Wednesday trail run: warmup on the Flats and then up into the back hills. I was testing my knees with an easy run with as much hiking as necessary on ascents and descents. Felt great with 794 total feet of climbing. ○ Friday road run: GPS/GLONASS on my @garmin was acting wacky on the first 2 miles, giving me earlier than usual mile splits and a sub 6:00/mile pace on the 2nd mile. That would never happen, so I stopped and restarted. My watch tech got it together and I completed my run with realistic data. #firstworldproblem ○ Saturday XC run: up to Van Cortlandt and onto the OCA up to the DMX Ventilator Tower, and back around the Reservoir. Humid and summery, and I felt good for most of the run. ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• For NYers, "upstate" and "downstate" mean different things depending on where you grew up. Me being a PA transplant, I did some research and the state government classifies "downstate" as the entire area served by the MTA. That is Orange, Rockland, Dutchess, Putnam, Westchester, New York City, Nassau, & Suffolk counties. I'm calling my solo 50K downstate bc most of the route will be in Westchester County, on the 26 mile Old Croton Aqueduct trail. I plan on reaching 31.1 miles (50K) in Van Cortlandt. #bronxrunners #runuptown #runwestchester #runthebronx #runnyc #strava #garmin #garminforerunner #altrarunning #xeroshoes #downstate50k #ultra #ultrarunning #trailrunning #mentalhealth https://www.instagram.com/p/CPN1df1nk1o/?utm_medium=tumblr

[doublel79]

Cayuga Trails 50K Training Cycle Week 13 (5/2-8): Total time running 4 hrs, 51 min Total elevation gain 1,312 ft Total distance 28.6 miles ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Sunday Hill Sprints Sandwich 🥪: up to VCP, hill sprints (10 × 10 sec), and back. I saw the biggest swan ever in Van Cortlandt Lake chasing a smaller goose. Alpha-bird vibes. ○ Wednesday long run: Old Croton Aqueduct Trail from Sleepy Hollow to Croton Gorge Park and back. A rainy, solitary, fun long run up the good ol OCA. The best "be a responsible dog owner" sign is in Ossining. That sign needs to be posted every 6 ft of every block in NYC. 🐶💩🗑 My knees were super sore after this run, which kept me from running the rest of the week, giving me a lot of thinking time. •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• I am currently at a training impasse, with knee pain being the symptom of overuse and an improper training protocol. As I think about my training over the past 6 years of running, I can see where I made consecutive errors, which have built up to this latest injury. Last year I coped with some really painful shin splints and learned to foam roll daily. That has fallen by the wayside along with strength work and consistent running. All of that combined with an erratic amount of sleep over the years has brought me to this moment. I will not be traveling to Ithaca this year for the Cayuga Trails 50K, withdrawing from the race. However, I plan to run a Virtual 50K in its place. It will likely not be on race day, but soon after, before the summer takes over and the intense heat, humidity and sun arrive. This is a learning process. I have come to a peaceful acceptance that this is part of my journey. It is a good idea for me to sit down and review what I am doing and make necessary changes with this realization. My 40s have been very challenging thus far and I need to acknowledge the lessons learned and grow into my conscious, improved self. 🙏🏽 #bronxrunners #runuptown #runwestchester #runthebronx #runnyc #strava #garmin #altrarunning #xeroshoes #cayugatrails50k #springtraining #springrunning #ultra #ultrarunning #trailrunning #mentalhealth https://www.instagram.com/p/COsfuVcHO8C/?igshid=1hzwe34f5vr0h

[doublel79]

