Monday, February 18, 2013
The road goes on forever - but not in a straight line
In my previous long runs to the Lakefront trail or to River Park I've run long, straight stretches on main roads. If I go to the Lake front, I return on Irving Park Blvd. If I return from River Park, it's on Foster Ave.... a long straight never-ending run. Or so it seems.
I'm beginning to think that the long straight runs are more psychologically tiring than physically tiring.
Come to think of it - is there a road race out there which features a five mile straight, flat segment? The ones I've been in have turns and curves every 2 or 3 miles. My route from the Lakefront is "straighter than a preacher/longer than a memory", as Steve Earle once sang. Today's run would be a change.
Instead of the long hoof down Irving Park, I started down Milwaukee to Addison. Then Addison to Kimble. North on Kimble to Irving Park. East on Irving to Western, and then South to Addison. After that, there was a long stretch to the Lakefront trail.
After hoofing down the Lakefront trail to Grand Ave., I made it back as far as Belmont Ave. turned West and carried on until Clark St. That was enough. Public transit home.
The route can be seen here
Our crazy winter weather continues in the Chicago area. It spiked up to 50! You wouldn't know it because of the wind. Nevertheless, I got my long slow distance run in while the sun shone.
It was another chance to briefly try the android version of RunKeeper. I'm not crazy about the way it sucks up the battery life, but a 30 minute test couldn't hurt.
I started it at one of the mile markers, but noticed that when I got to the next mile marker it didn't announce that I had run a mile. Huh? It let me know when I ran 1.2 miles though.
On the way back, I tried the MapMy Run app. At least it didn't deplete the battery life too much.
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Dashing through the snow - with "new toys"
Today was the coldest weather I've ever run in. It may have gotten up to 23 degrees. And yes, there were snow flurries.
A few days ago, I received the hi-viz vest I had ordered from Dick Pond Athletics. I have tried running with a belt with pockets to carry my phone, etc. However, I don't like the way stuff bounces around. I have "re purposed" a couple of photo vests by cutting out the back, but black and olive aren't very visible at night. The Fuel Belt vest fits the bill-pockets and visibility.
The other "new toy" is the android version of RunKeeper. This is the second time I used it. Previously, I had tucked the phone in my pocket only to hear my phone tell me my time, distance and pace.
Oh, I had to wear the ear buds.
Because I run on sidewalks, I have to be mindful of any cross traffic, and haven't wanted the distraction of music or any other sounds from ear buds. Today I wore the 'buds while the RunKeeper app was on. I decided to cross check the results with my stopwatch, and the MapMyRun map charting tool.
My route took me from my home to the trail in River Park The trail follows the North Branch of the Chicago River. (btw. the water level in that branch looks really low!) Along with one trip up & down the trail, I did a mile around the track close to Argyle St.
. I intended it to be a long slow distance run. How one does an "lsd" run in such cold weather, I don't know. I'm not sure I did. I'd consider 12 minute miles "lsd".
I'm going with the figures gleaned from my stopwatch, and MapMyRun. I'm claiming 13.52 miles in in 2:29:00 with an 11:01 a mile pace.
Mind you, I stopped my stopwatch before stopping the RunKeeper app. Yes, there was some fumbling around with the phone. However, I find the RunKeeper app results..um... optimistic. 14.01 miles in 2:30:25. OK, I'll buy that.10:44 pace? Meh, I'll believe 11:00.
On the other hand, the route that RunKeeper charted out was fairly accurate.
On the way home, I wanted to break up the monotony of a long, straight run down Foster Ave., so I took digressions through the newly renovated Eugene Field Park, plus some side streets.
RunKeeper did get those digressions.
I still want to test out RunKeeper on a path with mile markers. I have Monday off, so I might try it again on the Lakefront trail.
A few days ago, I received the hi-viz vest I had ordered from Dick Pond Athletics. I have tried running with a belt with pockets to carry my phone, etc. However, I don't like the way stuff bounces around. I have "re purposed" a couple of photo vests by cutting out the back, but black and olive aren't very visible at night. The Fuel Belt vest fits the bill-pockets and visibility.
The other "new toy" is the android version of RunKeeper. This is the second time I used it. Previously, I had tucked the phone in my pocket only to hear my phone tell me my time, distance and pace.
Oh, I had to wear the ear buds.
Because I run on sidewalks, I have to be mindful of any cross traffic, and haven't wanted the distraction of music or any other sounds from ear buds. Today I wore the 'buds while the RunKeeper app was on. I decided to cross check the results with my stopwatch, and the MapMyRun map charting tool.
My route took me from my home to the trail in River Park The trail follows the North Branch of the Chicago River. (btw. the water level in that branch looks really low!) Along with one trip up & down the trail, I did a mile around the track close to Argyle St.
. I intended it to be a long slow distance run. How one does an "lsd" run in such cold weather, I don't know. I'm not sure I did. I'd consider 12 minute miles "lsd".
I'm going with the figures gleaned from my stopwatch, and MapMyRun. I'm claiming 13.52 miles in in 2:29:00 with an 11:01 a mile pace.
Mind you, I stopped my stopwatch before stopping the RunKeeper app. Yes, there was some fumbling around with the phone. However, I find the RunKeeper app results..um... optimistic. 14.01 miles in 2:30:25. OK, I'll buy that.10:44 pace? Meh, I'll believe 11:00.
On the other hand, the route that RunKeeper charted out was fairly accurate.
On the way home, I wanted to break up the monotony of a long, straight run down Foster Ave., so I took digressions through the newly renovated Eugene Field Park, plus some side streets.
RunKeeper did get those digressions.
I still want to test out RunKeeper on a path with mile markers. I have Monday off, so I might try it again on the Lakefront trail.
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