Morning Run

Did a run/walk around the Charles this morning
3.5 mi. route

Ended up running into Semmi Kim, who I haven't seen in about a year. And, I believe the last time I saw her was when I ran into her running on Mass Ave. She's adorable. :-)

On an unrelated note, I bought a basketball, and have spent a few hours already just shooting around at the local court. People in the neighborhood are suuuuuuper nice!

Snowpocalyse '10 averted, but snow nevertheless

List of things that 5 years ago I thought were impossible:

- Going cycling in a snow storm for an hour, for fun.

Temp: 28 F

w/ windchill: 15 F

Windspeed: 22 mph, gusts at 31 mph

Clothing: Puma boots, gym shorts + goretex pants, blue wicking shirt + blue rain jacket, balaclava, ski goggles. had on mountaineering mitts, but they were too warm, so i mostly just had bare hands. Balaclava also got too warm/difficult to breathe, so had a bare face most of the time.

Route: 12.1 miles

Ok, so only the first 8 miles were from my hourish bike ride. But I wanted to see how much I biked today.

Also, 8 miles/hr is super slow... but with all the snow, and a crazy head wind, pretty hard. :-)

Harvard Stadiums

I've always heard stories of people running stadiums at Harvard Stadium, ie, running up and down the stairs, all around the bowl. Today, I gave it my first go.

Temperature: 23

With wind chill: 13

Apparel: Running tights, wicking shirt, purple fleece, fleece gloves, fleece/acrylic hat with ear flaps.

Route: 3.9 miles

The gates to the Stadium were open, however, I couldn't find easy access to the stairs. I ran around the stadium 1.5 times to find an easy way, but just ended up using my climbing skills to scale the cement wall with the aid of a metal pipe fixture. I ran up and down the stairs, making it about 1/3 of the way around the horseshoe before I needed to catch my breath, then proceeded to finish up the rest of the half. No need to kill myself on my first stadium attempt, right?? Climbed back down, walked a little to cool off, then ran back home and collapsed on my couch for some amount of time.

All in all, a great workout that will definitely be repeated!!!

3 Mile loop

[49, overcast. still t-shirt/shorts weather]

I decided to extend my 2 mile loop to a more acceptable 3 mile loop.

This is going to be my new route for awhile, maybe... Running along the river might be less than ideal as the cold weather approaches.

Was trending towards calf cramps at the end of the run... maybe I'm dehydrated? Maybe I need salt? I vote for salt.

Apartment Hunting Makes for Good Running!

[70 degrees, lightly overcast, somewhat muggy.]

I'm trying to decide between apartments, so today I went for a run to one of them. It's more or less in the same neighborhood I live in now (Cambridgeport), just slightly closer to the river by about maybe 3 minutes walking. I dig it. The neighborhood is quaint, much calmer and quieter than what I'm used to, and the fact that a bus stops right in front of the house is perfect.

In any case, here's my run: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2801240
Distance: 3.5 miles

I seriously hope the last time I went running wasn't actually late April... what a loooser.

just runnnnning in the rain!

The weather today not too inviting for a runner: overcast, mid-50s, rain ranging from light to moderate... and yet, it was a surprisingly AWESOME day to run!!
~4.2 miles, but I walked at least .5 miles of it, due both to my out of shapeness, and my desire to watch the subway crossing the Longfellow bridge.

I'm really glad I'll be staying in the area for a few more years. It's really just a great place to run, even on crappy days like today. There are so many places to explore, the Esplande is just wonderful, and traffic isn't heavy enough to be bothersome. For the most part, I might get stopped a half-dozen time by lights during a run, but that's only because I'm not specifically trying to avoid them, and also because I don't really mind them to begin with. In the winter, it's a little less fun, just because you can get so cold if you aren't constantly moving. However, now that it's trending toward Spring, traffic lights are a welcome addition. (And in the summer, I'll just kind of pray for them.)

I'd really like to run the Freedom Trail sometime before I go overseas this summer. Once I get back, I'll be too out of shape to do it for awhile....
I also thought it'd be pretty freaking awesome to have running tours of Boston. Maybe when I get into better shape, I'll start this up. With the number of tourists flooding the city, I'm sure there are bound to be a few that want to see Boston on foot!!!

Route: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2750891

Common Calling

Another pleasant day in Cambridge!! Following what will hopefully be the last snow of the year, and a fairly cold week, the temperature rose to 50ºF this afternoon, with quite a bit of sunshine as well. That calls for a run.

My hamstrings were a little tight due to a PE class that decided to require some squats and lifting, so I thought I'd just do a short run. But, after getting going, Charles St. looked incredibly inviting. I took it rather easy, and paused every mile or so to stretch my hamstrings. It ended up being a great decision to extend the run beyond the Esplanade, as the tourist season is starting to pick up, and there were a ton of people out on the streets. It was like people-watching on the go. :-)

5.2 mi loop
Route: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2634321

Pleasant Run

54ºC and sunny here in Cambridge, MA, one of the nicest days since winter started.
I went for a 6 mile run doing a MoS/BU Bridge loop.
Not sure if it was the weather, or the fact that I've been dying to go for a run for days, but I didn't get tired or even think about stopping!!! My right foot was numb for about a mile, as I had tied my laces a little too tightly on that foot. Also, I need to wear double socks to prevent blisters, as I was desperately close to getting some today. Time for the run was a little less than an hour; right on my goal for 10-minute mile pacing.

6 mile route: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2616044

Cambridge Running Routes

Cambridge Running Routes
Beginning and terminating near Central Square

2.5 mi (Mass Ave, Mem Drive, Brookline St.)
3.1 mi (Mass Ave, Mem Drive, River St.)
4.1 mi "Almost Harvard Loop"
4.7 mi Mt. Auburn Loop
7.8 mi Mt. Auburn Cemetery Loop

Cambridge Running Routes

Cambridge Running Routes,
Beginning and terminating near Central Square

2.5 mi (Mass Ave, Mem Drive, Brookline St.)
3.1 mi (Mass Ave, Mem Drive, River St.)
4.1 mi "Almost Harvard Loop" (Franklin St, Dewolf/Quincy Sts Kirkland/Washington Sts, Webster/Portland Sts)