The route for this race is my go to run in NYC. Since we’re usually staying at a hotel nearby or an easy subway ride to the park, I get this in almost every visit.
Most often I end up taking the subway there and starting the run from the Columbus Circle corner and going counter clockwise around the loop. I noticed that the race map shows starting up near the opposite corner of the park, which I think is a slightly different experience. If you do it “my way”, then it’s pretty close to having the first half with a slight uphill trend going north, and then the second half is a relatively fast run down the west side of the park. I’ve always enjoyed doing it that way with a negative split, so you can really finish the run strong.
I run the loop counter-clockwise for my longer run, but I start just north of the Met. That means I reach Harlem Hill in my second mile. With the starting point of the race up around 102nd street, you start climbing Harlem Hill at the half mile point before really getting a chance to hit your stride.
Thanks. Back in July, I was running a 5k in a little over 30 minutes, and I’ve been making steady progress since then, mainly by following training plans that gradually built up my mileage.
Today’s 10k time seems a little soft compared to the sub-25 minute 5k that I did last month. Today’s conditions weren’t exactly ideal. My real 5k time may be a little slower than 25 minutes, too, since that record is based on my Garmin, which thinks I ran today’s 10k in 52:14. I guess that’s just the difference between distance tracked versus true course distance.
It’s a really great run starting from anywhere. I used to also sometimes stretch it out by doing the big loop plus a loop around the reservoir in the middle, or sometimes the bridle path.
Peloton treadmill update:
I’ve had the tread for a bit more than a month, and I’d say I’m pretty happy with the purchase. As I mentioned previously, it’s a well-built treadmill, but probably not substantially better than many other treadmills from other companies. The real value comes from Peloton’s on-demand classes. I think I’d categorize the “is it worth it?” judgment into three groups:
People who have no interest in a structured on-demand class, and just want to run on a treadmill on their own: Peloton tread is fine, but not good value. Particularly because (IIRC) you have to subscribe to Peloton classes for a year minimum at $40/month on top of the tread price.
People who think they would get value from Peloton classes, but are not current subscribers: Peloton tread is decent value, and potentially very good value, depending on how much of the non-treadmill classes (e.g., strength, stretching, yoga) you end up taking.
People who are current Peloton subscribers via the bike (my group): the tread is good value because it’s a well-built tread and you don’t have to pay extra for the content. That being said, I could have bought a generic treadmill and used an ipad or whatever to stream on-demand classes.
I originally got the tread because I wanted to be able to run comfortably during the winter, rather than going through the cycle of getting in running shape every April/May through November, then having things go to crap because I don’t like to run in freezing/wet weather. The tread is fine for that. But so far I’ve actually found two bigger benefits:
Doing structured speed classes where I can pin the speed at a particular pace, rather than trying to do speed work outside where I’m constantly staring at my watch to see how my pace is doing.
Doing “hiking” classes, which are classes that are entirely walking (<4.5 mph) with varying inclines. Like today, I did a 45 minute hike that was at a 12% incline for more than half the class. These are awesome because they’re both low impact and very good for building up glute strength. I feel like I’m building good leg strength and endurance without actually subjecting my body to too much pounding. More generally, having runs/walks with varying inclines is (I think) going to make me substantially stronger than just running on the flat trails around here.
Overall, between bike and tread, my updated rating of Peloton is 9 out of 5 stars.
I finally went to the doctor for my lingering turf toe thing that wasn’t getting any better. He gave me some foot pads to cause my big toe to bend less when I walk.
He also did ultrasound treatment, which felt like nothing except slightly warm metal rolling around in jelly on my foot. But surprisingly it really seemed to help loosen the joint up, immediately. Is ultrasound treatment in the category of stuff like acupuncture and electro stim where it could be BS? Or is it pretty much accepted?
I was a skeptic expecting it to do nothing, and I definitely seemed able to bend my toe up and down with less pain and more mobility immediately afterward. Not sure if there’s a reverse psychology placebo effect like that.
