And now. . . it's snowing
Well the forecasters got it right for once, they predicted snow to start at 10a.m. At 10 I was about 2 miles short of wrapping up my Saturday 15, and sure enough the first flurries started coming down. Now its coming down quite heavily and the same forecasters promise 12+ inches.
Let it snow; I got my workout in. For my run I went to Center City this morning to hook up with folks running from the Philadelphia Runner store (www.philadelphiarunner.com). PR opened a few months ago and I hadn't been there yet, and I wanted to what their Saturday morning runs were like. Their store, near Rittenhouse Square in Center City, looks big and elegant from the outside, and its alot smaller once you get inside but it keeps the elegance (as much as a running store can). It struck me, while I looked around as we waited for the rest of the group to assemble, that there is not a heck of alot of "stuff" you can sell runners. Besides shoes, there is a limited amount of clothing apparel and gear, especially when you compare it to a sport like cycling. I like it that way, especially seeing the rattiness of my attire for my cold runs. That also means that, if there is a limited amount of stuff you can do with merchandise, its a store's relationship with the local running community that determines how well it will do. I wonder how PR will make out, and how it will affect a nearby store, Rittenhouse Sports, which probably has a similar (albeit more cramped) selection of stuff but does little to promote local running.
Anyway, this probably was not the best Saturday to hook up with a new group. Temperatures were, yet again, in the teens and the day was grey with the feeling of imminent snow. About seven people showed, including E. (who I had forgotten runs with these folks). Me, E., and another woman whose name escapes me took off as the "fast" group and ran up the Franklin Parkway to the Art Museum and ran up the Drives. They got me into a good 7:15 groove and after about two miles they turned to go off into the hills east of Kelly Dr. and I kept going up Kelly. Soon after, I passed I. and S. on their way down and thought, shit, I could have hooked up with them this morning. They are two of the regulars that meet at 8:15 in front of the Art Museum with whom I will usually run when I'm looking to go social on the weekend.
While the social aspect of my run didn't work out as I would have liked I was very happy with my workout. After about a 4 mile warmup to the store, and about two miles running with company, I timed the next 7 miles and brought my pace down from 7:15 to about a 6:50 and then recovered at about 7:30 or so for the last 2 or 3 miles home. This is the level where I want to be right now, where I can comfortably air it out at a sustained sub 7 pace, but not yet ready to take it into the low sixes or high fives for serious tempo work. That'll come.
I'm calling the workout 15.5 miles total in just under 2 hours: 1:59.50.
Lots of small birds out today. Sparrows and juncoes and cardinals and the like. Birds I remember from the bird feeder our family had when I was a kid. Seeing them sitting in a bunch on the ground filling up on whatever they were eating was a nostalgic winter scene for me, not only from the feeder but also from pictures, cards, stamps and the like.
Getting a workout in tomorrow will be a challenge with the snow, and it may be a good day to DNR.
Let it snow; I got my workout in. For my run I went to Center City this morning to hook up with folks running from the Philadelphia Runner store (www.philadelphiarunner.com). PR opened a few months ago and I hadn't been there yet, and I wanted to what their Saturday morning runs were like. Their store, near Rittenhouse Square in Center City, looks big and elegant from the outside, and its alot smaller once you get inside but it keeps the elegance (as much as a running store can). It struck me, while I looked around as we waited for the rest of the group to assemble, that there is not a heck of alot of "stuff" you can sell runners. Besides shoes, there is a limited amount of clothing apparel and gear, especially when you compare it to a sport like cycling. I like it that way, especially seeing the rattiness of my attire for my cold runs. That also means that, if there is a limited amount of stuff you can do with merchandise, its a store's relationship with the local running community that determines how well it will do. I wonder how PR will make out, and how it will affect a nearby store, Rittenhouse Sports, which probably has a similar (albeit more cramped) selection of stuff but does little to promote local running.
Anyway, this probably was not the best Saturday to hook up with a new group. Temperatures were, yet again, in the teens and the day was grey with the feeling of imminent snow. About seven people showed, including E. (who I had forgotten runs with these folks). Me, E., and another woman whose name escapes me took off as the "fast" group and ran up the Franklin Parkway to the Art Museum and ran up the Drives. They got me into a good 7:15 groove and after about two miles they turned to go off into the hills east of Kelly Dr. and I kept going up Kelly. Soon after, I passed I. and S. on their way down and thought, shit, I could have hooked up with them this morning. They are two of the regulars that meet at 8:15 in front of the Art Museum with whom I will usually run when I'm looking to go social on the weekend.
While the social aspect of my run didn't work out as I would have liked I was very happy with my workout. After about a 4 mile warmup to the store, and about two miles running with company, I timed the next 7 miles and brought my pace down from 7:15 to about a 6:50 and then recovered at about 7:30 or so for the last 2 or 3 miles home. This is the level where I want to be right now, where I can comfortably air it out at a sustained sub 7 pace, but not yet ready to take it into the low sixes or high fives for serious tempo work. That'll come.
I'm calling the workout 15.5 miles total in just under 2 hours: 1:59.50.
Lots of small birds out today. Sparrows and juncoes and cardinals and the like. Birds I remember from the bird feeder our family had when I was a kid. Seeing them sitting in a bunch on the ground filling up on whatever they were eating was a nostalgic winter scene for me, not only from the feeder but also from pictures, cards, stamps and the like.
Getting a workout in tomorrow will be a challenge with the snow, and it may be a good day to DNR.
posted by seebo | 10:47 AM
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