| Some Great Tools for Manayunk Runners |
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| Written by Jocelyn B | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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(And Those Who Want to Run but End up Watching Charles in Charge Reruns Instead)
Long revered for its cycling tradition, true Manayunk athletes know that this area is also a major attraction for runners. There’s a reason Philadelphia Marathoners “hit the wall” at mile 20 in Manayunk. Race organizers know that the fun atmosphere and awesome window shopping make even the most strenuous run more fun. With tough hills, gorgeous scenery, and endless routes available, Manayunk provides the perfect challenge most runners are looking for.
Going the Distance… Nothing makes running more monotonous then sticking to the same 3 mile route, or pounding out the miles on a treadmill. Finding some new scenery or running on a new trail can totally make the difference between having a great run and developing a great dent in your sofa cushions.
I never used to plan my running routes. I would just take my Nike Plus Ipod system out to track my distances for me. But after shelling out $250 for a new iPod (it didn’t work with my mini) and $30 for the sensor kit, I refused to spend another $200 for the uber-expensive sneakers (that didn’t even match my foot type). Therefore, the sensor kept falling out of my shoe laces and I’d have to spend 20 minutes searching through all the grass and leaves to find the stupid sensor again.
And then I found the Google pedometer. Actually, I Googled the word “pedometer,” and the magical tool that is the Google pedometer appeared before me. The pedometer works with Google maps, so you can map out your route, find some new streets or trails, and get your exact distance. Best of all, you don’t have to carry around a stupid sensor, and it’s totally free!
If you’d rather have someone plan your route for you, check out www.mapmyrun.com. Just search for Manayunk, and the site will pop up 2,349 user-created routes ranging from .3 miles (ambitious) to 148.96 miles. (Are they for serious?) Grab a couple friends, try a different route every time, and you’ll get a great workout (and hopefully some great gossip too)!
Running your Way to a Six Pack If your friends are too lazy to work out (or magically have a perfect body… I hate those people) there are also a few fabulous running groups in Manayunk. All you have to do is show up, and someone else will worry about where you go and how fast you get there. The best part? They usually end with happy hour. Manayunk Running Club meets every Tuesday at 6:30 at Sports Works (4320 Main Street) goes for a run, and then stops for drinks at 105 Social. Talk about instant gratification. You might not get six-pack abs, but at least you can have a six-pack of beer!
Running with Benefits If you’re more of a goal-oriented individual, there are tons of races coming up, each with their own theme and worthy cause. Whether you like getting dirty or have a Hawaiian shirt fetish, there’s a run for you. www.pretzelcitysports.com has a huge calendar of upcoming road, trail, and adventure races, all within a short distance of Manayunk. Best of all, they’ll help you amass a fantastic collection of T-shirts.
Getting to Say You’re “In Training” Not going to lie, whenever I hear the word “training plan” I instantly have images of Arnold Schwarzenegger look-alikes greasing themselves up for Iron Man competitions. But tools like the Runner’s World’s Smart Coach www.runnersworld.com let you input races lengths as short as 5ks (and as high as marathons) and dictate how many miles you want to run a week, how hard (or easy) you want to train, and what day you want to run your “long run.” Sometimes just having a plan provides that extra motivation you need to get moving, and it doesn’t have to be intimidating. Besides, what have you got to lose? I promise the couch will still be there when you get home.
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0 in the morning to run in the Yunk before work. My run took me down to the river, and i would finish my 5+ mile run by going up the wall. Those days I always felt a sense of accomplishment being able to run up the wall at the end of my run. Mileage never mattered, it was the scenery and atmosphere of Manyunk, and the surrounding areas that motivated me. As soon as I got to the top of the wall I made a left and went to Crossroads Cafe and got my morning coffee. Ahhh those were the days!
It seems like Manayunk has a lot of great groups to get involved with! Thanks for the info, Jocelyn | < Prev | Next > |
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