NYC is a Running Town: Nike+Human Race Aug 31

There is the world famous New York City Marathon (I swear I'm gunna run that puppy one day) and every weekend there seems to be a charity race going on in Central Park (personally, I'm looking forward to running the Komen Race for the Cure on Sept. 14!). Basically, NYC is a running town, with plenty of opps to get your jog on.

There is an interesting new 10K race in town. On August 31, 2008, runners from around the globe will take part in the world’s largest running event, the first ever Nike+ Human Race. The goal is to get 1 million runners racing at the same time, in 25 cities around the world including Buenos Aires, Istanbul, London, Madrid, Melbourne, Mexico City, Quito, Seoul, Singapore, Tokyo and more. Since we'll all be going through Olympic withdrawal at that point, this looks like a great way to get back in the global athletic groove.

In New York City, the race will take place along the waterfront at Randalls Island beginning at 8 p.m. There is a give back aspect too, with runners supporting the Lance Armstrong Foundation, World Wildlife Federation or ninemillion.org. Sounds cool to this running New Yorker. Get more info at www.nikeplus.com.

Losing Weight the Healthy Way: Weight Watchers in New York City

On a day of perhaps less than optimal self esteem, (and we all have them) New York City can be a challenging place in which to feel comfortable with your body. Its the fashion capital of the world, for Gucci's sake! Models routinely prance by you on the street, all thin and six foot towering, looking chic even in sushi stained tanks and yoga sweats. Add in a few movie stars and those awesomely gorgeous gay men with cheekbones to die for, and on a bad day you can feel a bit... thick.

After a reality check, you realize that New York City is filled primarily with beautiful, fabulous, everyday type folk, with real live bodies with real live flesh covering the bones. Every body is welcomed here, especially if that self - no matter its size - is embraced from within (and being clothed in couture never hurt). I've never felt more beautiful than I do in New York City, and I am no size zero, proving that New Yorkers really aren't as into 'appearances' as those living outside its borders are led to believe.

That being said, we all want to feel our best, and for me that has meant coming to grips with my long time struggle with weight and emotional eating. No, make that scarfing. I may never have been morbidly obese, but on my 5'3" frame even a five pound gain can make me feel ginormous. To feel really confident about moving to a city I'd forever been infatuated with, yet incredibly intimidated by, I would need to lose the weight I'd packed on since my mother's death and the end of a serious relationship. Diagnosed with an underactive thyroid, my 'stuff the face to stuff the emotion' approach to pain management led to my all time high puffy state of 163 lbs. As you can see from my before photo, I was pretty uncomfortable in my stuffed Vienna sausage-like skin.

When I finally was ready to plunge into the abyss of my own weight obsessions, the only place that made sense for me to turn to was Weight Watchers. I'd heard of so many successes from friends and colleagues, and I also knew it wasn't a 'magic pill' approach to dieting (if I thought a diet capsule would work, I'd be downing those puppies by the cereal bowl-ful!) No, I knew my weight gain had to be addressed on many levels, and Weight Watchers did that for me.

First, I had to understand my relationship to food, and the meetings helped me comprehend the emotional tie I had to Breyer's Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream. Hearing other people talk about that love affair gone wrong that is often our relationship with food made me feel less freakish about how I ate. Weight Watchers also was, like, the best nutritional class ever - I learned about food in a thorough way, and precisely how certain foods are processed by the body.

But the best thing about Weight Watchers? It gave me accountability. It helped me to see, by writing down what I was eating each day, just how much munchie munchie was making it into my mouth. Not surprisingly, it was way too much. And I was shocked to learn how the most innocent and beloved foods in my pantry (oh, let's be honest, at my corner deli) actually turned out to have the most WW points values (those are the little things that make it easy for you to track how much food/calories you've eaten in a day). Allotted 20 points a day, I learned quick that a six point bagel each morning was going to do me in!

Weight Watchers radically altered my perception of food, and my relationship to it. Through the knowledge I gained and the support I got in the meetings, coupled with exercise, the weight came off. And off. I lost 30 lbs. before moving the New York City. Once here, I was able to continue going to WW as there are meetings all across the city. As you can see from the after photo, I'm a much happier gal.

And now? I am still struggling with that last 10 lbs. But WW has make that even easier by offering a great online program - and their own cute-as-a-low-fat-cupcake blogger Faint Starlite. She started out keeping a video diary of her WW adventure on You Tube, and now she is a spokesperson for the program. Don't you just love how all high tech and hip Weight Watchers has gotten?

The best thing about being at a healthy weight in New York City? The town itself helps you stay that way. Not only do the clothes inspire you to keep it lean, but NYC is consistently voted the best walking town in the country. With so much to look at along the way, you walk everywhere. And now that the Mayor has ordered that restaurants list their food's calorie counts, you'll never look at a black and white cookie the same way again.

Update-a year later: Well, I've finally done it. Reached my goal weight of 125 lbs!!! It really is miraculous and I am thrilled. Losing the last 10-15lbs was incredibly difficult, however. My weight just kept going up and down-so frustrating. So earlier this year, I started eating lots of veggies and fruits, cut out the snacking, started a probiotic regime (I think that helped curb my appetite), and just stayed with it. And after years of trying, met my goal. Yay!

