Pre Dim Sum Long Run

Fellow QDR teamate Julie organized a Dim sum brunch at Vegetarian Dim Sum house.  I have a long run scheduled that day so I decided to do my run to it.  Always a fan of NYC parks I decided to run from place in the LIC/Sunnyside border to Juniper park, then to Forest Park, to Highbridge park, to Prospect Park and then over the Manhattan Bridge to Dim Sum.  If I was early I would continue running along the perimeter of the Island.  It was a cold morning (26 degree when I started) and finding my winter gear took a bit longer than expect causing me to leave a bit late.  For the run I wore my Ultimate Direction SJ vest packed with a change of clothes, a health warrior peanut cacao chia bar, madegood banana granola bar, and a mix of soda with hammergel Montana huckleberry gel in a gel flask.  I also decided to listen to the ultra running and Rich Roll podcast in one ear for the run.  I don't run with music or podcast ever but I wanted to try it out.  I found myself laughing and correcting some of the speakers at points doing the run.

The run to Juniper park in Middle Village went through the industrial side of Maspeth.  Not an exciting path, few blocks didn't even have a sidewalk.  Once at Juniper park I ran around the track and continued my way.  It was a quick path through Queens neighborhoods to get to Forest Park.  When I arrived, there was already a soccer game going on.  I ran around the track.  Orginally I had planned to go farther into Forest Park and do the out and back which ends up being a 5k but being short on time I continued on to Highland park.  The path to Highland park went mostly on Jamaica ave and Highland blvd, major roads but early in the morning, mostly empty.  Highland blvd went along a cemetry making for a quieter run.  This was my first time visiting Highland park and it was beatiful!  Around the Ridgewood Reservoir you see a lake surrounded by wetlands.  A view that looks more like farther away Jamaica Bay than Brooklyn.  Afterwards was the run to Prospect park.  The path was a bit confusing and I had to reference my phone a few times.  I saw two runners come out of a cemetry, perhaps that was a running route among locals?  I also passed by a large church with a line in front.  Felt a bit sad since it was pretty cold.  The run to Prospect park felt fairly long.  In Prospect Park I noticed a bunch of white tents set up as I approached the hill but I didn't investigate as I was starting to be late for Dim sum.  I exited via Grand Army Plaza and went down Flatbush to over the Manhattan Bridge.  The path to the bridge was my fastest mile as the more traffic prone area of Brooklyn had me pushing to get through lights.  In Manhattan it was a short run to Dim Sum.