April 2021: Total time running 19 hrs, 38 min Total elevation gain 6,470 feet Total distance 125.4 miles ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• This isn't where I wanted to be this month. I was hoping to get close or match last year's April mileage of 261.2 miles (my highest mileage month ever), but hoping and actually doing are two different things. I am not writing this to self-flagellate or join the "whoa is me" club, looking for some type of pity or a pick me up comment. This is how I feel. "Dawn of the pandemic" April 2020 and "cautiously optimistic (speaking for myself)" April 2021 were two completely different months. Mind state is dissimilar, and that creates a big impact and new obstacles to maneuver. Being thankful for waking up daily for my wife's and my health is number 1. From there I can make the adjustments needed to keep rising up to the next level. I have been walking a lot more, almost reaching 100K (62.2 miles) of tracked walks in April. This is mostly commuting from a farther train station to/from work and during my break times. I started volunteering with Van Cortlandt Park Alliance doing trail cleanup in the park where I spend most of my time. Looking to add back some more volunteer opportunities at Greenmarkets with GrowNYC, specifically with community compost pickups too. Finally, I clipped my hair finally. It was starting to annoy me. My last haircut was before my 41st birthday (February 2020). Feeling lighter and ready for the warmer late-Spring and Summer. #bronxrunners #runuptown #runwestchester #runthebronx #runnyc #strava #garmin #garminforerunner #altrarunning #xeroshoes #cayugatrails50k #springtraining #springrunning #ultra #ultrarunning #trailrunning #mentalhealth #volunteer https://www.instagram.com/p/COVQauJHJh8/?igshid=tld0w1y8990x

[doublel79]

Cayuga Trails 50K Training Cycle Week 11 (4/18-24): Total time running 5 hrs, 12 min Total elevation gain 1,650 feet Total distance 33.9 miles ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Sunday: Van Cortlandt Park and Woodlawn Cemetery perimeter run. Beautiful spring morning. ○ Wednesday long run: Van Cortlandt -> Pelham Bay and back. This is the longest I have run since March. I could feel it near the end, my legs only used to running around 10 miles max as of late. My seasonal allergies have been limited to mildly itchy eyes only this year. Nothing nasal. Weird. ○ Friday: up around the Reservoir and back. •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Knee soreness is still here. I know it is a process to overcome, but I am taking the steps. With 1 month until race day, I accept this leg strengthening, mileage increase challenge. #bronxrunners #runuptown #runwestchester #runthebronx #runnyc #strava #garmin #garminforerunner #altrarunning #xeroshoes #cayugatrails50k #springtraining #springrunning #ultra #ultrarunning #trailrunning #mentalhealth https://www.instagram.com/p/COF2eqGnscf/?igshid=1c9kwm25m6a9r

[doublel79]

Cayuga Trails 50K Training Cycle Week 9 (4/4-10): Total time running 3 hrs, 57 min Total elevation gain 1,335 feet Total distance 24.8 miles •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• I feel like I am finally shaking off this funk that enveloped me for the past few weeks and have found acceptance I what has happened, and realistically working to fix what I can. I just needed a moment, or moments popping up randomly, of clarity. I needed to be at peace mentally to move forward. One of those moments was reading an article on Medium about how to mitigate stress. Briefly, I can't let the adrenaline and cortisol from stress sit in my body. I have to physically get it out. That is from running. Use my hormones productively for a healthy purpose. •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Wednesday trail run: I can feel all of the time I am taking off affecting my lungs. Climbing the back hills is a lot harder lately. I have to hike everyone and sometimes stop at the top. Not a bad trail run with 800 feet of climbing. ○ Thursday speed focus: stay on the asphalt and run easy with some strides in the middle, 6 × 30 seconds fast with 2 minute recoveries. Run long and easy after. ○ Friday: mix it up a little bit, maintaining true easy pace. The Flats, Putnam, South County, Yonkers Ave, Old Croton Aqueduct and back. •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• #bronxrunners #runuptown #runwestchester #runthebronx #runnyc #strava #garmin #garminforerunner #altrarunning #xeroshoes #cayugatrails50k #springtraining #springrunning #ultra #ultrarunning #trailrunning #mentalhealth https://www.instagram.com/p/CNfWoyXHbXv/?igshid=1bw1bmrgn8cbq

[doublel79]

