First 2021 run at Bethpage

Sunny and lonely at Bethpage

It's a new year and everyone seems pretty happy about that. There's reason to be optimistic: vaccines will get Covid under control this year and this country will (hopefully) unite under its first real president since January 19, 2017. If 2020 taught us anything, it's that democracy cannot be taken for granted. In the meantime, we can manage through any of life's negatives with a really good run.

My running in 2020 had its ups and downs. I ran a total of 962 miles (a personal record) and 33% more distance than in 2019. I averaged over 80 miles a month and averaged 3.2 miles per run. My overall pace in 2020 improved 5% over 2019. On the other hand, I only had ten runs greater than 4 miles and only one longer than 5. SIOR maintains that my pace isn't going to improve much until I incorporate a lot more long runs into my schedule.

I'm ambivalent about changing up my regular routine since it seems to work for me. My attempt to move the needle on my performance last fall yielded some improvement, but it was more high effort than foundational. There's an argument to be made that longer runs and (shudder) hill training are the best ways to deliver gains. I was thinking about that on Saturday on my way to Bethpage State Park to run with the Runsketeers. We had planned to participate in the annual Hangover Run at Eisenhower Park on New Years day, but it was cancelled due to Covid.

The Runsketeers decided to kick off 2021 at Bethpage, a venue that seems to work for everyone and happens to be close to a Starbucks that has outside seating. Our post-run Starbucks time is as essential as the run itself. Unfortunately SIOR and Professor Mike had medical afflictions and had to cancel that morning and TPP had to work. I went it alone and planned to run at least 4 miles.

Conditions were good, low 40's and sunny. I felt strong and thought I was running pretty well. The paved path at Bethpage has distance markings every tenth of a mile. As I went along, I was puzzled to see that my Garmin was showing less distance compared to the marked path. I thought it was a GPS error. I ended up running 3.8 miles thinking I'd actually covered four. Later, I Gmapped my route using the exact turnaround positions from my Garmin's download. Despite my perceived performance, I ended up running a less impressive pace.

Out 'N Back x 2

I think I've figured out why the north trail markings differ from my GPS tracking. The first tenth of a mile (position .1 mile) that you encounter isn't actually .1 mile from the trail head. It's actually .05 miles. The marker is, surprisingly, the distance from the top of the steep trail that comes up from the lot to the .1 marker on the north trail. It turns out that four times back and forth from the trail head to the one mile mark is - wait for it - 3.8 miles.

Me and the Runsketeer recruits

So lesson learned. I still had a very pleasant run, although I missed my buddies. When I returned to the lot at the end, I encountered four women who were getting ready to head out for their run together. I asked them to take a picture of me that I could send to the Runsketeers and one of the woman asked if I wanted them in it. I said, "Sure, you can be temporary Runsketeers!" I'm sure they had no idea what I was talking about, but I'm used to that.

I did my third run of 2021 this morning before the rain came. It was cold and windy and only about 3.4 miles, but it was nice to know my Garmin is working.

Hanging Over with the Runsketeers

Flower inserted due to behavioral issue

According to my records, I only had three Emerging Runner posts in all of 2018. That's pretty pathetic. This was mostly due to the fact that I didn't post on the other 362 days. However, I am proud to say that I've posted every day in 2019. I've also run every day this year. Not so pathetic now, huh?!

I give credit for today's run to my long time running nemesis friend, She Is Out Running (SIOR) who decided that the Runsketeers would return to Eisenhower Park to do the 2019 LIRRC Hangover Run. For some reason we skipped it last year, but now we're back on track. While some Runskies weren't able to make it today, they were with us in spirit.

The Hangover Run is a great event because it provides all the great stuff about being in a race (organization, other runners, time clock, free food!) without the pressure of competing. Everyone starts together, but after that you're on your own to do as many loops of the one mile course as you'd like. Since the event happens on New Year's Day, it's usually a chilly proposition, but today's morning temperature was about 56°, albeit with some stiff winds along the route.

I arrived at the park around 9:20 AM for the 9:30 start and looked for SIOR. I knew TPP needed to work, but wasn't sure if Professor Mike (PM) or KWL would be joining us. I didn't see anyone from the crew so I lined up for the start, figuring I'd run into the others along the way. After the LIRRC guy counted down the start, we were off. I knew I'd be running this course a lot slower than in the past due to some medication I'm taking. It was both interesting and a little humiliating to go from being a solid mid-packer to back-of-packer. At least I was passing walkers!

