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.