RVRR Rock Run - Bound Brook, NJ

I had a choice today of either running a 5K in Heightstown or the Rock Run in Bound Brook. I know some folks in Heightstown, but I knew it would be the same old 5K course on the streets which wasn't that appealing. The Rock Run was a trail run, with elevation and different, so off to Bound Brook I traveled.

The Rock Run was put on by the Raritan Valley Road Runners Club and directed by John D'Agostino with lots of help from other club members. This is not an easy race to put on because the trails have to be marked well otherwise you lose a few runners. It was a nice turnout despite a very cold morning and many of the runners were eager to run. After some brief instructions and a short walk to the start, we were off and running.

The terrain was varied for the race, 2% on grass, 10% on roads and 88% on trails which was made up of rocks, roots, leaves, dead branches and water. I knew going in I wasn't going to bust it so it was going to be a fun race for me. The race started on grass then on to some pavement for a bit then we were directed on the trails. You could run for a bit but then you had to hike/run because the we were along the reservoir which had trees and huge roots protruding from the ground.

The course kept switching from a smooth trail, to rocky to muddy and a mix of all three. I didn't wear trail shoes so I was very concerned about twisting an ankle or worse. My goal was not get hurt and enjoy the run. I ran most of the race with Ray Petit and Mark Strawn who are members of RVRR. We ran in a group of about six runners. We got lost a few times but quickly found the trail with the help of arrow markers.

It was a two loop course and I was happy when we finished the first loop. My first mile split was 14:30 and the mile was 16 minutes so you know we were doing lots of hiking as well. There was a very steep hill and of course a very steep downhill. I took the downhills very easy and ran the rocks very carefully.

The sun was shining and it was warming nicely and we were nearing the end. Back on the pavement then on the trails and then grass to the finish. I finished in 1:11:12 which was fine with me and a course best.

Everyone headed to the Chimney Rock Inn for some great pizza and salad which was all included in the entry fee. We were all seated in the restaurant family style which was different from most post race gatherings. They gave out some funny awards (muddiest shoes, most blood) and the winner's awards were made from the rocks on the trail.

I give John and the RVRR club kudos for putting on such a difficult event. I will definitely put this on my calendar for next year. I am looking to run a few more trail races this year. It is so much fun to run with nature and friends.

Today the Earth was my Treadmill.

Easy 6 on the Canal

It was another great morning for a run. I was planning on doing race #2 this morning in Bridgewater, but I didn't want to pay the $35 and not get a t-shirt. Races are starting to charge too much money. $20 is a fair price for a race and $25 on race is not unreasonable, but at least have enough t-shirts to handle many of the race day entrants. You can get more than 50% of your runners on race day, so take that into account when putting on a run.

Anyway, back to today's run. John was surprised that I didn't race today, but I told him I would save a few bucks and stay close to home to run. John wanted to do a trail run, but we opted for the canal instead which is like a trail. It is 15 minutes from my house and always active we people doing stuff. We hit the path at 8:50 and ran for 51 minutes. We took it very slow, 8:50 pace, and it felt good. I think I might have turned the corner with my injury since this was my third day in a row of running that I felt pretty good.

We did 3 miles up and back and we quickened the pace on the way back. Along the way I ran into the Palumbo's riding their bikes and Paula Namjoo out for her walk. Paula is always walking but mostly around our neighborhood but I have seen her now at the canal a few times.

Folks were out in numbers at 9:30 and I am certain that their were many more as the day wore on. It was another beautiful day to get outside. It is so nice to get out and enjoy 30 plus minutes of activity when the weather is great. It makes the rest of the day go by so much better.

Call me if you want to run.

The Adrenaline 5K - Haddonfield,NJ

My long awaited first race of 2010 took me to Haddonfield, NJ. I originally was planning on going to Bordentown for their St. Patty's Day 5K but couldn't find any info on it on 4 different websites. Last year at this time I had completed 12 races and was heading to Virginia Beach for a 1/2 marathon on this same weekend.

I had planned on running two previous races, but both were cancelled, one for the snowstorm and one for the rain storm. In my 30 years of running only one other race was cancelled and that was the Rat Race in NYC for a hail storm. This wasn't going to be the case today because it was absolutely a perfect day for a run. A day like today makes all those cold days of running worth it.