About 3/10ths into the run, a couple of speedsters slipped by and were running directly ahead of me when I realized they were SIOR and PM. I said something snarky, which they ignored, so I tapped SIOR on the shoulder and surprised them. We ran together for a couple of minutes. It was probably my fastest quarter and definitely SIOR's slowest of the day. She caught up with PM and they resumed their pace. I watched them on the other side of the loop each time I went around, getting ever closer to lapping me. On my third mile, that's exactly what happened and I ran the remainder of the route with SIOR.

It was the fastest three miles I've run since April 1st of last year. Still nothing to write home about in terms of pace, but it underscored how much I'd regressed by running solo much of 2018. We grabbed some coffee and food and then SIOR decided to run one more loop before we headed off to Runsketeer HQ, also known as the closest Starbucks.

Rare pic of SIOR acting like a grownup

PM and SIOR were waiting at a table by the time I arrived. Starbucks was sparsely populated and I gave my buddies holiday presents because last year we skipped the Hangover and I didn't give them their gifts until July. I grabbed a coffee and we got into it right away -- politics, religion, medical issues, work, kids, anything but running. It didn't matter that it had been months since we got together, it's always as if we saw each other the day before.

Seeing my buddies and running better than I have in a long time was inspiring. I really hope we can get the whole group together soon. I wouldn't call it a resolution, but I am serious about getting back to 18-21 mile weeks before mid year. I have a strategy to get me there, and running more with the Runsketeers is part of that plan.

Emerging or submerging?

The emerging will continue

Today's run (street): 3.2 miles

Happy New Year! Okay, I'm about 40 days off the mark, but you get the point. Chinese New Year starts on the 16th so it's still valid to say that. Those of you who used to follow this blog may have noticed that I haven't posted since late November. There's a reason for that*. Anyway, it's 2018 and everything is great. The stock market is going gangbusters, Congress is unified and the White House isn't being led by an unqualified, dishonest, ignorant, racist, misogynist. I may have some of that wrong.

You're probably wondering whether my hiatus from blogging meant that I stopped running. The answer is no. I've continued to run, but frequency and distance have both come down. Speed? What's that? Am I emerging or submerging? Unclear.

I've had a cold for the last three weeks. It's not the flu. A doctor told me that. But I do have a dry cough that won't go away. The cough seems to be improving, but it's very disruptive at work when I have to interrupt conversations by coughing into my elbow. Every time I do that I'm sure my colleges are convinced I'm going to make them sick. Of course it was one of them who made me sick in the first place.

This morning was overcast but free of rain. I headed out in 50° weather for a run around the neighborhood. I'm not sure when I last ran around here, because the freezing weather kept me on the treadmill most of January and early February. It felt like good running weather, cool but not face freezing cold.

A few weeks ago I ran at the track in -5° weather. I had face protection, a winter weight hat, triple layers top and bottom, running gloves inside of running mittens and two pair of wool socks. I had to stop after four laps because my hands were stinging from the bitter cold. It took two minutes before they warmed up enough to wrap my fingers around the steering wheel. I finished my run at home on the treadmill.

I only ran outdoors once last weekend. Yesterday I stuck to the treadmill and tomorrow I'll go outside again, weather permitting. My stride has shortened and my cadence has lowered. Not the direction I need to go if performance is important. That's the thing. When I run without regard to speed, I enjoy the experience a lot. When I need to hit the gas to prevent being passed by a neighbor-runner I don't enjoy it. Plus I usually get passed anyway.

For the New Year, I hope to do more runs and miles than in 2017. In terms of performance, I'm guessing more running will lead to more speed. The groundhog community has spoken and it looks like six more weeks of winter cold. I'll do my best to get out more often. If I work from home more frequently, I can probably get in more runs. Emerging Runner will have its ten year anniversary in the fall. I need to live up to that name.

*I got tired of doing it.

Part 2 - The Emerging Runner: A look back at 2015

The Glorious Runsketeers

Today's run (street): 3.2 miles

2015 - A look back from July to December

The second half of 2015 had a lot more runs with friends, starting in early July when SIOR and I met up on the Bethpage trail to run a few miles together before heading to Starbucks. TPP was with JC in Connecticut that day and was unable to join us. I ended up covering six miles, my longest run of the year at that point.

