Runnin’ like a New Yok-a

It was a Two Little Runners reunion this week! I spent the entire week in New York training working with Penny.

The office.

New Yorkers – known for fast walking, loud talking, and a repugnance for the social niceties practiced by pathetic, low life non-New Yorkers. But do these local charms manifest on the running paths of New York City?

Not really! Common path courtesies are followed (for the most part, more on that below), and I didn't observe any cussing/shouting matches between grown men (a surprisingly common occurrence on the streets of New York). I never got a “hi” or a friendly wave, as is custom among San Diego runners. But I am okay with that. Every runner has a stony-don’t-mess-with-me-this-is-only-peace-I-get-in-this-city-of-8-million-people look on their faces. And I totally understand!

Another difference seen on the running paths is the European tourists. We don’t have very many in San Diego in comparison to New York. Europeans don’t seem to understand that Central Park paths are not for romantic, handholding, meandering strolls – they are for tempo runs and speed workouts, so GET OUT OF THE WAY! But I can forgive them because I love that Europeans tourists always say hi in the most cheery of ways when entering an elevator. They haven’t caught onto the peculiar American custom of pretending the other people in the elevator do not exist.

It was fun to pose this week as a hot shot New Yorker. I navigated the subways and the labyrinth that is Grand Central Station. I climbed up a billion subway stairs. I walked as fast as my ankle booties would carry me. I drank Stumptown coffee (recommended). I ate bagels (recommended). I ate a pretzel from a food cart (not recommended). I got lunch “for take away.” By the way New York, the rest of us say “to go.” Mostly, I worked - New York through and through. 

I intended this week as a cut back week because of said work, plus managing the eastern time zone is always tough for me. But somehow my mileage creeped up to 30, nearly the same as my previous two weeks – weeks that left me feeling very fatigued. I've been increasing my calories, and that's helped. And I reduced the intensity of my workouts this week. I took two rest days and had to skip my usual plyo/leg workout with my trainer who always find new ways to destroy my legs.

Week 5 (9/29-10/5): 30 miles

Saturday, 9/29: Rest day. 6 a.m. PT flight to NY left me exhausted but ready for bed at 11 p.m. ET (8 PT). It's a good trick to try to get on ET by flying out very early PT. 

Sunday, 9/30: Long run with Penny along the Hudson River. 12.5 miles at about 9:15 pace. A two hour run goes very fast when you are chatting the whole time! This run left my calves very stiff – but nothing a little foam rolling and stretching couldn’t take care of over a couple of days.

Monday, 10/1: 30” elliptical intervals; core.  

Tuesday, 10/2: Treadmill speed workout, 6 x 0.5 miles at 9.3 (6:27 pace) with 0.25 rest interval (mostly walking); core. The speed work continues to feel manageable and dare I say barely challenging?

Wednesday, 10/3: 3 miles easy at on treadmill at about 9:00; upper body. Legs felt dead on this easy run. Guess that speed work is doing something after all.

Thursday, 10/4: Pastry day! New York has such great breads and pastry, probably the best I’ve had! I indulged my last full day in the city. Breakfast, a ham and cheese croissant. Lunch, a tartine, another croissant with apricot preserves, and a cannoli. Dinner, a bunch of goodies from Bouchon Bakery – nutter butter cookie, macaroons, some sort of apple tart. And this was only the pastry! Probably a 4000 calorie day with everything else! But as Penny so wisely pointed out – think of it as carb loading for your Central Park run tomorrow!

Friday, 10/5:  Tempo run in Central Park, 8.5 miles with 2 of the middle miles at 7:10.  Other miles done at subjectively easy pace, which turned out to be mostly about 8:00-8:10, except when I stopped to take pictures, revealing my identity as a tourist.

The Pond in Central Park.

LR#2

Kristen