Up early because Haddonfield is 50 miles away, but I was looking forward since I had never been in that town. I had to go it alone since I had no takers today. The race was organized by Haddonfield Running Company and local running store in town. It was a well organized event, but I was disappointed that I didn't get a t-shirt. I did register same day and got there early but still no shirt. They did give me $5 back because of no shirt.

The race took place at Haddonfield High School which looked like a very old school. I am not sure what type of town this was years ago but it had some very homes and charm. They have a cute main street which is actually Kings Highway. I even saw a Starbucks on one of the blocks.

I was planning on taking it easy since I have been battling a slight leg injury but actually felt better in my recent runs. My plan was to take it easy for the first mile, hopefully under 8 minute pace then progressively go faster.

I hit the first mile in 7:40 which was great since my breathing was controlled and I felt good. The second mile had a nice downhill and a good uphill but I was settling in nicely. I passed a bunch a runners and I started feel pretty good. I hit mile two in 15:00 flat and now I just wanted to concentrate on finishing strong. I wanted to pass a few runners and see if I could get a 7 minute final mile. I hit the tape at 22:05 which meant my last mile was 6:45 which is quite surprising since I really haven't done much speed work. I was very happy with my 7:08 pace and lack of discomfort in my stride.

I stuck around to eat a bagel and watch the crowd file in. I think there were over 700 runners and many of them very fast. The overall winner finished in 14:03 and I finished in 254 which was very low considering my time. It was a very deep field and an overall good race. I meant some nice folks including a couple who put on the NBD 5K benefiting SIDS in honor of their granddaughter Natalee Brooklynn.

Kendal Park Circle post storm

Most of my neighborhood has suffered serious damage from this past weekend's storm and it has made it very difficult to get around via the automobile so I decided to try it on foot. One tree took out some power lines on Sand Hill Road which left me without electricity for 48 hours and I couldn't get close to the scene of destruction.

My run today took me towards the downed tree, but as I got closer I could see the workers weren't crazy about me getting near them so I turned around. My course was going to be around Kendall Park Circle anyway, but I just wanted to see the problem area. As I headed to KPC I could see lots of damage to the neighborhood. Once in the circle I saw at least 2 dozen trees on their side. One stretch saw 4 trees down within 50 yards of each other. It looked very odd to see that much damage in such a small neighborhood, but the winds were fierce on Saturday.

As I continued around the circle I saw more trees down as well as many blocked streets. On foot you can get by, but I did have to dodge a few downed power lines. It made for a surreal run this morning. I took it slow and snapped many pics and really enjoyed the run. It was still raining and slightly chilly but still warmer than my house.
This is why folks need to get out from inside the gyms and run their neighborhoods. You see so much more than the news being replayed on the screen in front of you or the smelly guy in the treadmill next to you plus you are probably slowly going deaf from the IPOD.

Weather is supposed to heat up by the weekend so I am looking forward to a race on either Saturday or Sunday. Spring running is coming and I certainly don't want to be indoors.

Total washout

Sittin' at Rockin' Joe's bloggin' and eatin' while I patiently wait for my power to come back on.

Today's Keith Mcheffey 3 mile run in Sea Bright was cancelled which bummed the senator and I out. I picked up Kenny V late as I had to deal with a downed tree on my property which was heading towards my neighbor's garage. Mark, the tree guy arrived at 8am so I just wanted to make sure he had everything he needed to take of the issue. Once he said he would take care of the tree and be gone, so was I.

I picked up Kenny at 9:40 which was 25 minutes late so we had to hustle to get to the start with some time to spare. We had to dodge some downed trees in his neighborhood as well which delayed us a bit more. Once we got on route 18 it started raining heavily again, but I was actually excited about today's race. It would be my first of the year. Last year at this time I had run 12 races already.

We were on 18 for about 10 minutes when Taugh Lynch sent me a message that Sea Bright could be flooded and we should check with the race director. I called the Mad Hatter where the post race party was being held and sure enough the woman on the other end of the phone said the race was cancelled. She did say the party was still on. Ken and I made a u-turn and headed back home. Two races this year have been postponed because of our winter weather.

