This year has involved a bit more running than I originally expected. I aimed to run my first ultramarathon in April, but thanks to COVID, it moved back to September. That meant training up to peak mileage with 50+ mile weeks not just once, but twice. It meant many more weekends spent out on the trails than I expected with a newborn, but it also meant I got to field test a ton of running […]
On Saturday September 12, after five and a half hours of running through the trails and roads of Sussex County Fairgrounds, the same place I first got a medal for one of my homebrewed beers, I officially became an ultramarathoner, completing my first ever 50K. While it wasn’t easy, I actually felt pretty good after, and I’m already considering how I can go longer or faster, though of course in due time so I can […]
This summer, during COVID distancing, I decided to run 1000 km as part of the Great Virtual Run Across Tennessee. Over the past three months, I ran 665 miles, traversing virtually the distance from west to east across Tennessee. I’m now heading back across TN, though I will likely not make it much further as the event ends on August 31. It’s still a pretty major accomplishment, and by far the furthest I’ve run in […]
I was originally supposed to run my first ever 50K in April with the New Jersey Trail Series. COVID interrupted that, like so many other things. Instead of completing my run before our baby was born, and right after completing my months of long runs involving the sacrifice of numerous weekends, my race was delayed to the fall. Throughout the summer, while on lockdown, I looked for opportunities to do long trail runs to prepare […]
This stupid virus was bad enough when it left me stuck at home compromising between less attention for work and completely failing to home educate my kids. But at least at the end of the work day, I was able to lace up my running shoes and get out in the sun beneath the trees in our local state forest for a run. Now, thanks to the virus and even more so, the idiots who […]
In the last month I’ve run around Central Park’s large loop numerous times. First to mix up my daily run’s scenery on my morning run from my office. Second, in the Big Apple Half Marathon in December. Then, most recently, with a loop that featured a run up the famed Harlem Hill three times for the Fred Lebow Half Marathon. After all these loops, I’m willing to say that Central Park may be one of […]
Going from wired headphones to wireless ones, especially for running is a complete game changer. Instead of battling cords that somehow seem to always find a way to get wrapped around an arm or flap into a face, they just go in and I can forget about them and focus on running. This year, when my old pair of neck-wire style wireless running headphones finally died, I decided to go the true wireless route and […]
Four years can make a huge difference when it comes to running. In 2015, I ran the Hershey Half Marathon for the first time, only one year after my very first race, in just under two hours. This year, I ran it again after nearly 20 half marathons and six full marathons, focusing on improving my speed, and reduced my personal best for a half marathon, even on this hilly course in 1:40:20. I’ve got […]
After three years with my Garmin Vivoactive smartwatch, I decided it was time to graduate up to a more professional and full featured running watch. Going back to my Fitbit, I’ve enjoyed running with a smart device, but with each upgrade, have felt the need to add a bit more power. With the Fenix 6, I quickly discovered a ton of new features that help me push to become an even better runner. I’ll miss […]
One of my absolute favorite runs in the area I live is across the George Washington Bridge from New Jersey into New York. Every year, usually in peak marathon training time, I look forward to my first long run across the bridge, over state lines, and into New York City. No other run gives me as much opportunity to see such a diverse set of landscapes and amazing views. Probably known more for cycling than […]