Catching the Elusive Running Bug
NYC is the best place for a lot of things. Pizza. Pigeon selfies. Unique smells. And… running? Apparently so. You see, when I started training for a half marathon several years ago, my dad excited at the thought of my catching the running bug. A shit ton of training runs and 13.1 miles later, my net was still empty. It took a move to NYC, a concrete jungle, for me to truly appreciate the rhythm of my sneakers on that concrete.
Even though gyms have reopened at a limited capacity, as far as I’m concerned, they will be closed until we’ve all been vaccinated. That in mind, I knew it was running or bust if I didn’t want to exit the pandemic at three hundred pounds. Luckily for me, my roommate Olivia had also taken up running at the start of quarantine. I had a live-in bug-catching buddy.
The East River Esplanade is a lovely running and biking path with an entrance on 34th Street that’s a ten-minute walk from my apartment front door. I have figured out the exact place to turn around to make it a 5k and that if I turn right before the Williamsburg Bridge, it’ll be about four and a half miles. I’ve started taking to this path 2-3 mornings during the work week. And by mornings, I mean I am out of my house by 7:15. (Who is she?) This may not seem early for some, but each time I make it to the path entrance I have a renewed amazement at my dedication.
Weekends are for Central Park. That is where the NYC running community truly shines. My aforementioned roomie joined the NYC Running Club on Facebook, hoping to keep up her new habit. I joined the group at her suggestion and met up with them for a couple of group runs. To be honest, I was most excited by the existence of a running path separate from the biking path. No more worrying about death at the hands of bikers who forget to say “on your left” as I am making a turn.
Each run there feels like a race, thanks to how many runners are there alongside you, helping you set pace, helping you “pull in,” making it feel unlike just another workout. On my second trip, I went for the full 10k loop—despite the warnings about the dreaded Harlem Hill—and ended feeling like I could do it all over again. There’s such an energy in the park, and it keeps my pace quick and my spirits up despite my begrudging abandonment of a warm bed. I knew that when my youngest sister, Katie, came to visit, running the park loop was a must.
Now, I am still not sure I can say I have caught the running bug. I don’t view running as a leisure activity (shoutout to that family argument during Scattergories). I view it as a habit I must upkeep for my health and my sanity. It’s a workout. Do I think it’s fun? That’s debatable. When I finish a long run, I have a smile on my face, grateful that I did it, but also grateful that it’s over. During the run, I am usually just thinking about the lactose-free chocolate milk waiting for me back downtown.
I bought new sneakers a couple of weeks ago. I nixed the Adidas, because suddenly I cared more about the functionality than the style. I joined the Brooks Adrenaline Club. Current known members: my dad and aforementioned little sister Katie. They’re great. And who knows—they might just be the key to catching that bug.
But does anyone really catch the bug? I think we run because it’s easy, it’s accessible, and anyone can do it, even if you appear to be more likely speed walking. You keep running and running and running and running and think, well maybe I don’t mind this too much. IMHO, “not minding” is not catching the bug. Maybe there will be a day I feel differently. Maybe there is a threshold number of runs you complete to finally reach the bug-catching level. If or when I get there, I will let you know. In the meantime, if you are reading this and would like to meet up and hit the pavement, let me know.