Norman J. Levy Park and Preseve

              Hidden next to a sanitation department, this little preserve is a gem. It's kept up, clean, has access to a bathroom, is about 30% shaded, and there are maps everywhere to help you navigate your way. It was quickly getting hotter so I chose to do 3 miles on these trails. 


(below) This is the way most of the path looks.....all around you see benches and lots of places to take a break. The paths go around in a circle and some offer steps to go straight to the top where one can see above the town of Freeport, NY. 












All around one can find information about the creatures in the preserve, plants, flowers...etc. 








At the very top these is a pond with lotus plants w/ flowers and wooden bridges and geese. 










The map looks like an anatomical rendition of private lady part....so I added it here in the end. 

Worst long run

          The plan was 13.1 miles on the Jones Beach Bikeway off of Cedar Creek Park at 6am, instead it turned out to be 12 miles at 7am which only 7 were running miles and 5 were walking, but sometimes you have to readjust your goals depending on he circumstances. 

             I did not happen to look at the weather report that day. Normally I do, yet, this time around I had assumed it would be cook enough. I woke up and seeing as I'm staying at my mom's house we got to talking as I drank up her jet black coffee. We talked for an hour and finally got to the trailhead at 7am. I followed a 4:1 run:walk ratio for 7 miles. The path was cool but full of bugs, my compression shorts tore at my inner thigh and I was bitten by sand flies every time I slowed down. At first it was cool, then I was in full sunlight all the way to the beach. Once at the beach (mile 5), I found a bathroom and repaired my shorts with a safety pin I happened to have on my hydration vest, lubes up my inner upper arms where I tend to chafe and took off my top, wet it, wet my cap and continued on my way. 10 minutes later my top and hat were again bone dry and I could not get cook enough. 

         At mile 7 my body could not get cool enough and I chose to walk until I could get cool enough to run again. I felt bad for walking for about half a mile until I noticed that even walking would be a challenge in this heat. I began to feel dizzy; even walking I could not get cool enough. I finished off my last salt pill and noticed I may not have packed enough, I needed far more than 3 pills with the amount of sweating I was doing. 

                I was never happier to see the end of a bike path as I was during this run. Got to my car, stretched, drove home and started my day. Despite not having met my initial goal I felt like a superstar. I ran in 87 degree weather, with a humidity of 70% and did good time for the time I did run. Most importantly, I did not give up. I also figured all this training will come in handy somewhere. 

          

This is the path on the Jones Beach Bikeway off of Cedar Creek Park 


almost done!


Loved seeing this patch of grass growing through the pavement. 


almost a surreal view....bee on flower.....