So. After putting on weight all last year I’ve figured it’s time to suck it up and get back down to a reasonable weight.
Currently 125kg. Aiming for 115kg. Aiming to lose 0.75 kg per week over 14 weeks.
In medieval weights and measures. That’s current weight of 275 lbs, aiming to get to 253lb by losing 1.6 lbs per week.
Week 1 of 14 complete.
4 workouts. 2 light body weight stuff with rowing. 2 straight rowing.
Elbow still holding up. Although I may have tweaked it carrying shopping bags yesterday.
Weight. 125.4kg or 276 lb…
Diet was pretty good. Not an ideal start to go up in weight. But a) variance and b) I think i put water/muscle weight on when I start working out after a lay off.
Will keep posting weekly to aid accountability. Let’s go go go.
Another 4 workouts done. Similar to above but getting a bit more serious. Overdid it on friday on the rower and the elbow is feeling it, so dialing it back now for the coming week.
Weight. 125.6. I.e. its marginally gone up… again… Very much not ideal. I was actually weighing in less a few days ago, so this might be variance again. I probably ate too much salty food yesterday.
Diet overall has been really good. Lots of fruit and veg and meat. If I’m still not losing weight next week, I will have to make some more adjustments. Smaller portions and a few more salads to start with. Could also try and add a bit more activity in my day.
Meh. If you have a job with responsibilities you’re not going to test as an Olympic caliber athlete on your FTP test. Good on you for taking steps to get better, you only really compete with yourself, etc.
You’re right ofc, but in my minds eye I’m still the athlete I used to be even though I know it’s not true. I tested below average in my age group and bleh I hate it. It will be interesting to see how much improvement I can make. I’ve made really nice gains when doing weightlifting based stuff whenever I’ve gotten into it for a few months at a time. I’ve never really done cardio stuff given some health issues I’ve had in the past. It will be nice to see if I hit some ceiling quickly or if I can make things better.
OK just did one of the PowerZone 30 min Endurance classes and it was one of the weirdest workouts I’ve ever done. I finished dripping in sweat but never got my HR above 110 because I never went above Zone 3. Feels fucking great tbh.
I’ve only done interval type training ever. This was a weird change.
This is interesting to read because when I took the ftp shortly after getting the bike, I had no idea what a good or bad number was. I took it again a few weeks ago, and still don’t know how the number compares to others’. I just know that I increased by about 10%.
I love the PZE rides for exactly this reason - consistent effort without absolutely killing myself. Although my HR is substantially higher than 110 when I’m doing them. The regular PowerZones are more intense, but still quite manageable. I haven’t done a PowerZone Max yet.
Jess King’s*** Sweat Steady rides are similar in that they’re consistently highish effort without there being any absolutely insane peak efforts.
***For those not in the know, Jess King is the Peloton instructor (“Allegra”) who killed Mr. Big in the Sex and the City reboot.
If you turn on power zones before doing a ftp test it will default to something supposedly average for your age and sex. At least that’s what it said when I did it.
Slow progress. But now moving in the right direction at least.
Only 3 workouts. Elbow a mess after pushing too hard the prior week.
I’m kicking myself. Spent two weeks with a plan for slow and steady improvement. Telling myself to not go too hard each session. Then in one row I just went all out because it felt good.
Probably set myself back 3 weeks at least.
Total elbow rest now for a week. With a focus on air squats for cardio. Will introduce the rower again tomorrow but very very light.
Diet has been good. Just the one big korean meal yesterday.
Or your back. I had sciatic pain on one side since October, possibly from running on railroad tracks. Now I completely wrecked my back muscles on the other side, possibly from a weird stretch after a Peloton ride.
The stretch was first taking a knee and bending forward to stretch the hip flexor, then trying to move the front foot toward the opposite side, and lowering the torso. This seems to put a lot of pressure on the hip and back muscles. Avoid.
I called the Teladoc, and he said take 4 ibuprofen and don’t call me.