Ken wanted to get a run in so he needed to come up with a place to run. He decided on Tamarack golf course which was near his house. Gate was locked so we had to go through some brush, mud, and water to get into the golf course. We ran for about 30 minutes around the course which was different for me but fun. I was still bummed about the race but got home earlier to assess the damage at home.

Tree was cut up, wife had left for a wake and the kids were in and out.

By the way I am finishing this blog in my car waiting for Michael. Fire alarm went on at Rockin' Joe's so I just left. Sound was loud and I could concentrate. My town is a mess due to the storm. Trees down all over the place, lights out on route 1, flooding and of course no power.

I will have to find a race for next week. Maybe Freehold or Bordentown.

The last dark run

Today was going to be a day off from a run, and although the weather was spectacular I decided to give my legs a break. I got a text mid morning from John and asked if I wanted to run tonight. I didn't answer right away , but then decided to go since it was so nice out. The plan was to get out at 5:30 when there was still some light left in the day.

That did not happen because I needed to pick up my son at his baseball try-out. My wife told me it would be over by 5 but he didn't show up until 6pm. I told John it would have to be 6:20 so out we went with the light fading quickly. We opted to run Dundee to Route 27 then over to Kendall Park Circle. I think we ran for 40+ minutes and a good clip although we initially said we would go slow.

I like the Dundee run, but we had to be on our toes because the cars were out. Always run into traffic.

Hopefully it will be our last night time run since the clocks will be changed this weekend. I guess our morning runs will be darker now.

I saw lots of folks out there the last few days which I love. Weather getting nice and out come the exercisers.

Happy snow Trails

No Beach Run today so John and I headed to the Delaware & Raritan Tow Path in Princeton. We tried this two weeks ago and it was covered with 12 plus inches of snow. John drove by the trail yesterday and he thought it to be fine for an easy jog.

He picked me up at 8:30 and we headed to the path by Alexander Road in Princeton. There was no wind and the temps were in the low 30's. It was perfect for a winter run. We have been hit hard by snow this past month but it really hasn't been that cold. Our plan was to run 25 minutes out and pick up the pace and come back in 23 minutes.

As we headed out we came across the first of 6 trees that was laying across the trail. Lucky for us they weren't very big trees so we were able to go under or over. The footing was a bit uneven but manageable. It some spots there was just mud.

We came across just one other runner, two folks on bikes and one snowman. We ran for about 50 minutes which included a few stops for pics. It was a good run and one where I felt pretty good.

We stopped at Rockin Joes on Route 27 for a quick cup of coffee.

The calm after the storm

I decided to go out this morning because it was such a pretty morning after our 3rd snowstorm in February. John was eager to run so we met up in the Kendall Park circle, but we both agreed to change up the course today. Our plan was to go for at least 5 miles. We took Pinter Lane which is an unpaved road right behind my house. From there we take Sand Hill to Beekman. From Beekman we headed to one of the developments. After a nice long run around one of the circles, I told John we should do this trail which would take us back to my street.

I knew the trail would be covered in at 8 inches of snow but it would only be about 3/4 of a mile. We would have to negotiate a few streams but our feet were going to get wet anyway. It was definitely tough running almost having to do a high step on every stride. Your heart rate goes up quickly when running in a foot of snow. I like running this part of the trail in the early spring and late fall because you can see where you are going and the grass is still dormant. In the summer the growth is out of control and lots of bugs.

It was a nice change of pace and we were able to get over 3 streams without much damage. We exited the trail through someones backyard which was at the bottom of the hill on Silver Birch. The run back to the top of Zev ct. is a very challenging hill that goes for at least 1/3 of a mile. I believe it is the largest hill in South Brunswick with an incline of at least 10% grade.

I was looking forward to the Beach Run at Long Branch on Sunday but it was cancelled. John and I plan on doing something completely different tomorrow. I think we end up on the canal in the Princeton area.

Cold, Windy Slushy and Wet

I ran last night so I wasn't planning on running in the morning although the snow made for a pretty morning. The forecast was for snow all day so I figured I could run in the snow later in the day. By mid afternoon the wind was picking up and the snowflakes got smaller and the ground was a big slushy. I headed out the door at 4:45 to meet up with John for 4.5 mile run. We ran the same loop as last night, but it was slippery and slushy today. The snow felt like rain and it was tough when the wind was in your face.