Missing TPP

Two weeks later, I met SIOR again, this time to run another six at the Massapequa Preserve that extends the Bethpage trail to the south. I'd run through the northern Preserve before, but had never started a run there from the south. I met up with SIOR once I was three miles in. It was super humid that day and the route seemed to defy physics, with both directions appearing to be uphill.

Massapequa Preserve: up and up

In early August the Runsketeers got together to run the Dirty Sock course at Belmont State Park. KWL joined us on this route that is primarily dirt trails. I stuck to the classic 6.2 mile course and added an extra third of a mile because SIOR forced us to start running before the trail head. The top of the route is a circle around beautiful Belmont Lake. I circled it once, TPP twice and KWL and SIOR did it a third time because they're the cool kids. We regrouped afterward at a Starbucks that we found in the area. It had really comfy furniture. One of my best running days ever.

Starbuck'n after Dirty Sock runnin'

After over-thinking my running shoe portfolio for months, I finally dropped $52 on a pair of Kinvara 5s in September that I bought through a startup app called Shoekicker. It was love at first footfall. I also did a trail run with my financial whiz running buddy Steve at Stillwell Woods. No one bought my theory that one trail mile equals 1.18 road miles.

I ❤ my Kinvaras

Me and CrossFitter Steve

In mid October, the Runsketeers returned to Bethpage. SIOR and TPP were both recovering from hard races and ran slowly. That allowed us to all run together the whole time, something we haven't done in a while. Later, SIOR drove TPP and I back to where we'd parked on Colonial Road. I figured out that five minutes is probably the maximum amount of time SIOR and I can spend together in a moving car.

All smiles after Bethpage

My work schedule did not help my running schedule and I found myself limited to three or four workouts a week. My typical run length had fallen to 3-4 miles and I decided to do something about that. In November, I ran 7.1 miles on the Bethpage trail which turned out to be my longest run in 2015.  I intended to do base runs in increasing lengths, but I failed miserably. In fact, I didn't do a single run longer than 5 miles for the remainder of the year.

Later that month, the group got together on a chilly post-Thanksgiving morning to support TPP and her sister NIMC who were racing at Stillwell Woods. KWL, SIOR and I ran laps on the track before heading across the street to the start of the race. We all ended up at Starbucks where the five of us didn't shut up for a second. When we finished, we grouped together for a picture that was taken by a metal column.

A Runsketeer Thanksgiving

In December, KWL visited the Emerging Runner household for a morning of running and food. Me and KWL headed over to Stillwell for a short but invigorating trail run and later he and the ER family had lunch at a new restaurant in my town that featured intestines and pigs feet. Tempting as those choices sound, we opted for vegetarian offerings.

Stillwell done well

I did 155 runs in 2015 but the best ones were those I did with friends. January started off great with the 2016 Hangover Run with SIOR and TPP and I got in a few more miles this morning. I've run every day this year. Let's see how long that streak lasts!

The Emerging Runner: A look back at 2015 - Part 1

Today's run (street): 3.25 miles
Yesterday's workout (elliptical): 30 minutes
Monday's run (street): 3.4 miles

As the year comes to a close, I thought I would take a look back at my 2015 running year. Okay, it was really SIOR's suggestion. She's doing one as well. For the record, when we are both writing about the same thing, my version is the correct one.

2015 - A look back from January to June

Hangover course

The year begins with the 2015 LIRRC Hangover Run, a timed "fun run" with a suggested length of five miles.  Me, TPP, SIOR and her daughter, SIOR Jr met up in Eisenhower Park before the run and shivered until the 9:30 start. We circled the one-mile course five times and then regrouped at the start/finish line. I was dealing with a herniated disc which slowed me down a bit. That problem got worse before it got better, leading to a week of non-running in the middle of January and a few other non-running periods in the months to come.

Sole F63, kicked to the curb

It snowed a lot in January, leaving me no choice but to use the treadmill. That was until the treadmill finally stopped working in early February. I recorded its final moments for posterity but the Sole F63 wasn't finished torturing us, gouging holes in the wall as it was carried away by the installers of our new machine.

This was not real fun

I loved our new treadmill so much I managed to aggravate my then-undiagnosed injury to the point that I needed to switch to elliptical workouts for the next 23 days. I saw an orthopedist who put me through x-rays and an MRI and determined that my problem was, in fact, a herniated disc. I ellipticaled a lot over the next few weeks.

