New York City Running And Wintry Running

One of my goals this year is to be a little more adventurous. I want to run in different places even if it means I have to take the train to get to a new route. We New Yorkers are known for wanting everything right at our fingertips. If it’s not within a block or two from your home, it’s far. I’m trying to get out of that mode a bit. There are many wonderful places to run here and it’s boring to always run in the same place. So I'm adding a handy little list here :) Fort Washington Park. It’s gorgeous. My cover photo on this blog was taken there. The view of George Washington Bridge,  the historic Little Red Lighthouse, the Palisades across the river, and the City Skyline to the south is stunning. A side note here, if you’re on a bicycle, the city’s toughest hill connects Fort Washington Park to the bike path along Henry Hudson Parkway. I’m not kidding, this is the toughest hill I know. It’s zig-zag and if you don’t pedal fast enough, you’ll quickly roll backwards. It’s so steep that it’s scarier to ride down than up. And a killer for your thighs. A scary but fun challenge. Central Park. It’s wonderful. Hilly and beautiful. I love to run around the big road loop, but exploring the smaller paths is fun too. Running here reminds me of what an amazing place I live in. Central Park is usually full of tourists admiring our beautiful park, and I can’t help but feel proud when I speed past people that came here just to see it. I’m so lucky! Riverside Park. It’s flat and long, with both wooded paths, wide promenades, and a lower level along Hudson River. I like to take the train to the very top of it of it and run all the way downtown. Morningside Park. I’ve biked here, but still haven’t run it. I will soon. East River is fun and I can run to it too which is nice. The view isn’t as spectacular here as it is along Hudson River, but it’s a fun run. Another goal is to run outside even if it’s cold. This week I ran in 32-degree weather and it was wonderful. It wasn’t windy and I was even overdressed. I’m not sure why I never have before, but usually I run on the treadmill if it’s below 37. Not anymore. If it’s not windy I’ll run outside in the low thirties. That said, if it’s very cold the treadmill is a life saver. And to fight boredom I usually listen to podcasts to pass the time. Time for another handy little list :) https://www.npr.org/series/423302056/hidden-brain https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/ https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510298/ted-radio-hour https://www.wbur.org/onpoint https://www.npr.org/programs/fresh-air/ Happy Running this winter! Evening Run in Central Park                                     Riverside Church