Today the Dukes of Flatbush rounded out our Marathon training with the last long run before the taper, a nice steady 21 mile run from Downtown Brooklyn to Coney Island and back.

Birch and I could not have picked a more ideal morning for this quest, with nice fall temps and not a cloud in the sky. We headed through Prospect Park to Ocean Parkway where there is a great running path in the middle that is covered by trees and bike free. This stretch down Ocean Parkway is nice, flat and long and we ran 8:00/minute miles till the Boardwalk. A little fast for my tastes for a 21 mile run, but, when in Rome…….

Reaching our halfway point and turnaround point, Coney Island, gave us a nice lift and a chance for a bathroom break. There is something special about being on the boardwalk and the beach in the fall when the sun is still shining but the crowds have gone. Really good times there and we were now ready for the return trip.

The trip back to Prospect Park was smooth and most important pain free. Both of us felt really good thanks to my pacing (Birch is a wild horse that needs to be broken) and Double Latte Gu. The Dukes all recommend Double Latte Gu for your running energy source, both tasty and full of caffeine. This stuff really keeps you going and may have to combine with Red Bull the next time I need a serious lift.

Once back in Prospect Park after 17 miles we decided to turn up the gas a little around the loops and up the hills for the next 3 miles. We were able to turn it up to 7:30/mile for the next few miles and especially around the lake and up the main hills. We slowed down for the final mile and then a nice walk to stretch it out followed by massive amounts of Gatorade, Beer and Bacon Cheeseburgers. Good day for a run, mission accomplished and now the taper begins. 3 weeks to go to the NYC Marathon

Prospect Park Lake