Running doesn’t like me and I don’t like running. Ask any of my basketball friends and they will tell you that when it came to running sprints in practice, I tried to run the other way.

So of course what better thing to do than decide to train for a 10k?!? This is what you would call a blonde moment…

Consequently I have been running more often than I would prefer and because I have been traveling the past couple of weeks in the US, I have to be creative with my runs. Fortunately, the past couple of days I have been in NYC and actually know of “enjoyable” running routes. Yes, “enjoyable”. What the bleep *?!**!! does that mean? Pretty much the running route has pleasant   and it ain’t a treadmill. For example, on of my former routes when I lived in the Big Apple was starting at my apartment, running through Central Park, ending up at Trader Joe’s to do my weekly grocery shipping, then hopping on the subway back home with all my goodies in hand.

With the nagging voice inside my head telling me I had to go on a run, off I went, with my warmup walk through the Village, then to the beautiful Hudson River Park to dutifully complete my “training” run. Talking about “enjoyable” runs, the views alone of the NYC skyline and the Hudson River on this run make my self-inflicted torture worth it and actually makes the run seem pleasant. Kick in the added bonus of the light river breeze and celebrity spotting (hello Katie Holmes) and I might consider running more than my training packet orders me.

So after I had enough pavement pounding, I decided to walk and make my way back to the Village. As some people say, some of the best times are those that are unplanned. Given that I used to live in NYC, the City is still very familiar to me and as I started my walk back, I found myself at the entrance to the High Line. Since I had time on my hands, I decided to stroll down this former elevated railroad track turned into an aerial greenway. Well, I soon found myself lost in the awesomeness of NYC (the love side of my love-hate relationship with NYC) and what I miss about living here; the hidden and unexpected moments.

I then stumbled upon a mobile Blue Bottle coffee, enjoyed a cappuccino, and remembered that Chelsea Market was right below the High Line. The great fun fact about Chelsea Market is that it once was the National Biscuit Company, where the Oreo was invented and produced.  Today, Chelsea Market is an enclosed urban food court, shopping mall and site of many cool offices such as The Food Network and MLB.com. Finally, I made my way back to the Village, passing through the renovated Washington Square Park. Without a doubt, NYC is definitely a city that never sleeps and over the past couple of years a lot of urban renewal projects have been completed.

Now if only all my runs were as rewarding as this one; good thing the majority of training runs will be done beachfront. This chica sure needs motivation…

Pura Vida,

Kristen

P.S. I can’t wait to get back to my warm Costa Rica waves…screw all this running as my workout!!!