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Exploring Southern Brooklyn

March 12, 2011 (Morning)

Exercise Type: Run

Comments:
I went out aiming to get in both my long run for the week (16-20 miles) and a 8-10 mile stint at marathon pace. I started by taking the subway from my friend Rob's place in midtown Manhattan out to Atlantic Ave in Brooklyn, from whence I set out to explore Prospect Park. I felt pretty sore in my shins and calves, but I stopped to shakeout and stretch after 20 minutes, and after that I felt better. Still, it wasn't until around the one hour mark that I felt good enough to pick up the tempo to what I hoped was marathon pace. It's really hard to judge whether the pace you're running is something you can just barely sustain for 26.2 miles. But I kept up a decent clip from Avenue A all the way past Avenue Z (note to Broadway musical fans: Avenue Q doesn't exist). Passed through busy Jamaican market places bustling with fruit sellers and cell phone vendors to beautiful residential neighborhoods with black hatted Hasidic Jews on their home from Shabbat lunch. Eventually arrived at Coney Island, which has a mile long boardwalk, beautiful seaside views, and an amusement park which has just recently re-opened a full century after the "island" was at its peak. Coney Island is really a peninusula, which I had some difficulty finding my way off of. Eventually made my way back through western Brooklyn and a gentler though still strong pace, my legs feeling great and my body showing little fatigue. Arrived finally in the sunset park neighborhood within sight of the Verazona Narrows bridges from where I hopped on a bus and finally a train back to Manhattan. On the whole, a terrific run. Not too tired afterward, nor sore.