Runner's High

The NY Times had an interesting piece on the scientific study of the "runner's high" phenomenon in today's Style Section. I've never experienced it, but am now hopeful that I will as my marathon training continues. I have, however, found that I have a higher pain tolerance, as described in the last couple of paragraphs of the article. The blisters I get when running seem bearable; the blisters I used to get from new shoes weren't.

What to Wear

Finding the right thing to wear in the transitional weather at this time of year can be tough. Yesterday I wore a long-sleeved performance-fabric top and a light down vest. My arms were a bit cold for much of the run but otherwise I was fine. Today I opted for a somewhat beefier cotton top under the same vest and was more than a little sweaty. The temperature was only a few degrees different, but I really felt the change. The experience reminds me that I'll have to plan well and watch the weather carefully so that I am comfortable throughout my marathon run in November.

Today's Run

Didn't run as much as I might have because the ipod was running low on power. Turned out that despite flashing red warnings, I probably would have been fine for the usual 6-7 1/2. Pity...

Researching the Big Run

The course of the famed NYC marathon goes through 5 boroughs, over 5 bridges, and past more than 2 million spectators. I've been doing some research to help me understand what to expect in November; here are some highlights:

• I'll start at Varrazano-Narrows Bridge, which connects Staten Island to Brooklyn. Opened in 1964, the Varrazano remains the longest suspension bridge in North America; its towers are half the height as the Empire State Building. I've driven over this bridge and biked over it, too, but this will be the first time I'll be running across it.
• 11 of the marathon's 26.2 miles are in Brooklyn - the city's most populous borough. As I run through Brooklyn, I'll try to appreciate celebrate the borough's diversity - from the largely Hispanic Sunset Park to the Hasidic and hipster communities in Williamsburg.
• Pulaski Bridge - the marathon's halfway point - will take me to Queens. But I won't be there for long: about 1.5 miles later I'll approach the Queensboro Bridge, which will take me to Manhattan.
• More than anything else, I'm looking forward to my run up First Avenue to the Willis Avenue Bridge (at mile 20). Everyone who has run this race talks about the deafening cheers, and how they help you get over fatigue.
• In the Bronx, I'll look for a glimpse of the new home of the Bronx Bombers before heading over the Madison Avenue Bridge back to Manhattan.
• Finally I'll take Fifth Avenue through Harlem, then down the Museum Mile to Central Park. Once I enter at Engineer's Gate (90th Street), I'll be on very familiar territory. Since this is part of my regular running route, it should feel like coming home as I head down to Central Park South and across to Tavern on the Green.

Bound for Boston?

I don't know that I'll ever make it to the Boston Marathon -- doing so would mean keeping up a rigorous running schedule all winter (and I've never been very good at that); the chances of me qualifying are rather slim; and as mentioned before, I love to run with an ipod, and Boston doesn't allow that. Still, I grew up in the Boston area and look forward to hearing about the 112th running of the Boston Marathon next month.

I've found another reason to take my ipod with me on my runs: a recent Fairleigh Dickinson University study found that women who exercised to music lost 8 pounds more than women who exercised silently.

Where to Run

Here is a quick list of some of my favorite places to run in New York City:

1. Central Park (I like the 1.5 mile trail around the reservoir and the 6-mile loop around the whole park best, but the Bridle Trails offer good options, too, especially for folks who prefer not to run on pavement)
2. East River waterfront (I like the Upper East Side section best from about 80th St. to the Triboro Bridge)
3. Hudson River path (the bike and running paths extend from Battery Park to the George Washington Bridge)
4. East Sixth Street track (popular venue for NYC running teams and right on the waterfront, about a 1/2 mile from the Williamsburg Bridge)
5. Brooklyn Bridge offers a nice short run (the path across it is 1.2 miles long)

Missing My Miles

I've been home with a sick child all week and so I haven't had an opportunity to run. OK, truth be told I could have gotten up early this morning (after being up much of the night with a boy who needed me) and gotten in some miles before hubby left for work, but somehow, it just didn't happen...

Training to Keep Your Knees Strong

The first time I ever ran a race of any significant distance (10 miles), my knees hurt for days afterward. I could barely force myself up and down the stairs. Even now, I occasionally put on a leg brace if I feel that familiar ache coming on.

So it was with quite a bit of a relief that I read the results of recent studies which seem to show that "Marathon running does not cuase severe, acute lesions of cartilage, ligaments, or bone marow in well-trained runners" (according to European Radiology) and that running "appears not to increase the risk of osteoarthritis of the knees and may even have a protective effect" (according to Runner's World).

Still, as I increase my mileage, the knee will continue to be an area on which I focus. Here are 4 exercises to consider adding to my routine:

• Four-way kick (kick in 4 directions, working up to 3 sets of 50 in each direction, with your ankle strapped to a cable machine or uisng a resistance band).


• Lateral step up with kick (step up, then lift knee of opposite leg, working up to 2 sets of 12 on each side).


• Hip lift (balance on one leg, using wall for balance, lift opposite hip with its knee slightly bent but leg relatively straight, working up to 20 times per side).


• Step down (just what it sounds like - working up to 2 sets of 10).

The Good and the Bad

The good news? My son wants to go running with me.

We started Sunday. We didn't do much and the pace was slow, but I'm looking forward to our next outing together.

The bad news? I've had a terrible cold and just haven't been out as much as I'd like. And while I feel better this morning, the weather is rainy and being cold and wet doesn't sound like a fun way to start the day.