Last Saturday was a hot and sticky day, but it was also the second of three Saturday’s when NYC celebrates Summer Streets. If you don’t know about this fantastic event, it is when the city shuts down streets from Central Park and E72nd St all the way down to Brooklyn Bridge. ‘Rest stops’ feature events like mini-fitness classes from Crunch, a zip line, climbing wall, and free bike rentals. There are long lines to get fitted for a free bike helmet and bike repair stations. REI has a whole bike focused rest stop. NYC Water brings out mobile water stations to grab a drink and fill up your water bottle. Whole Foods has a picnic just north of 23rd St with samplings of healthy foods.
It’s not often that the streets are closed to cars, trucks and buses and taken over by runners, walkers, bike riders, and roller bladers. It’s a pretty fantastic time and I encourage everyone in the city to take part. Here are a few tips if you’re going to get out there tomorrow for the last Summer Streets of the year:
- Head out early: the streets only get more crowded and the sun stronger the later in the morning you go.
- Take water: you can always stop at a bodega along the way, this isn’t the middle of no where, but there are only a handful of official water stops and none between 72nd St and 51st St.
- Stay in your lane: the street is for those on wheels and those on feet, and it works best when people heed the signs and don’t stray into the other lane. No one wants to get injured. It’s not fun.
- Take your metro card: you never know what’s going to happen, so take your metro card so you can get home if you don’t want to walk/run back. You may get distracted by the Whole Foods picnic and not feel like running on a full stomach.
- Wear sunscreen: some sections are not very shady so be prepared.
- Have fun: enjoy doing something you don’t usually get to do. Check out what’s happening at the rest stops along the way and chat it up with random strangers!
This past Saturday Woody and I started at Brooklyn Bridge and ran to the park then enjoyed breakfast at the Boathouse. Tomorrow our plan is to run up to Grand Central and then run back south to SoHo and finish with breakfast somewhere we wouldn’t usually go. Not only is this a fun way to get in a run, but also a great way to explore our city!
Go HERE for more information about Summer Streets and like them on Facebook!
Summer Streets is in its 5th year and produced by NYC DOT along with several other agencies and The Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City.
- What does your city or town do to encourage people to get out and be active?
NYC promotes many health and wellness initiatives, this is just one of them!
- What’s making you happy today?
It’s Friday (woohoo!) and the air conditioning was actually on in the gym this morning so I didn’t start sweating until after I started working out!
- What are you up to this weekend?
Summer Streets for me and who knows, maybe some exploring and definitely some cleaning of the closet! (fun, right?)
************
Today’s workout -
- 50min elliptical
- 3x10 upright row
- 2x15 weighted side bends
- ab exercises
- stretching
1 comment:
I'm just gonna say it--I am perpetually envious of New Yorkers and all that goes on there! Sounds really cool. We do have a very active community here. Four triathlons (plus 3 kids tris) and 90 miles of bike paths, all right here in town. And organized runs/races out the wazoo. So that's all a good thing and you can see the results of it here in the community--loads of fit people!
Post a Comment