An Endurance walk 5-25-12

[Gerard01]

I packed the day pack on Saturday and headed out to do the longest walk I have ever done. Normally, I'll walk to the VZ Bridge and back, but this time, I decided to keep going to the 65th Pier. The entire round trip would amount to 14 miles.

I started out at 6:30AM, after a quick cup of coffee and a bowl of cereal. I took my usual route along the Belt Pkwy, with a side trip around the train yard via Neptune Ave, over the Cropsey Ave Bridge and rejoining the Belt. I made great time, averaging about 1 mile evey half hour of so. I made Bay Pkwy by around 8AM, about 3 miles.

I hit the VZ Bridge about 8:40AM after slowing my pace a bit. All in all I made the pier by 10:20AM, and after a brief rest to eat and guzzle some water, I decided to return via Shore Rd, which is above the Shore promenade and tree lined. I was hot and sweaty and wanted to avoid walking back in the sun.

My knees held up pretty well, and I was surprised that my feet gave me the most trouble. i was hobbling badly by the time I got home. They are a little better this morning, but still hurt. All in all, it was a nice day and 14 miles in the books.

[Pathgrinder]

Hey Gerard, I've followed some of your adventures and it sounds like you are making great progress!

[DackerDan]

Seems like you are taking it seriously. You should be very ready for Big Al.
Have you been doing any stair climbing?

[Gerard01]

Originally Posted by DackerDan

Seems like you are taking it seriously. You should be very ready for Big Al.
Have you been doing any stair climbing?

I would not walk 14 miles, if I was not serious. I want Algonquin, and I'll do what I can to ease the climb up. No pain, no gain, they say. I have not been doing a stair climber. However, I use the treadmill every other day. I just keep walking and strengthen up those legs muscles.

[Gerard01]

Originally Posted by Pathgrinder

Hey Gerard, I've followed some of your adventures and it sounds like you are making great progress!

I'm trying.

[DackerDan]

Originally Posted by Gerard01

I would not walk 14 miles, if I was not serious. I want Algonquin, and I'll do what I can to ease the climb up. No pain, no gain, they say. I have not been doing a stair climber. However, I use the treadmill every other day. I just keep walking and strengthen up those legs muscles.

I was actually thinking about how you are using you local terrain to prepare yourself and being in the city thought there might be buildings where you could go up and down the stairs.

[Gerard01]

Originally Posted by DackerDan

I was actually thinking about how you are using you local terrain to prepare yourself and being in the city thought there might be buildings where you could go up and down the stairs.

There are some building with long sets of stairs. Never thought about it. I prefer just walking to and from places.

[Joe]

I live in Jersey City, NJ and work in Manhattan, and every day I speed walk a mile to the train station and back again and I wait until the stairs are clear and run them twice a day. Everywhere I walk to is a workout for me. You can indeed work it into your daily city life. I take a train up to Harriman State Park or points east of the Hudson once a week, every week of the year, and really work the trails. This way I'm pretty much all set to do the trails and peaks of the ADK when I get up there in August. Two years ago I walked completely around the rim of Manhattan (32 miles) in a little less than 12 hours, and I had the worst blisters on my feet that I have ever had in my life, but it was also an awesome hike. That was btw the longest I had ever walked.

[Gerard01]

Originally Posted by Joe

I live in Jersey City, NJ and work in Manhattan, and every day I speed walk a mile to the train station and back again and I wait until the stairs are clear and run them twice a day. Everywhere I walk to is a workout for me. You can indeed work it into your daily city life. I take a train up to Harriman State Park or points east of the Hudson once a week, every week of the year, and really work the trails. This way I'm pretty much all set to do the trails and peaks of the ADK when I get up there in August. Two years ago I walked completely around the rim of Manhattan (32 miles) in a little less than 12 hours, and I had the worst blisters on my feet that I have ever had in my life, but it was also an awesome hike. That was btw the longest I had ever walked.

Excellent, Joe! I'll be heading up to Harriman next week for a little jaunt up Bear Mountain.

[Joe]

That's great! Thursday I hiked the Reeves trail to 7 Hills Trail to Pine Meadow and back. The streams and ponds are all extremely low. You can see wild trout in shallow pools. Bad news. We need rain. I work through the weekends, so I'm out on the trails in the middle of the week, Wednesdays or thursdays. Not as many people on the tails then.