Running On Empty, Part 3: T-Minus 8 Weeks Til Race Day

Just when I had you convinced I’m a lazy cow, I took some action. The weather’s gorgeous, I have many a short little dress waiting to come out, and frankly, the time has come for me to take your advice, which has been much appreciated. I’ve started walking to and from work rather than hopping on the subway, and so long as it’s sunny and nice, I’ve decided that my new habit is going to be a post-work run, and that the thirty-block walk home can be a nice little warm-up.

By K

I started slow, running about three quarters of a mile outside without falling over dead, and walking briskly after for another twenty or thirty minutes. May not seem like a lot, but in the city, speedwalking is essentially a slow jog. I have to say, it felt pretty damn good to take in the scenery of New York while bobbing and weaving through crowds on the sidewalks.

Fortunately I live fairly close to a park on the East River (one of those waterways that’s pretty from a high-rise, but should never ever be touched for fear of hepatitis or happening upon a dead body), and was able to set my route accordingly. I’m actually looking forward to going out again tonight, with my goal of extending by a few blocks and hopefully getting that extra quarter mile into my routine by the time next week starts.

I did used to run on a regular basis, granted it was a few years ago and only lasted over a summer and half a semester, but I haven’t forgotten how great it can feel to hit a point where you can just keep going and don’t even necessarily want to stop. I was able to do four miles on a treadmill without a second thought. Treadmill running and running outdoors are not at all the same, and I think it’s hard for me to keep a pace when traffic’s an issue and I’m following the incline of the path I’m on, rather than one I’ve pre-set before I even start running. But that’s why you start small, right? Got to work up to something.

I need to work on the playlist. I have a tendency to let my iPod shuffle and suggest what I’ll listen to, which is fine, but when you start off with a great beat and suddenly are thrown into something like… say… Billy Joel’s “Piano Man,” your feet get a little confused as to where the energy went. That suggestion I’m taking to heart, and plus it’s an excuse to find new music. Kanye’s “The Good Life,” played out as it may be, was my start-up song last night, and it definitely set a great tone for the run. I switched into some poppy punk as well, but am open to any ideas you may have!