Reunited with the 'sketeers

After some bad winter weather and abstaining from running most of February, the Runsketeers got together for a Bethpage run in April. It was a tough run for me due to the disc related pain, but hanging with my buddies more than made up for it. SIOR gave me a SPIbelt as a birthday present. That was very sweet of her. I use it on every run.

We did most of the testing in space

While I continued to recover, I shifted from running to running-like workouts and was part of a panel at Consumer Reports that tested and evaluated "Alternative Cardio Running Machines." These units seemed like weirdly mutated, expensive (one unit was priced more than $10K) elliptical machines. The timing of this testing was perfect. I got to do all my workouts during office hours and benefited from the no-impact "running" motion. I also got a stand-up desk for my office that I like so much I haven't used my chair in months.

Love this thing

Me, TPP & SIOR after all the unpleasantness

Mid-May was the time for our next Runsketeer outing, again at Bethpage. I ran far better than when we got together in April, but I was still hurting from my disc problem. SIOR may have been off her meds during the May run, because she was hallucinating friends on the Bethpage trail and later started a fight at Starbucks. That may be a slight exaggeration of what actually happened.

Dogsled route

June was a hot and humid month and I mostly kept to local roads. In order to fight the tedium of neighborhood running, I switched up my routes and discovered that some of the GPS maps looked like pictures. Around the same time, TPP was starting to run some routes in her neighborhood that resembled bunny rabbits. I wanted to do a run that spelled out a word but I never got around to it.

That's it for the first half of 2015. I'll post second half highlights soon!

Happy Blue Monday

I heard on the news that today is "Blue Monday", supposedly the most depressing day of the year. A combination of post-holiday reality (back to work and school, less daylight, gray skies, cold weather) all contribute to feelings of sadness.

Despite all that, I tend to look at the new year hopefully. Bad weather will pass, the days start getting longer after December 22nd and just because the holidays are over, it doesn't mean that you can't spend time with people who make you happy.

A good friend called me today and mentioned that he was feeling especially low. I told him about Blue Monday and he felt better. The fact that Blue Monday is a real thing may help depersonalize the sadness. Either way, I was glad that he felt more optimistic after we'd spoken. I told him that whenever I feel low, a good run all but guarantees a change of mindset. I'll bet if more people ran, Blue Monday would be far less blue.

Layering up for the Hangover

Too much?

Today's run (street): 3.4 miles

The old Scandinavian proverb, "There's no bad weather, just inappropriate clothing" is especially true for runners. This morning was so cold that I considered staying inside for my run. My wife was on the treadmill at the time so I would have needed to wait for her to finish. We had morning plans, so to save time I decided to brave the weather and dress "appropriately."

I added another upper layer just before heading outside. It's always tricky to find a balance that works. Races are hard, when you're by yourself and there's no place to keep warm before the race begins. I generally dress for my second mile. That can be uncomfortable unless I'm able to park close to the starting line and stay in my car until race time. Training runs, like today, are easier to manage because you can start as soon as you step outside.

That extra layer kept me comfortable from the beginning. I wasn't looking to run at race pace which would have put me into overheating territory. It wasn't until near the end that I really began to heat up. Flipping back my glove mittens to expose my fingers helped introduce enough cooling to counteract that heat. That got me through the remaining half mile.

Tomorrow is New Year's day and, for most people, it's a recovery day after staying up very late. But for me and my two other Musketeers (and possibly a fourth) we'll be gathering in the morning at Eisenhower Park for the LIRRC Hangover Fun Run. The distance is supposed to be 5 miles but we may be going for a few extra. Our speediest-keteer is looking to cover ten.

I've done the Hangover event for the past couple of years and both mornings were very cold. The temperature at tomorrow's 9:30 AM start is predicted to be 27°, with winds making it feel like 19°. Since this isn't a race, I'll probably error on the side of too many layers. Just as the Norwegians say, "Det finnes ikke dårlig vær, bare dårlige klær."

Hangover Fun at LIRRC Run in Eisenhower Park

Finishers gathering at the end

Today's run (LIRRC Hangover Fun Fun): 5 miles

Happy 2013. Early this morning, as I made my way along Hempstead Turnpike, I enviously noted some restaurants promoting New Year's Day brunches. Soon enough, friends and families would be gathering at these places for a relaxing meal, while me and a few hundred others would be running five, 1-mile loops around Eisenhower Park in the name of fun.