Cayuga Trails 50K Training Cycle Week 8 (3/28-4/3): Total time running 4 hrs, 5 min Total elevation gain 1,506 feet Total distance 24.3 miles ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• The signs of Spring. Lots of flowers along the trails of Van Cortlandt Park. The first picture is along the John Muir Trail at the Mosholu Expwy. ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Wednesday trail run: I have been sitting in a bad funk lately. It had been 6 days since my last run and thought to spend an off-hours day on trails in the park. I could feel in my legs that I had not run on 6 days, but staying on the trails in the woods did bring me to my happy place. It always does. ○ Saturday road run: another few days passed and I am doing my best to shake off the funk that embraces me like a warm blanket, reinforcing these "just stay inside" thoughts. I got out and ran to the Yonkers line and back. This reminded me about why I love early morning road runs. Mental solitude with a dose of reality. I get to see a quiet city before the multitudes awaken. A great start to my day. ○ I did take the non-running time to continue working on my novice writing skills. Telling the story of how I dealt with the pandemic in it's beginnings last year. I had a lot of fun running the @orchardstreetrunners Virtual 1/2 Marathon Challenge. There is more to the story that I will post soon. If you're interested, the link is in my bio🙏🏽. #bronxrunners #runuptown #runwestchester #runthebronx #runnyc #strava #garmin #garminforerunner #altrarunning #xeroshoes #cayugatrails50k #springtraining #springrunning #ultrarunning #trailrunning #ultra #mentalhealth https://www.instagram.com/p/CNPe7aQHQJw/?igshid=tskigqbi6uba

[doublel79]

March 2021: Total time running 25 hrs, 52 min Total elevation gain 9,321 feet Total distance 160.4 miles ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• The snowy picture is on the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail at the Lyndhurst Estate in Tarrytown. I returned to that section of the trail at the beginning of the month, after the last big snow storm for a difficult trudge through a mix of ice, snow, deep mud pits, and some relief on paved road crossings and some dry dirt along the trail. I will say that the first month of my 42nd year of life has been a challenge, but I am working toward getting my groove back. Spring is here and it is getting warmer and more humid out. Last year in April I ran the highest mileage of any month for me ever, over 260. I am looking to get up on that level in April 2021. I have less than 2 months to be ready for the Cayuga Trails 50K, whether I am traveling to Ithaca or not. If I don't go, I will most likely run my 31.1 mile time-trial on the OCA like last year, but better prepared. #bronxrunners #runuptown #runwestchester #runthebronx #runnyc #strava #garmin #garminforerunner #altrarunning #xeroshoes #springtraining #springrunning #cayugatrails50k #ultrarunning #trailrunning #ultra #mentalhealth https://www.instagram.com/p/CNHtqsDHlO-/?igshid=h8vhy32h3fk0

[doublel79]

Cayuga Trails 50K Training Cycle Week 6 (3/14-20): Total time running 8 hrs, 45 min Total elevation gain 2,303 feet Total distance 54.9 miles ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Last week was my own type of "recovery week". It was more mileage, but no speedwork or hills. I did meet my weekly minimum time and distance requirements: 8 hours, 50 miles. ● Tuesday: South County Trailway up to Tuckahoe Rd & back down on the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail. ○ Wednesday Long Run: Hastings out & back on the South County Trailway. ○ Thursday recovery run: on an old favorite route around Williamsbridge Oval and the Reservoir. ○ Friday: back into Bronx Park around the Botanical Garden. ○ Saturday Vernal Equinox run: a tired slog around Riverdale and up Vault Hill in Van Cortlandt. •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• It is time to gradually transition to more dirt trail from roads. #bronxrunners #runuptown #runwestchester #runthebronx #runnyc #strava #garmin #garminforerunner #altrarunning #xeroshoes #wintertraining #springtraining #springrunning #cayugatrails50k #ultrarunning #trailrunning https://www.instagram.com/p/CMra30CHBY1/?igshid=1dj6sw2n5ywhm