18 before 10am

A few months ago I created a google calendar of NYCM long runs for runnin’ around uptown and I. I bring this up because the surprise was on me when I realized today had us scheduled for 18. Who the heck made this decision? Ohhh waiiiit…;)

Brings us to this weekend. Uptown delayed her departure to the shore in order to get the long run in. Awesome. I definitely wanted company for a 16-18 miler! She asked if we could start early as in before the sun made an appearance. Not a problem. 6am is early but having company is worth it! I’m always on time…

Oh, this morning. I woke up at 430 first and realized ooh 40 more blissful minutes. Then I felt like I’d been sleeping a while. Sure enough the clock read 550am!! Crap. I was supposed to be at Columbus Circle in 10 minutes. I ran around my apartment turning it into a resemblance of a war zone in minutes. Out the door at 555, in the subway at 557 only to see the train whiz by. Argh. Out to another train and text to notify that all is ok. Get to the other train line only to see another train whiz on by. 6:10 now. Finally a train arrives at 6:20 and I’m up to columbus circle at 6:40 having no food in my stomach and not even emptying my bladder! Oy. Disaster right?

So after a quick visit to the men’s room in the time warner center (yep, that’s right the women’s was locked!) It was time to conquer 18!  Aren’t you jealous you weren’t there to run with me;)

Once we started the run immediately commenced into a standard LSD where the legs just rolled along and the conversation helped make the miles fly by.  Before we knew it, we were down at Battery Park City where we passed @dnorton.  Then around the tip by the eyeball statues (sorry but they DO NOT look like eyeballs!) to the Brooklyn Bridge.  My legs felt great! We ran by @lady_southpaw on the Brooklyn Bridge.  The next part took us through the industrial part of Brooklyn, my typical tempo route.

Next up, we passed through Williamsburg and Greenpoint.  Before hitting the Pulaski Bridge, we crossed a road with a stop sign and no car stopped.  At this point a fat, bald man started yelling out of his SUV that we should stop.  This is as he was still pulling to the intersection at the stop sign!  Idiot.  So we continue running and stop at a STOP LIGHT.   This is when he pulls into a gas station and continues to yell at us! Dude, get over yourself!  When we were a little further from him we commented that he wouldn’t be able to run this far.  Yeah, we’re mean.  Oops.

Next up: Queens.  My empty stomach was getting RUNNNGRY.  AC had mentioned the swedish bakery that we’d end at with UNBELIEVABLE cream puffs.  The buildup was extreme.  As we began our ascent on the Queensboro we passed an Orthodox man probably on his way home from synagogue.  After we passed him, he started running.  I commented “and this is what I attract.”  This drew a laugh;)

He caught up to us again on the Manhattan side as we reached several red lights crossing town.  He commented it took him 17 minutes to get across the bridge.  Sigh.  Really.  This is the best I can do in NYC?  *doh* hehe.  Finally we were able to break free as there’s no traffic lights from Central Park South to our finish line, the Swedish Bakery:)  Sadly the bakery didn’t sell the cream puffs we salivated over for the last 6 miles:(  Sad. We settled on different pastries though:)  And can I say I think it’s ridiculous that it costs $2 for a bottle of water on the street.  Ridiculous!

Totals: 18.2 miles
Time: 2:41:54/8:53 min/mile
Course: was able to get in a couple of key components I’ll face on November 7 – the Pulaski Bridge and Queensboro – both at about the same point as in the marathon

The route - a small tour of NYC

Quality run with good company.  This run was about the miles not pace – I’m planning to get in a couple harder runs in before the Philly Half in a couple weeks. 

Anyone else running the Philly half (or the Rock ‘n Roll Philly Half Marathon – gag me)?