Thanks to 2 weeks of biking (6 out of 7 days), these workouts became "brick" (bike + run) trainings, and I was able to run with more consistent pace and improve my time - full 1 min for 5K and 2 mins for 10K!
Sunday's workout: 10K Central Park Outer Loop. Partly sunny, 70F, very comfortable. I went counter clockwise on the loop.
The elevations on the path passing Harlem Hill and the west side of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir are quite a workout! I read about it before running and I was up for that challenge. Before I got to E 102nd St Transverse (an alternative path to climbing the hill), two joggers were deciding to go further up to take the hill or reroute to the flat transverse. "We're not going up that hill today" one said. At that moment I did have a second thought about going up there. Anyway, I went. At first, it was a long, S-shape, downhill path that was very smooth and comfortable. Then it comes to the steep, steep, uphill. Luckily, there were a few runners there and they kept me motivated to keep going. After that it was a slight descend, I was able to catch a breath until the second hill next to JKO Reservoir struck me!
Then I forgot how many little hills I climbed, but around 84th street, the path was flat and slightly descended again.
I was glad that I did it. It was an enjoyable workout and the scenes were great. Variations made the workout more challenging but effective. I am eager to do this again!
Now time for the usual skincare regimen!