The posted start time for the Hangover Run was 9:30 AM, so I planned to get there fifteen minutes before. The temperature, including wind chill, was close to freezing. With neither registration nor number pickup, I had the freedom to show up far later than I would for a race. The organizers pushed the start a few minutes, probably to accommodate some late-arriving participants. After a New Year's style countdown we were on our way.

The Hangover is a group run that feels a lot like a race. But it isn't a race and that's what makes it fun. I proceeded at a pace that kept me with the crowd but, after a few minutes, I noticed the 6:00 pace crowd had broken off ahead. I was passed by a fair number of people through the first mile but I didn't care about that. I was enjoying the experience and feeling great running in the cold.

I completed the first mile in 9:28 and that was probably the fastest loop that I did all morning. I was slightly disappointed that I wasn't generating much speed because the effort was there. My heart rate was keeping close to my racing zone, and I didn't want to push any harder. On a few occasions, slower runners blocked the narrow path or ran a little too close for comfort. After a while the field opened up and I could run without those distractions.

It wasn't the easiest five miles I've ever run, but I didn't feel like a race. Halfway through the run I noticed that my Garmin wasn't recording my run so I needed to rely on the clock for my time. When I came past the timer for the fourth time, I saw that I was tracking about a minute behind last year's run. I thought about picking up speed for the last mile, but I decided to maintain my current pace to the end.

I crossed the line feeling like I'd had a good workout, but it wasn't the same as competing. Not surprisingly, I was warm at the finish. Soon enough, the cold air and my sweaty clothes started giving me a chill. I headed back to my car and made my way out of the park before the road got too crowded.

Like last year, it was great to start this new year with a running start. My wife did her run this morning as well, so we both have perfect records for 2013! Tomorrow it's back to work for me and back to school for the kids. It has been a great holiday break and I'll be happy to take a rest day tomorrow.

2012 ends today but the Hangover starts tomorrow

Almost done

Today's run (street): 3.4 miles

The year is nearly over and, for that matter, so is my vacation. In past years I've taken time to reflect on the previous twelve months and set my goals for the coming year. 2012 had its ups and downs and I won't be too upset to see it go. I will say that it's been fine year for running although I can't point to any particular moment that stands above all. If I had to pick, I'd say it was my experience running the half marathon in May, when I hit my stretch goal in terms of performance.

Counting a two day business trip that I took prior to the break, I have been away from the office for eleven days. Tomorrow will be my last day off before returning to work on Wednesday. I'll cap the vacation and celebrate the start of 2013 by running the Hangover 5-miler in Eisenhower Park. The Fun Run starts at 9:30 AM and I'm going to try to time my arrival so that I minimize the time I'll need to wait in the 25 degree weather.

Although I usually take Monday as a rest day, I decided to trade it for Wednesday when I return to the office. I'll be back to rising before 4:00 AM and I'll appreciate being able to skip my workout without feeling any guilt.

Today's run was a good rehearsal for tomorrow's event and I paid attention to how long it took to go from comfortably warm to hot and sweating this morning. Tomorrow I'll be covering almost two more miles than today, so I may opt for one less layer up top. I'm not thrilled that my vacation comes to an end on Wednesday, but at least I'll have this event to send me on my way.

LIRRC 2012 Hangover Run: well done fun

Today's run (LIRRC Hangover Run): 5 miles

47:19 (9:28 pace)

Happy New Year! Last night went later than expected and I didn't get to sleep until after 12:30 AM. I did catch an hour's nap earlier, in an attempt to bank some needed sleep, but I don't think it did much good. Even so, I got up at 6:30 and tried to decide how to dress for this morning's fun run in Eisenhower Park. The NYC news station showed 44 degrees, while our local station showed 32.

I finally settled on a long sleeve base layer topped with a short sleeved jersey, along with my new CS running pants. It was a good choice but I may have been fine with only one layer on top. When Team Emerging Runner joins me on cold days, I can wear more layers to keep warm. I just hand off my jacket before the race begins. Today I was by myself, so the extra layer helped while I stood waiting for the start.

I have to hand it to the Long Island Road Runner's Club who put on today's event at Eisenhower Park. LIRRC does it all with a minimum of frills (no race shirts or pre-registration) but they charge very little to participate and they hold many races throughout the year. Today's Fun Run was a gift because the event was open to all. Post-run refreshments were served and not a penny was charged to participate.

