Showing My Quads Who's Boss

Wednesday 11/15, Run #83: Canarsie

Distance: 9.02 miles
Time: 1:10
Pace: 7:45
Temp: 58
Dewpoint: 52
Weather: overcast

click on image for interactive map


Unique Miles Today: 6.07
Total Unique Miles: 650.55
Percent of Brooklyn Run: 37.34

For the complete route, click here

Notes: After all the concern and anxiety about my quadriceps that was in evidence here yesterday, how did I respond to my legs' continued pleas for rest this morning? I went out and pounded the concrete sidewalks for a good nine miles, as promised. Ha! That ought to shut 'em up. At least until I pass out from the pain.

Why do I abuse my body like this sometimes? Sure, all runners have a bit of a competitive streak -- we like to record out times and our paces and keep journals and logs, and it is with no small amount of joy that we celebrate a new personal record for a 10K or a marathon or whatever. But why does this desire to keep pushing sometimes end up being so obviously counterproductive and potentially injurious? I mean, I know on a very conscious and pragmatic level that it would be best if I took a few more days off, rested up the quads, and then hit the ground running (so to speak) some time next week. Instead, all I could think about last night was that I hadn't run in two days, and if I didn't run this morning (Wednesday) it'd be three and that was like completely beyond my ability to even consider. Totally out of the question! And so before turning in I dutifully drew my little map and cleared the memory in my camera and set out my running clothes, and this morning I rose at about six (staying home didn't even emerge as a possibility, despite the fact that I limped around the apartment for the first five minutes while making tea) and was on the road -- after the subway trip, of course -- by a little after eight. Go ahead, leave comments telling me how foolish I am! Tell me my long-term health is more important than the short-term accumulation of unique miles! Scold! Castigate! Admonish! Go on, let me have it! For you see, I know these things already, and the real mystery, the truly frustrating aspect, is that I can't seem to heed my own better judgment. And you want to know what else? I'm already thinking about where to go tomorrow!

Whatever. Blah blah quadriceps blah. Today I went out to Canarsie and ran around, systematically filling in all the previously un-run streets south of Flatlands Avenue (which, as you may remember, is the completely arbitrary line which I'm endeavoring to run everything south of before moving on to the next third of the borough. BTW, I'm getting real close -- maybe 4 or 5 more runs). As I've written here every previous time I've ventured down that way, Canarsie's a perfectly fine, primarily middle-class African-American neighborhood with most of its streets thoughtfully laid out on a grid and conveniently accessible via the L train. But because of its almost entirely residential nature (except for some small businesses along a couple of the main roads like Rockaway Parkway and Flatlands Avenue), there really isn't a whole lot of eye-catching photographic temptation. (Whoa -- I just got total déjà vu when I typed that. I must've written that exact same phrase on a previous post or something.) So I did my best to take pictures when things caught my eye, though not much did. And besides, I was too busy pretending my legs didn't hurt.

Alright, today's photos:


Remsen Avenue


Also on Remsen Avenue


I'm not much of a car guy, but even I know Lamborghinis are pretty rare


Part of an elaborate mural on E. 80th Street