Thursday, February 6, 2014

Chronicles of a City Slicker: TTT Team Member Eric Swenson

New York City is cold this time of year. Really cold. Now I’m sure there’s some reader out there training in Anchorage or Minneapolis thinking, “You soft city slicker! You wouldn’t know cold if it slapped you in the face!!” So with that in mind, I readily acknowledge that colder places do exist (and props to you if you train in one of those places), but to me, NYC is pretty brutal.

After not venturing outside much for my workouts last winter, I’ve been taking to the streets a little more frequently lately thanks to an awesome Christmas gift from my wife. She hooked me up with a super warm, lightweight jacket that has made running outside much more enjoyable. I can’t stand training on a treadmill, so this has made it a lot easier for me to get outside, even on the coldest of days.

In Manhattan, there aren’t many options for a nice, uninterrupted run. People don’t exactly head to Times Square or Fifth Avenue for a leisurely jog. The tourists, stoplights, street vendors, and taxis are enough to make the most patient of people lose their minds trying to keep some semblance of a pace. 
move it or lose it, sister!
Due to the limited options, hundreds and even thousands of people run and bike the loop in Central Park every day. This is my usual “go-to”, mixing in occasional runs/rides along the Hudson River on the Upper West Side. There are many reasons I love training in Central Park, but here are a few:
  • Even on the coldest of days, there are enough people running, biking, and walking that an innocent bystander would think there was an organized race going on

don't be fooled, no bib numbers here
  • No lines at the Honey Buckets
lady's choice
  •  Endless paths to explore if you want to go off the beaten path
one of my favorite detours







Some of the best “people watching” this country has to offer:
  • I seem to always pass a couple well into their 70’s just chugging along
  • Besides runners and bikers, there are usually a few unorthodox methods of transportation that catch my eye






In the city that never sleeps, these workouts in Central Park have provided a much-needed break from the treadmill of life. Without a yard of our own, it’s therapeutic to get out in nature and clear my mind. While NYC certainly presents some unique challenges for devoted triathletes, I’ve grown to embrace it.









half city slicker, half monster

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