the Way of the Turtle

14.6 Mile Run Along the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Monday, May 11, 2009

Initially I didn't think this run was going to go all that well... my legs were pretty tight and I wasn't feeling particularly motivated... which just goes to show what a difference a few miles can make!

In the end I did something I've never done before - ran the entire length of the bike path from SCCC to Rotterdam Junction out and back (OK, I actually ran two out-and-back segments from Lock 8... first west to Scrafford Lane and then east the SCCC.) While 14.6 miles isn't much in the marathon/ultramarathon scheme of things (or even considering the 20 mile race I'm signed up for in just under 2 weeks) it felt good to put in the miles tonight, especially after skipping the Thom B trail race on Saturday.

The run out to Rotterdam Junction was definitely the more scenic, at least in part because I had daylight for the whole thing! I was a little bit surprised at the lack of geese and ducks in the old canal... maybe the area isn't as attractive to them since all the bushes along the shore have been razed? Did see a lot of smaller birds - tons of red-winged blackbirds, quite a few catbirds, and even some swallows and a couple of orioles. I spent a while at Scrafford Lane watching a fairly large beaver -it's very cool that they're back in the old canal - and on the run back to lock 8 saw the first green heron of the season. Also spotted a couple of snapping turtles and several painted turtles. Needless to say, the first part of the run took a lot longer than it needed to, with all my stops to check out the birds and other wildlife.

On my way back to Lock 8 I spent a while debating over what to do... stop when I reached the car, keep going for another mile or two, or run the rest of the length of the bike path. In the end I convinced myself to go long, since I wouldn't have another chance to do so this week. Picked up a jacket, refilled my water bottle, and ran the 2 1/2 miles to SCCC. By the time I got there the sun had completely set, but there was still more than enough light for me to see the path for the run back. One plus about running in the dark - no distractions! So I ran the 2nd out and back a bit more consistently than the first, and was reminded once again of all the reasons I like running at dusk - the quiet (even with 890 nearby for much of the distance), the cooler temperatures... all in all, I can say I had a pretty good run back to the car... though I suspect I'm going to be a little bit sore tomorrow...

JMH