Change of pace...

Last night, for my 4 miles, I opted for something out of my "routine" and chose to go for a group run with Niketown. They have group runs on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays in Central Park. I had hoped for a hill run but last night it was a Bridle Path run....huh? I have learned that there are dirt paths throughout the park called "Bridle Paths" that were created when people could ride horses in Central Park. Its just recently that they stopped allowing horses but I hadn't really paid much attention to the paths...EXCEPT for being intrigued about where the scene in the movie "Kate and Leopold" takes place when Kate's purse is snatched, Leopold jumps on horse that was being used for carriage tours, then tracks down the mugger and gets her purse back....Yeah...I've seen the movie...I used to be obsessed with Meg Ryan until she put enough collagen in her lips that I don't know how she keeps her head up these days!

Anyway, back to the run, along the bridle path....Starting from Niketown, a group of about 50 of us make our way from 57th and 5th to 63rd St inside the path to then reconvene and break up for various mileage runs. There was a 3 mile, a 4 mile, a 5+ mile and a 7+ mile run. Never having run this before, I stayed to my training schedule and chose 4. As we assembled into groups, it was unclear which group was the 4 mile group and I found myself next to two other girls around the same age. I asked if they knew where they were going because I had no clue and one of them said, "Yeah, I love the Bridle path, I wish we could still ride horses on it." I just nodded my head and looked down to the side thinking, "Is she for real? We are so from different backgrounds!" Moving along...the run started out and I began to run along with my two new friends but quickly realized, this was moving a lil' too slow for me. I threw on my headphones and picked up the pace, finding my comfort zone. The great thing about this group run is that they have people that run ahead to certain points to help direct you in case your confused or lost, like myself. As I moved onto the path, I went under the tunnels that Leopold goes under to rescue back Kate's purse. It was kind of cool because I always wondered where these were in the park. Then I went under a really dark tunnel that kinda freaked me out because it was a little bit long, a LOT dark and you literally couldn't see next to you for part of it. I was not looking forward to going through it on my way back (which I ended up sprinting through because I was so freaked). I made it up to where they (Niketown peeps) tell you you've made it 4 miles and to turn back around to the original meeting spot. I must say, at the end this was a pleasant surprise of a run. I did not expect to enjoy it simply because it was on dirt and I was wearing my new kicks...I wasn't ready for them to no longer be pretty and new!

At the original meeting spot on 63rd, there are groups for stretching and then you all head back to Niketown to grab up your stuff and they give you Gatorade, which I prefer just plain and simple water, but whatever. To give you a timeline, we got back to Niketown around 7:45 (this thing was supposed to start at 6:30 which it obviously didn't) and then I didn't get home until around 8:30...not my total ideal time of arrival home when I'm only throwing down 4 miles. Timing aside, I did enjoy the run, it was hilly (what I was looking for), on dirt (easy on your knees and joints) and just something different to add to my training. I'm not sure if I'll rush back for this particular run but I am still planning to go on Thursday that promises to be a hill run.