Windy Group Run

Tonight was the weekly LVRR Group Run.  As it got close to start time, I thought I'd be running alone again.  A cute young girl was running and I thought maybe would join the run.  She stopped though and walked away.  A guy Noah, that came a couple months ago, did show up.  He rides his bike there.  He said he got hurt after the last time he was at the run and then just didn't want to run in the cold.

Even though the temperature was around 40 degrees, it was freezing again.  Where is this wind when I need it in the middle of summer?  I didn't know what to wear.  I put on some shorts.  I knew I had to wait around for about 20 minutes or so beforehand, so I wore a jacket.  I wasn't sure if that would be too much.  Waiting in the cold was very difficult.

We started off and headed the normal route.  One nice thing is that it is getting lighter and lighter out.  I think in a few weeks, it will be daylight savings time again.  I can't wait.  Maybe that will bring more people out to the runs.  I plan on moving a couple of the runs to the St. Luke's course in the coming weeks.  This will be for a course preview and hopefully to get some more people out.

Even though there was only two of us, it was a good run.  We chatted a lot about running and cycling (Noah's specialty).  He also wants to try to do some swimming.  Time flew by.

The only issue was the wind.  In one direction, it was brutal.  In the other direction, it was great and actually too warm out.  We ran through Lehigh and by a cute college girl.  There surprisingly aren't too many college kids out when we run through campus.

Over the Hill to Hill Bridge it was windy, but at least it was on our side.  Last time Noah ran with me, he pushed me and that pace was fast.  Even he was complaining that it was a little too fast last time.  This run was much better. 

We ran through town and it was so much better.  The buildings must block the wind.  Before I knew it, we were out of town and over the Minsi Trail Bridge.  The wind was a little tough over the river there.  My lips were pretty chapped by this point.

I told Noah that I wanted to run some extra distance.  I wanted to go to the 6 mile point.  We decided to try running on the Bethlehem Greenway across from the casino.  It is a short, paved path.  I know that somehow it connects to the Saucon Rail Trail.  I'm hoping to make that a new route in the future.  I think it links there via some dirt nature trails.

Sometime I'll explore the area more.  We got to a skateboarding park and then the pavement ended and the path wasn't lit either.  After just a short distance, I decided that we should turn around.

Of course we headed right back into a headwind.  We went out fairly far.  We then crossed the road and headed back toward Steel Stacks.  It was windy in this direction too.  It seemed like the wind was following us everywhere.  Other than that, things went perfectly as we hit mile 6 right near the parking lot.  It was a solid run.  The pace was fairly consistent.  It varied from a fastest mile of 8 minutes flat to a slow of 8:47.  Most of the miles were around 8:30 pace.

I enjoyed the run, but I can't wait for some warmer weather.  That will be a big relief.  I think the weather sucks again tomorrow.  I'll still be out there running for a third day in a row.  I think I'm going to try some hill repeats.  Maybe I'll go out to Trexler for the 2nd time this week.

Another exciting thing is that Quadzilla 15K just opened up.  I told my friend Jill that I would register the first day.  I did just that this evening.  I can't wait.  This is one of my main goal races for the season.  Even though the humidity is brutal, it can't get here soon enough.

6 miles - 50:54 (8:29 pace)