Most folks have been complaining about the amount of snow New Jersey is getting, but I like it and it makes for better running. You need to take it easy, watch your footing and just enjoy it.

The calm before another storm

I wasn't planning on going out for a run today since I did an easy 3.5 miles yesterday and wanted to take a day off. John sent me a text message asking if I wanted to run after work. I thought about how the weather tomorrow might hamper my efforts to get out so I jumped on John's invitation.

We headed out at 6:15 to do a quick 4.5 mile around Kendall park circle with the Savage & Stockton spurs. It was a good run and one where I felt pretty good. The pace was quick and the weather was perfect. It was dark so we are always very careful. We always run against traffic so we can see what is coming at us.

We are expecting another foot of snow tomorrow into Friday. If it's not too bad I will try to get out for a easy run in the snow.

I think I am going to run my first real race of the year on Sunday. It's the 4 mile beach rhttp://www.sandyhookers.org/calendar.htmlun in Long Branch. Post Race Party will be hosting a party afterwards. Should be fun.

These boots are Not meant for skiing

No running for me today, but I did take out those x-country skis again. I decided to ski in Beech Woods Park, the same place I ran during the snowstorm last Wednesday. Beech Woods is a great park with some nice running trails but not very well known to many of the residents of South Brunswick. I have a vision of organizing a road race in this one day. It has a huge gazebo and it would make a great finish area.

I couldn't park my car in the park as it still wasn't plowed so I parked at the end of Beekman and walked across the street. I hooked into my skis and headed into the park. The snow was deep and soft so I kept sinking. I figured I would do a few circles around the park and I just needed to lay the first tracks. The subsequent laps would be easier because of the tracks I laid.

My skis are old and the boots are just as old. I was on my skis for about 17 minutes when I reached the center of the park which was about 1.2 miles. I turned around and headed back into the woods when my boot just fell apart. The sole just split from the boot. Now I had to hike back to my car, about 3/4 mile in the deep snow. That took me about 15 minutes.

It was still good to get out this morning despite my problems. I will have to get myself some new boots which is fine with me because those were never comfortable.

Kendall Park Circle

Another cold morning today, but out I go for my run. It is a lot easier to brave the elements when you have someone to run with and today John again joined me. We kept it simple today and ran near our homes. We usually pick a time and leave our homes and meet in the middle and then pick a course from there. Today we ran Kendall Park Circle with a loop through Savage and Stockton which added about 1 mile to the course. KPC is about 2 miles around and has a nice long hill.
I have been struggling with some leg pain so today was a very easy run. I think I held John back a bit but he was fine with the pace. Finished the 4.5 miles in 44 minutes.

Yesterday I saw 3 people x-country by the canal which got me thinking about my skis. I bought a pair about 27 years ago thinking I would use every time there was a snowstorm. They are past their prime but I took out today for a use around the woods where I live. I was a little unsteady but got about 20 minutes of activity. It was fun and a lot harder without any tracks.

I may try tomorrow in the woods where I ran the other day.

A Canal run, Not Today

John and I headed out to the Kingston section of the tow path this morning for an easy scenic 5 or 6 miles. The parking lot wasn't plowed, but it looked like plenty of other outdoor enthusiasts made there way over for some fun. It was a little colder than we expected so the 3 layers we each had on would just be enough to keep us comfortable. As we started our slow jog towards the path we ran into an older woman who just returned from walking the path with ski poles. She immediately said we would have difficulty navigating the snow. Thanks, but we are trying anyway. We soon figured it would be virtually impossible to run on the path. There was only a 6 inch wide path that was packed and the rest still had the 14 inches of soft snow. It was fun the other day when running in it but wouldn't be today.

We decided to run the streets of Princeton instead so off we went. We ran for about 42 minutes having to dodge some traffic on route 27 and some of the side roads. It was a good run even if we could make it to the tow path.

The one thing I noticed was that how many folks were out on a cold February morning. We saw 3 cross country skiers, 2 snow-shoers, 2 mountain bikes, 6 hikers and a bunch or runners. These folks were not letting the weather impede there outdoor fun.

I may have to try my X-country skis tomorrow.