East End Runners

So many decisions could have been bad!

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Mar 2 Run: Tazza D'Oro, Highland Park

This coming Sunday's run will begin at Tazza D'Oro (http://www.tazzadoro.net/) on Highland Ave. Once again, I am hoping Joanne is reading this and will graciously appear as she usually does, or else we may be seeing parts of Highland Park that we did not anticipate. This will be the first run of March and coincidentally was the first run of October 2007 so perhaps it marks the changing of seasons.

Meet at Shady and Wilkins at 6:30 - 6:35 AM for a run to the run (it is about 2.5 miles).

Those of us who ran down to the run this morning were reminded that "bridge surfaces freeze before road" as we skated over the Panther Hollow Bridge. But we made it across it ,as well as the Hot Metal Bridge which at least had some snow cover - but we did have to stop in the middle to take in that magical panorama of the city rising out of the river mist. We turned away from the South Side and were rewarded by a view of the pale winter sunrise over the glassy river. The trail was peaceful although we were noisy as we crunched through the crusty snow - Pam likened it to popping bubble wrap. It was one of those gorgeous blue-sky, white, crisp wintry mornings that remind you what a beautiful city Pittsburgh is.

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Feb 24 Run: Hot Metal Bridge - legally

Hoping for no ice next week, we will cross the Hot Metal Bridge in broad daylight, with no fear of reprisal and run the trails on the South Side. We did not explicitly discuss which direction we will go, but both have their charms.
Meet in the parking lot closest to the bridge in the Pittsburgh Technology Center. If you are approaching the bridge from downtown, make a right before the bridge into the parking lots and head to your left. The bridge is at the corner of Second Ave and Hot Metal Street.

There will be a run to the run starting at the Coffee Tree in Squirrel Hill at 6:30 AM.

Perhaps it was the comparatively warmish weather, easier schedules or even cabin fever but we had a few more people show up this morning for the as promised, flat Shady-side run. It was sort of a flat February morning as well, overcast and dreary - just the kind of day you welcome time spent with friends. We tried to get into Heinz Chapel, unfortunately it was locked but we did get a tempting peek into the candle-lit interior of St Paul's Cathedral as we ran by.

A few good tips from the run and from the always interesting Coffee Tree Klatch:
  • Yaktrax are worth trying for running on ice (http://yaktrax.com/)
  • Half a Yellow Sun by by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie sounds like a worthwhile and entertaining book
  • Walkers are now meeting regularly on Sundays at 7:00 AM at the Coffee Tree in Squirrel Hill

Monday, February 11, 2008

Feb 17 Run: Center for the Arts upper parking lot

Virginia will lead a very flat run through Shadyside on Sunday, Feb. 17. We'll meet in the upper parking lot at the Center for the Arts,
because the construction on Fifth Ave. blocks the entrance to the Mellon Park parking lot (the usual meeting place for this run) as well as Beechwood Blvd.
Signs in the Center for the Arts lot say the metered spaces are monitored 24 hours, so you could either take your chances there or just
park on Shady Ave. The Center for the Arts is the big Yellow Building at the corner of Shady and Fifth Aves.

Thanks to Virginia for this report:
Only 3 people showed up for the run that started in front of Tom's house (Roye, Tom and me), but it was a splendid morning as Tom led us through CMU campus and up through Schenley Park. We were very happy to get our run in before the temps dropped throughout the day to a bitter and windy 8 degrees by nightfall.

Sunday, February 03, 2008

Feb 10 Run: Tom's house

Once again, Tom graciously agreed to lead next Sunday's run. Meet at his house: 5434 Aylesboro - near Forbes Ave, at the usual time (7 AM).

The ice had mostly melted, no snow was falling, the sun was out, the sky blue and it was relatively warm - what more could one wish for on a Sunday in February? We ran through Chatham, down one set of 'secret steps" to Fifth Ave, through Mellon Park and then up, up, up Beechwood Blvd. A pleasant route for a pleasant morning. Walkers added to our numbers at the Coffee Tree and we had what I am sure will be the first of many discussions on the upcoming elections - come join us for this educational and entertaining series. And of course there was that flock of fit men in biking tights who stopped by for a break....

Weather over the mountains permitting, I will be in Washington DC next week so would someone please send me the location of the following Sunday's run?