Visitors are often surprised that there is any space to go running in the busy, bustling, sardine can of a city that is New York. But the truth is, New York is a running city and New Yorkers love to run. Every time I’m out running in New York City, I’m frequently met by other runners on the trails. Seeing them out there gives me a sense of acknowledgment - I’m not the only one who loves to see the sights of the Big Apple on her own feet.

Whether you’re in New York or Rome, running outside is one of the best ways to soak up the atmosphere of a place. For those visiting the city, here are 3 popular trails for runners who want to experience a local’s version of New York City.



1. The best views: Central Park

If you want to be accompanied by lush greenery in the heart of the city, look no further than Central Park - probably the most popular running spot in the city. The Central Park loop also serves as the track for many races in the city, including the final miles of the New York Marathon. The best part of running in Central Park is the landscape, you are sounded by lakes, trees, and an abundance of birds. All of this scenery is set against the backdrop of stunning New York City. The versatility of the Central Park loop is also appealing, making it ideal whether you want to go for 5K, 10K, or a 15-miler.

2. The most iconic route: Brooklyn Bridge

There is nothing that screams New York more than the Brooklyn Bridge. In fact, there is, at least, one running group who runs the Brooklyn Bridge weekly. I confess that I’ve never attempted to run the Brooklyn Bridge since sharing the narrow path with bikers and an overwhelming number of tourists makes it a very busy route, but there is nothing more stunning than the views of New York that this route offers. For those who want to rack up more miles, add the Manhattan Bridge to your run. For example: go across the Brooklyn Bridge and come back via the Manhattan Bridge. All the while, Manhattan is at your feet.

3. Local’s favorite route: Westside Highway

Westside Highway is my go to spot for running in the city. It has several advantages over other routes - not only can it be accessed from several points in the city no matter if you’re uptown or downtown, it is normally uncongested, and the highway is flat. Yes, very flat! In addition, the waterfront view makes it a particularly good option for running in the summer.

I’ve made a grave mistake. You see, in the last 2 weeks, I let myself eat incredibly unhealthy and disgusting food, none-stop. Granted, I was on vacation during these 2 weeks but still, the eat-until-I-drop diet, while satisfying in the moment, is making me want to crawl out of my own body. Not to mention, I was not on top of my miles in these last 2 weeks which means I’m now in pretty indecent shape.

So much for my 2016 resolution to run a new 10K PR.



It’s easy to berate myself for letting my diet and running slip up just weeks into the new year but a fitness coach once told me that it’s exactly this kind of self-punishment that makes people fall offtrack indefinitely. We all slip up some times but that’s not what kills our goals. It is the negativity of thinking that it’s all over that pushes some of his clients past the point of no return. Instead, I know what I need to do - remove these last few weeks from my mind and stay focused on my goal.

We’re only a month into the new year but I can’t be alone in my state of despair regarding my new year’s resolution. Some studies show that 36% of people break their new year’s resolutions in the first month. But if there is any real strength in numbers, then here is a message to the 36%: the new year’s not over, it’s only begun.

Despite knowing that I haven’t even racked up 10 miles last week, and that I am now further away from my ideal marathon weight than I was two weeks ago, today, I will lace up my runners and run the 8-miles that my training plan calls. I may be easing into the pace but hey, I'm moving forward.

Everyone can run with minimal equipment, but the right shoes can go a long way in improving your stride. The best way to get the right running shoes for you is to get fitted at your local running store. Or if you’re doing research at home, you can try out something like Shoe Advisor from Runner’s world. Here are some general things to look out for:

What's your size
I’m a 7.5 in my regular shoe size but an 8.5 in my current runners. You need to size up a half size or a full size for your runners as your foot will expand when you run. In addition, leave a thumb’s space between your big toe and the top of the shoe. Trust me when I tell you that this will save your toe nails.

