Midweek Report

After that 14-miler last weekend, I was feeling a little down on the whole marathon training thing.  I'm 8 weeks into an 18-week program, and it seems like I've been training forever.  But then yesterday I had a great 7-mile run and it reminded me how much I love to run.  The weather was crisp and cool, almost autumn-like, and I felt the stress of the past week melting away.  I can't wait for fall; it's my favorite season! 

Today I am home in Bethlehem, PA for my dad's 82nd birthday, so I did my Wednesday 4-miler by the Lehigh Canal.  I used to struggle to find places to run at home.  My mom lives in a housing development, but running around the neighborhood gets boring really quickly.  My dad lives in the woods, but there aren't sidewalks and the country roads are super narrow and dangerous for pedestrians.  When I was home earlier in the summer I asked the employees at the local running store about running paths.  They gave me a ton of information on where to run, and I have really enjoyed exploring their recommendations.  It does make sense that the town where Runner's World Magazine is produced would have a plethora of good trails out there, but I just never knew about any of them until recently. 

The Lehigh Canal towpath is by far my favorite trail.  The canal was constructed in the 1820s to carry anthracite coal from the Lehigh Valley to urban markets of the Northeast, especially Philadelphia.  The path is 46 miles long, so its perfect for long runs.  Often when I do my long runs in NYC, I wish I could be at home on the Lehigh Canal towpath instead.  I love running along a path that's rich with history, surrounded by trees, plants, and fresh air.  Now I feel refreshed and ready for my 15-miler on Saturday.