VMR48843

I just discovered this forum and am glad to have found it. Running / jogging is not a very popular pastime in our community and it is a pleasure to see that I am not alone. For what it’s worth, here are my two-cents on various topics that have been raised:

1. NYC Marathon. If you don’t get accepted, don’t worry about. The Philadelphia Marathon is (always) two weeks later than NYC and a lot of fun. It will take you about 1.5 – 2 hours to drive down from NYC, but the marathon itself covers a lot of the downtown area and is a lot of fun. There is no lottery to enter so you are guaranties to get in. It’s not as exciting as NYC (smaller crowds and far less media hype) but it is a great marathon.

2. Cross-training!!! When I first started running, my only thought regarding training was to do more of same (i.e., run further and/or run faster). Needless to say, I hurt my knee and couldn’t run properly for months. The problem was that by only training a certain set of muscles (those use to run) the leg muscles get out-of-balance (some very strong, some not). This creates an imbalance that can lead to a lot of problems. Instead, be sure to cross-train your legs! Ride a bike, run backwards on a treadmill, do squats in the gym, jump rope, etc. Make sure you train *more* than just the muscles needed to run and I promise you will do a lot better.

3. Running in Flatbush. If you are running at least 5+ miles, there are many great places you can get too. Besides the track at Marine Park, the Salt Marshes (entrance at Ave. U and 34th St.) has a great loop (about .8 mile) inside. Also, you can head straight down Bedford to Sheepshead Bay and run along the water.

4. Cell phones. A suggestion – if you are going on a long run, take a cell phone. This happened to me once, I was about 6 miles out and hurt myself. Without a phone, I was forced to walk home all 6 miles. Not fun. 🙂

I’d love to hear other people’s thoughts and suggestions. Thanks.