Find the right support
From my physiotherapist to the guy at the running store, everyone is surprised to see how low my arch is. The arch of your foot will determine how much flexibility and stability you may want in a running shoe. If you have low arches like me, then you’ll likely enjoy a shoe with a lot of support. While flatness of your feet will absorb the shock, it also makes you more prone to injuries, so you want something with support and stability. If you have high arches, then your feet will be less flexible and you’ll want something with minimum support - something with no arch support and no stability features to help your feet absorb the shock. And like the majority of the population who have a moderate arch, you will do alright in most runners,

Test them out
You’re be doing quite a lot of mileage in these shoes so don’t be afraid to test them out. If you’re getting fitted at the store, they should let you run on the treadmill (if there is one in store) or at least take a jog around the store. Similarly, if the shoe bothers you after you’ve tested it at home, don’t be afraid to try to return them. You’ll want to check the return policy ahead of time but I’ve returned a couple runners after wearing them for a 6-, and 8-mile runs; the store never questioned it.

Change your shoes
My laziness gets the best of me and I have to admit, I do a pretty terrible job of keeping track of the milage on my shoes and replacing them out once they’ve reached the end of their lifecycle. Typically, runners need to be swapped out somewhere between 300-500 miles from the first wear. You’ll find that the foam of the shoes become tough and lose their give. If you’re running five 3-mile runs per week, that means a new pair of shoes every 5-6 months. These days, I track my runs in an app that also reminds me when it’s time to treat myself to a new pair of trainers.

I’ve been running 5 x 3 miles a week for the last four years. And let me tell you, the 5K and I are the perfect pair. We’re like Batman and Robin. Woody and Buzz Lightyear. Sonny and Cher. Penn and Teller. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. R2-D2 and C-3PO. Totally in sync.

I love the 5K for two reasons: first, I’m just too lazy to run longer distances; second, the 5K fits my lifestyle. You see, I used to run during my lunch break at work; I had to get to the gym, do my workout, shower, and come back to my desk all within an hour. The 5K was just the perfect distance for that.

But for the better half of 2015, I’ve been quite bored with the 5K. I stopped trying to improve my time months ago and mostly run to offset the free lunches I was getting at work.

2016 is the perfect time for a new running goal, and this year I want to love a new distance. They say that some runners increase their distance as they age and their legs can’t pump as fast as before. So if that’s true, and my gut seems to agree, then 2016 will be the year I get into the 10K, a healthy 6.2 miles.

The first race I ever ran was a 10K in my hometown called the Vancouver Sun Run. I signed up for it on a whim with my dad when I was 16. I didn’t do anything to prepare for it because I was too busy figuring out this thing called high school. On race day, I came in at something around 55 minutes but hurt for the entire last half of it. After the race, I bumped into my friend who was on my school’s varsity soccer team, he had done the race in 46 minutes. I was too embarrassed to tell him my time.

This year, I’m going to make 10K my favorite distance. Not only that, I’m going to run it in under 46 minutes. And I’m going to make it love me back.


All photos shot on my iPhone6.

First, happy 2016!

A lot of fitness goals are coming out of the closet right about now, and many of you want to start running in 2016. I began running regularly in early 2010. I was studying in the south of London at the time, and hitting the gym became a regular habit during the rainy season there. It didn't take me long to gravitate toward the treadmill, and then the trails when the weather improved as the months wore on. 6 years later, I’m still happiest on the run.

Here's my take on how you can also start running.

1. Identify Your Goal

Whether it’s getting in better shape, cross that marathon off your bucket list, or losing 10 pounds, identify what you want to get out of running. When I first began, I wanted to run 5K in under 25 minutes. Like all achievable goal-setting, make sure your goals are SMART: specific, measurable, action-oriented, relevant, and trackable. Once you identify your goal, you will be able to figure out a detailed workout plan from there.