It was friendly crowd who milled around near the start area and soon we were off on our 5 mile run. The LIRRC provides a timing clock but the tracking is up to the participants. No one wins this race but I'm sure the swiftest runners compete for bragging rights. The course is five times around a measured loop within the park. Every time you pass the timing clock at the start, you've finished another mile.

It was interesting to run this "Hangover" run. I didn't see too many sluggish runners nursing hangovers. It felt like a race. Since it wasn't actually a competition, I decided to run it a little faster than a recreational run at that distance, but not as fast as my 8K race pace.

It may have been last night's late bedtime, or the fact that I haven't taken a rest day since last Monday, but I couldn't generate a lot of speed. The first mile seemed to take a while and the clock showed 9:02 when I passed it. Miles 2 through 4 were run slower as I settled into a more comfortable pace. At the last mile I decided to step things up a little and passed a handful of runners before crossing the line at 47:19.

Even though I didn't have a hangover, it was a great head-clearing experience. Just think, I've got a perfect streak going this year, running every day and averaging 5 miles each run! Sadly, the streak will end tomorrow when I take a well needed rest.

2011 running is done, now bring on the Hangover!

Today's run (street): 3.4 miles

It's the last day of the year and I had to get in one final run before the ball drops. Since I'm planning to participate in tomorrow's 5 mile Hangover Fun Run, I decided to keep my distance to about three miles. It's unseasonably warm for the end of December and the temperature was at 45° when I went out this morning.

I wasn't the only person looking to end the year with a run around my local streets. I encountered a couple of runners who I'd seen around the neighborhood plus plenty of people who were out walking their dogs. I didn't push the pace but it still felt challenging, even for such a short distance.

It should be fun to run around Eisenhower Park on New Year's day. Were I more adventurous, I'd consider heading into NYC tonight for the Emerald Nuts Midnight Run. That's a four mile race that's run every New Year's Eve. But since that race starts long past my bedtime, I think I'm far better off waiting for tomorrow morning.

Foggy puppet-footed New Year's run

Today's run (street): 5.6 miles

Perhaps I should explain the title to this post. After taking Saturday (New Year's Day) to rest, I thought I'd make my 2011 debut at Stillwell Woods. In the past I've run Stillwell after a snowstorm and discovered that much of it was runnable as long as I wore the right shoes. I planned to wear my Helly Hansons that make short work of rough surfaces and packed snow. I got up early and waited for the sun to rise before heading out. When it became light enough to see the streets I noticed a heavy fog enveloping my neighborhood. The surreal view of the roads, combined with mid-40 degree temperatures, made me change my mind about Stillwell. I decided instead to run on the local roads.

That explains the foggy in the title. The puppet footed running relates to the mid-foot style of landing that I've followed as much as possible when I run. I still have trouble consistently landing either mid or front footed and I need to think about ways to make my feet fall forward more naturally. A technique that I've adopted is what I think of as "puppet feet." Just like the way the feet of a marionette seem to  drop when the figure is "walking", I think about bringing up my knees and let my feet fall. I'll usually land mid-foot and I can do this at a fairly brisk cadence (85-88 SPM). This technique also works well for me on inclines and small hills.

I ended up running a very pleasant 5.6 miles, enjoying a different view of my neighborhood and feeling good about my first run of the new year. Tomorrow I'll return to the office and the work week routine: 4:00 AM runs, the commuter train, schedules, meetings and earlier bedtimes. My kids return to school from holiday break on Monday as well so we're dedicating the rest of today to doing some fun stuff. The first run in the new year is completed and I enjoyed it completely. Happy running to everyone in 2011!

Happy 2011!

Happy New Year! For no particular reason I chose not to run today. I was caught up in New Year's activities this morning that carried into the afternoon. By the time I was ready to run I'd decided to forgo my workout. I'll defer my first run of 2011 to tomorrow morning.

Ideally the paths at Stillwell will be runnable on Sunday. I've been happy for the opportunity to run outside this week a couple of times but the snow has limited me to my main neighborhood. It's wonderful to have local streets that are safe for running but following the same course does get tedious. I wish there were web cams at Stillwell and Bethpage (and Belmont Lake for that matter) that showed conditions in real time. That would save me a trip if the snow is still too deep for running. I'll probably head to Stillwell first, because it's closest, and check that out. If things don't look good I'll probably return home and have my first run of the year around the neighborhood. Either way it will be a celebration of running in good health in January. I'll never take that for granted again.