Run, Rachel, Run

I'm a pretty lucky runner. I get to run across this beautiful bridge whenever I want:

But with this bridge comes people. Lots and lots of people. I have sneaking suspicion that I—in all my sweating glory—am in quite a few tourists' photos and videos.

Plus, you can only run one path for so long before you become way too aware of how far you've gone ... and, perhaps more importantly, how far you have left.

But this was my 6- to 7-mile route. It was a trusty one:


From my apartment, through Brooklyn Heights and to the Promenade, over to Cadmen Plaza and through downtown Brooklyn, over the bridge, around City Hall Park and back. Six miles door-to-door, and an extra mile if I ran to Carroll Gardens and back.

This Sunday, though, I needed something new. So I huffed it to Prospect Park and back. To get there, I ran from Cobble Hill, through Carroll Gardens and into Park Slope. And here's a little known fact about Park Slope: It's a SLOPE. Getting up to the park is quite the climb. Ok, maybe this is actually a well-known fact about Park Slope that I'd conveniently forgotten.

Anywho, here's that route:


I also decided on Sunday to try a super-sexy fuel belt, like this: Yes, it's a glorified fanny pack. When you're in the park, you're the cool runner with "gear." When you're in the neighborhoods, you're the idiot with a fanny pack. But after at least 5 miles, I need water and I hate carrying anything in my hand. Plus, it fits a Larabar for a mid-run energy boost and my cell phone. (I have an irrational fear of breaking a bone and not being able to limp myself home, so I always bring my phone. A byproduct of a nasty spill in Portland last year. I also avoid metal grates in the rain because of that fall.)

I'm debating my 9-mile run this Sunday, but already have my 10-mile run set, which combines the best of both runs:


Then, time for the half. Wish me luck!