2. Pick Out Your Gear

Whether you plan to run outdoors or indoors, on a track, the pavement, a trail, or the treadmill, you need appropriate gear. Don’t worry about getting the most high-tech dri-FIT stuff; wear something comfortable and loosely fitting but not falling off of you. I started with just cotton t-shirts and gym shorts from my high school days. The one piece of gear you shouldn’t sacrifice is your running shoes. Make sure your shoes fit well (be mindful of squishing your toes) and provide the right amount of support and flexibility for your foot. The best bet is to get fitted with runners at your local sports door.

3. Create A Playlist

Get hyped up with the right playlist. Running is supposed to be fun, despite the amount of pain one might feel during a run. Curate your own playlist or use something off of a player like Spotify.

4. Plan Your Route

For those running outside, make sure to plan your route so you don’t get lost, and so you can track your distance and work out your pace. The perfect route, for me at least, is one that goes in a loop so I’m not circling back the same way. Something as simple as Google Maps can provide you with both mileage and elevation.

5. Start Running 

Do you remember running around the playground when you were a kid? Everyone can run. If you think you’re seriously out of shape, then start by spending 20 minutes a day, 3 times a week. You don’t even have to run for the whole 20 minutes, start by just jogging, and don’t be afraid to walk. The best way to start is with a 4-minute jog followed by a 1-minute walking break. Continue this for the whole 20 minutes. When you get stronger, you’ll be able to decrease the walking time and eliminate it altogether, not to mention pick up the pace of the jog.

Go forth and start running!

As I write this (which is usually about a week before blog posts go live), I’m nursing a stress fracture in my left foot. I have to stay off of it for as much as I can over the next few weeks, which puts a serious damper on my running schedule. I don’t have a special routine during the holidays - at least nothing drastic - the key, for me, is to keep everything the same as much as possible. I try to eat the same amount. Workout the same amount. Calories in. Calories out.

My weekly workout schedule is the simple and I don’t pretend that it’s made to a perfect science but this is exactly what I'll be doing to combat that turkey weight:

Monday: Bikram Yoga (90 minutes)
I’ve been practicing Bikram for a year, and while I’m not an advanced yogi, I practice it consistently. My studio recently started offering 75 minute classes, mostly during week day lunch slots, but I've discovered that I simply prefer the 90 minute classes which allow more time between poses and do 2 sets of everything. Bikram is perfect during the holidays because it's a low-impact activity that you can do even when you feel bloated.

Tuesday: Short distance run (4-6 miles)
I can manage 4-6 miles on these short-distance days, and I give myself the leeway to adjust the distance. On a travel day when I don’t have a lot of free time, I run the shorter distance of four miles. During the holidays, I will do my short distance days first thing in the morning. This fasted cardio is perfect to burn the fat.

Wednesday: Short distance run (4-6 miles); weights
Same as Tuesday but I add in the weights. Some days, I switch it up and do weights on the Tuesdays after my run. I have to admit, I really don’t enjoy lifting weights and I do only three basic workouts - deadlift, weighted squats, and benchpress. 3 reps of 12.

Thursday: Rest
I usually need a rest day in the week otherwise my legs won’t be fresh for the longer distance runs at the end of the week. But if I’m feeling ambitious, then I’ll hop on the spin bike for 45 minutes to an hour. This is also a particularly good day to squeeze in an additional workout if I'm feeling bloated over the holidays.

Friday: Long distance pace (8-10 miles)
I’m up to 10 miles on my long-distance days but I’m hoping to get this to 13 miles (a half-marathon) in 2016. I pace myself on these long distance days since my focus for right now is not about speed.

Saturday: Bike (60 minutes); weights
I use the spin bikes at my gym, but it’s not Soulcycle. There’s no Beyonce on full blast, no double tap-back, nor any bright disco lights. I’m on the spin bike going at a consistent difficulty and speed. My main goal is to keep my legs moving at the same pace for the entire time I’m on the bike, and I mimic the pace at which I run for. I bike to build up leg muscle, and specifically the muscle around my knee - the objective is to use spinning to improve my strength for running.

Sunday: Long distance pace (8-10 miles)
Head down, break a sweat. It's another long distance day!