14th August 2007
Shipley Park-Bellinis 8 Mile
Conditions: Wet, Overcast
Run Type: Easy
Notes: This was originally was going to be an easy midweek run / recovery run from my long run on Sunday. Although my hamstring now feels ok I do not want to temp fate by doing too much too soon so I stuck to Shipley Park again and planned around a five mile run.
When I reached the two mile point however near the Venture I felt really good and I knew that five miles was not going to be enough, so I headed out onto the main road towards Ilkeston and Bellinis garage. When I reached the garage and Ilkeston Hospital I turned off down towards the now usual route of the Nutbrook Trail. It was here that I entered the mindset of being in another race. I kept my pace steady but I remembered how much satisfaction I got out of this mental state on Sunday, so I did it all over again.
The climb up to Nutbrook did seem a little harder than in previous runs but this was a recovery run after all so I did not let this get me down. The main thing is I was running well and really enjoying it.
It was on the decline back down towards Mapperley Resivour that I really found my stride on this run and according to my watch I hit 5:13 pace, but for how long I am unsure. I entered Mapperley woods and it was here that I hit the first low point of a run for at least two weeks. The best thing was that the only reason for this low was that the path had become somewhat overgrown with all the sun and rain, and I was getting constantly stung by nettles, but hey if this is going to be my only low point in my runs then I can accept that.
Having left Mapperley woods onto Bell Lane it was just over two miles to the end of the course and this flew by and soon enough I was back at my car and mile eight.
In closing I cannot fault my running at the moment and I believe that I am getting back up to my peak physical condition and the best thing is, I am loving every minute of it. A month ago I was very worried about my injuries and my chances of a sub four time in New York. Now I know that if I carry on training like I am and add a little speed work in once I am sure that I am fully fit, that this goal is now very much alive!
Run time: 1:16:11
Pace: 9:32 / mile
Days to New York Marathon: 81
“It is a rough road that leads to the heights of greatness.”
New York City
"Running 26 miles around this place.....I can think of nothing better"
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The Five Boroughs
"There's more to this place than Manhattan"
Staten Island
"Only the first half mile is spent on Staten Island as you immediately leave across the Varrazano-Narrows bridge into Brooklyn"
Brooklyn
"Almost half the race is spent in Brooklyn, where many different neighbourhoods and cultural changes are passed through"
Queens
"The race enters Queens at exactly the half way point by crossing the Pulalski Bridge, over Newton creek, where you get your first amazing view of the City. The next 3 miles are spent here until crossing the challenging Queensboro Bridge over the East river."
Manhattan
"The first of two visits into Manhattan comes at mile 16 as you leave the Queensboro Bridge. Greeted by thousands of screaming spectators makes this one of the most memorable moments of the race, before the 4 mile stretch up First Avenue towards the Bronx"
Bronx
"At mile 20 you cross the Willis Avenue Bridge into the Bronx where little over a mile is run before returning to Manhattan across the Madison Avenue Bridge, where you see the Yankee Stadium, which has to be the highlight of the short trip across the Harlem river"
Manhattan 2
"As you arrive back in Manhattan the course proceeds down Fifth Avenue for 3 miles before entering Central Park for the final push and that moment that will last forever."
Varrazano-Narrows (Staten Island-Brooklyn)
Pulalski Bridge (Brooklyn-Queens)
Queensboro Bridge (Queens-Manhattan)
Willis Avenue Bridge (Manhattan-Bronx)
Madison Avenue Bridge (Bronx-Manhattan)
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