So yesterday I finally made it out for my run over the Williamsburg Bridge and back. It is a 5.9 mile route down 1st Ave, over the bridge, up Roebling to Metropolitan. Then turn around, back over the bridge and up Essex and Ave A. I really like the route as it provides a nice hill workout without going to Central Park.
Forces conspired against me, and I wasn’t able to get out of the house until 9am. Earlier would have been better, especially at this time of the year when each hour adds a layer of heat that makes it more and more uncomfortable. It was getting hot, but still not that horrible. It was nice that the going down 1st Ave was mostly in the shade. Started getting tough over the bridge – there is no shade really and the sun was directly in front of me. It may be psychological, but when the sun is in my face, it makes me feel hotter and more tired!
I seemed to have several delays along the way. For one, I wasn’t paying proper attention and missed the best cross of Delancy and so had to wait half a light cycle to get across onto the bridge. Also, I made a bodega stop for water and stopped a couple of times to drink. Also, the trip back just seemed much slower and getting up the bridge on the return trip seemed really difficult. In cooler times of the year, I usually have a very strong finish up Ave A, but this time there was no energy for a particularly strong finish.
Typically, it takes me 55-57 minutes to finish this course. With the heat and the stops along the way today, I’d have been happy with anything up to 58 minutes. Surprise of all surprises though, when I checked my watch at the end, it said 54:36! I somehow managed to run my 3rd fasted time on this course.
Amazing – wonder if my watch is broken!