New York City Marathon: Paula Radcliffe Wins!

The excitement generated by the ING New York City Marathon, the premier event of the New York Road Runners, is beyond compare. Since I wasn't running the race today I got up early for a 50-minute run in Central Park, and ran across the finish line near Tavern on the Green pretending I was at mile 26.2.

My Australian friend Katherine (another new New Yorker) and I walked some of the course and cheered from prime spots at Central Park South near the zoo (where we caught the elite runners - especially the amazing Paula Radcliffe, this year's winner and the women's world record holder!), near the Queensboro bridge, then up into Harlem to mile 22 where the runners, mega-tired at this point, were cheered by the crowds along with talented musicians. The whole experience was indescribably moving to this New York runner. NYC is considered one of the best running towns in the world, and this exceptionally well organized marathon proves why.

Congratulations to all runners on an amazing accomplishment, and here's to my running the race next year!

Midsummer Night Swing at Lincoln Center

The night air is warm here in New York City, inviting everyone outside to embrace summer. Lincoln Center's Midsummer Night Swing is the ultimate outdoor dance party for those ready to disco, rumba, samba, swing or salsa. Some of the best dancers in the city show up on the Lincoln Center plaza dressed to the nines and ready to spin some serious moves. The people watching is some kinda fun, and the music allows free access to top international talent.

Bonus: While tickets to get on the dance floor may cost $15, many New Yorkers hang about the perimeter, providing free dance shows for other bystanders. And these folks are GOOD. Also, you can see and hear the bands from this vantage point, so if you are short on moolah this is a great way to get a free night of top notch entertainment.

2007 Dates: June 19-July 21
Time: 6:30 pm dance lesson, 7:30 pm music
Location: Lincoln Center, Columbus Avenue at 63rd St.
General Info

Petanque in Bryant Park

Often in New York City you will stumble across something weird and fabulous to do on a beautiful summer day. Such was the case when finding the French game of Petanque being played in Bryant Park. These players were on their lunch break and needed a moment to escape from the demands of the daily grind. There was a tournament in Bryant Park on June 24 (which I missed) that had 32 teams participating, so there obviously is an active community for this sport.

Bonus: From April to October, free lessons are given in the Park every weekday during lunchtime by La Boule New Yorkaise. Looks like a meditative activity, so you might see me tossing the boule around some day soon.

No Marathon for Mary

There will be no running in the 2007 ING New York City Marathon for moi, as I did not gain a slot in this coveted 26.2 mile race on November 4. Given that while walking the other day I blew out my knee at the exact moment I was thinking how cute my 5 inch heeled, strappy platform sandals were (and they say the universe doesn't have a sense of humor!) I'm not too heartbroken. But still *sniff* the New York City Marathon is a dream of mine. Here is how I (and thousands of others) will get there one day.

• Enter the lottery. You must fill out an application on the marathon's Web site. With more than 98,000 applicants, luck of the draw will determine if you get to run among the nearly 38,000 participants.
• Run for charity. If you join a fundraising charity team you will automatically get entry into the marathon. I would do this if my knee were in better shape. No, really.
• Complete at least nine New York Road Runners-scored, qualifying races during the calendar year.
• Be an entrant in the prior year's New York City Marathon. If you cancel before race day, you get a slot in the next year's marathon.
• Complete 15 or more New York City Marathons (yikes!)
• Apply but be denied entry for the last three years in a row. After all that waiting, you will be guaranteed a spot.
• Volunteer. Okay, so this doesn't mean you get to run. But it does get you in on the action of the race. Hand out water, Gatorade or blankets, clip chips, or direct marathoners onto buses. Visit the marathon Web site for more info.
• Be a Spectator. Stand among 2 million spectators on the sidelines of the course and scream like crazy for the runners. Trust me, this noisemaking is inspiring to those sweating it out and a vital motivator.

Sure, I've heard of sneaky, manipulative, underground methods of gaining an entry bib, but I figure it pays to play legit. Here's to cheering the runners on November 4!

First NYC Yoga Experience

Ask most people what they think of yoga and the answer is all zenlike and ethereal. But for this girl with major monkeymind, the mildness of it all takes me straight to clockwatching. Despite my yoga discomfort, I do adore my friend (and yoga teacher) Ann Megyas, so I took in her New York Kripalu Center class tonight down in Chelsea. Thank goodness she is gifted and her style empowering yet gentle, because for the first time ever I actually enjoyed all the bending, breathing, stretching and kneeling that is yoga. As a runner, the series of poses helped release some hard-to-tackle, super-tight hamstrings and hip flexors. Blissed out is a term I can now use with authority.

Ann is Kripalu certified and has a real knack for making the class fun yet centering. At $12 for a 2 hour session it is the best yoga bargain in the city. Check out the series on Fridays at 6:30pm at the Feldenkrais Institute at 134 W. 26th St, or see her for private lessons.

Bonus: Eating exotic burgers afterwards at Brgr at 287 7th ave., where you can actually order a goat cheese veggie burger on whole wheat bun. Luscious!