Tonight I was lucky enough to meet a Running Blogging Friend – Paul! (If you don’t read his blog, you should: it’s interesting and informative, and will make you jealous of his amazing job that lets him think and talk about running all the time). Paul works for Nike in their special promotions/events/etc branding, which means he manages the amazing Runners’ Station that I’ve blogged about in the past. In fact, I was first introduced to Paul when he tried to help me identify some of the cute workers there that I blogged about 🙂
For a while now, Paul has invited me to come on group runs from the Station, but I’m never made it, partially due to my work schedule keeping me out of the city and partially due to my laziness. Finally tonight, I made it down for a run.
I ran to the subway at Lincoln Center (0.45 miles in 3:03 – wow!) and then used the air conditioned car to relax. It was hot! Once off the subway, I ran over to the Runners’ Station (0.34 in 2:40 – a much more normal pace) just in time for our 6 PM meeting. I met Paul, we hung out at the Station for a bit, and then headed out, intending to do about a 5 mile run.
We chatted as we ran through Battery Park City, with Paul filling me in on a lot of interesting history about NYC that I didn’t know. I was used to the route, but not used to running while talking, and I was really hot and tired. I kept wanting to stop and/or turn around and go back, but the “competition” of running with someone made me keep going.
Once we got down to the Staten Island Ferry, we went a way I hadn’t gone before, and then headed up Broadway. We headed past the Merrill Lynch Bull and my office (hi, office! Haven’t seen you in a month and won’t be seeing you until the end of July!), and Paul told me an interesting story about how the bull got to be there. As we continued up Broadway, it started to rain, and I got even slower. I felt pretty hardcore running in the heat and the rain, but I also felt like I was totally slowing Paul down – we had to be doing about a 9:30 pace. I tried to keep up the conversation, but was having trouble really talking because I was so out of breath.
When we got up to Chambers Street, we headed east into an area I had never been – right by Five Points (made famous by Gangs of New York). We then headed back west toward the Runners’ Station, going right by my friend Kelly’s apartment. I took particular note of the area, as I’m thinking about moving in with Kelly starting in July, and I liked what I saw. Finally, we headed back to the Runners’ Station, with me lagging behind the whole way and completely out of breath. Paul clocked us at 4.76 miles.
The others at the Runners’ Station were nice enough to give me a free bottle of icy cold water, which was much needed. I blatantly disregarded Lam’s advice and chugged it all down in one go, because I was hot and thirsty and desperate. I then stayed around to chat for a while and try to let some of the rain and sweat evaporate off me before getting back on the subway and scaring everyone. While waiting, I glanced at the thermometer and discovered it was 94 degrees!!! And that was after the rain had already cooled things down, which mean it was probably still 100+ when we started. That certainly explained my sluggishness. Then, right as I was about to leave, I asked Paul about how fast we had gone, and he said about an 8:00 pace. Holy wow! That’s normally a fast 5K pace for me, and I did that for almost 5 miles in crazy hot and humid weather!!! Not to mention the fact that I had already done 3.3 miles this afternoon, and this was late in the day when I was kind of tired.
It would seem that I am lazy on my own. I will definitely go running with others again!
The only time I run with a group its called a “race”. I’m envious of the grou runner’s but unless everyone wants to work around my work/family schedule, I guess I’ll go solo.
I’m with Nitwit, oops I meant Nitmos, on this one. I only run with people when in a race. I do find myself being competitive in that environment, though, especially when someone who I don’t think looks like a better runner passes me. That angers me so I speed up. I ran about two miles with a pace group from Garmin in my half-mary Saturday, and could really sense that I am a lazy runner. I found a couple of friends that run a similar pace that I’m going to try hooking up with for long runs going forward. We all agreed that we get lazy running alone.
Your running route sounded like a lot of fun! What a great way to tour the city. Running with other is a great why to challenge yourself, and a great way to connect with people. People will tell you all kinds of things that they wouldn’t talk about in everyday conversation.
interesting post. i’ll bookmark paul’s web site.
WHAT?! How could you, Laura! I thought you were only planning to run with me and SRod this weekend…(didn’t know we were being two-timed)…hmmm…then you totally ignored my advice on Rapid Rehydration!!! That is so wrong on so many levels…
You know what that means…next time you meet up with us to go running, we’re pushing conversation pace to 7:45 min/miles. (Actually, I’m not sure if sRod can run 7:45, but I’ll make sure he does by the time you come around…)
Hahaha…consider yourself warned!
I had actually planned to do both runs and then do a mega post about “Running with my RBFs” (plural). You ruined those plans!
I dread 7:45… will have to work hard to be able to keep up. Whoever thought I would train for a training run?!
You’re actually not as slow as you’d like to think – we started out quick and you hung pretty well. There’s a great article in last month’s Runners’ World about training with groups and how to use different groups to obtain different goals – faster people to speed you up, slower people to slow you down. In the long run it’s all about making yourself a better runner and in my experiance that’s not something that can be done alone. I’m down for a run whenever you’re in town.
Being good looking must be a pre-req. to work at the Nike Runner’s Lounge/Station….I’m not complaining though. 😉
Great job on the fast run! I find I usually push myself more or at least don’t notice the uncomfortable cues from my body as much when running in a group.
You must be a transplant. Am I right? I have never heard a Native New Yorker describe Manhattan or it’s history the way you have. That is, unless you are a fiction writer.
Either way, great narrative!
Viv, I’m from upstate NY originally, but lived in NYC for a year three years ago, and another year (and continuing) now. I love it 🙂