Put Some Fun in Your Run (Part 1)

The first time I ran through Central Park, I got lost.I was visiting friends on the Upper East Side and went for a jog. I wondered, “How can anyone run in this place without stopping to look at a map every few minutes?”

How things change. Now I live near the park, walk through it to get to work, run there at night, and take personal training clients to the sheep’s meadow for boot camp. I even shot part of a fitness DVD near the Belvedere Castle. For fitness buffs and runners who live in New York, even the many trails, loops and hills of Central Park, get monotonous. If your mind and body are craving a change of pace, make the park your personal training playground.

We’ll start our revved-up running route at Central Park West and 81st, because you have to start somewhere, but you can do this routine in any order. The first article focuses on mile one of the four-mile route that will eventually take about an hour. In the spirit of the obstacle theme, I am going to use visual landmarks so you’ll remember the moves and not have to bring a printout. Warm up with a brisk walk to the entrance and find the playground on your left. Lay down on the top of the slide, holding on the sides with your hands about at shoulder level. Do long leg lifts for the lower abs, the large range of motion starts from an inch off the slide to 90 degrees, feet pointing to the sky. To make it interesting you can even lift your hips off the slide at the top of the move and push your feet into the clouds. Aim for 20 or so.

Next, lay face down with your hips over a swing and feet more than shoulder width apart, anchoring you to the ground and inching forward for balance. Hands at your head and do a set of 20 back extensions by lowering head and shoulders about 30 degrees toward the ground and then lift the torso back to hip level. Runners depend on strong backs and this will offset the lower abs we just worked. Now start with a slow jog and follow around to the right to join the running, bike and car road heading south. As you round the corner at the light, follow to the right, this is around 70th street. We are heading for the CNN building. (Note: You’ll pass a water fountain on your left.) Once you see the red CNN tower in Columbus Circle and are close enough to read the time on the clock, find a bench on your right.

Memory cue: its “time to step up” the effort. Place your right foot onto the bench and muscle your body up off the ground. As the right straightens, bend the left knee and lift it to hip level to engage the abs. Step down with both feet on the ground to finish one rep. Do at least 10 before switching to the left. Each week you will be able to do more. Now pick up the pace and run parallel to Central Park South on the main road again. There is another playground on your left if you want another set of abs, and back. Add pull-ups as a bonus. Next week I’ll map out complete mile 2. Try just adding these moves to your run and we will build from there. Remember, it’s bad to get lost in the park, but great to get lost in your workout!

Check out part two of this article:
Put Some Fun in Your Run (part 2)
Put Some Fun in Your Run (Part 3)

Fitness - Fit it in!

Nikki
Crunch Manhattan Group Fitness Instructor/Personal Trainer

More from Nikki at www.nikkifitness.com:

- Military Wife Workout DVD
- NikkiBeachBride Destination Wedding Workout
- Nikki on YouTube

Nikki Fitness is a personal trainer, group exercise instructor, writer and publicist living in New York City. She started as a cheerleader at Syracuse University, but became certified in fitness before her beach wedding so that she could get back in shape. Laura, a graduate student, working mom, and military wife, inspired Nikki's Military Wife Workout (MWW) for all military wives. Find more articles by Nikki at her article archive. Learn more at www.nikkifitness.com. For more Nikki Fitness blogs, visit her blog archive.

Comments

[#1 Posted by: SO]

Great article! I just started running myself. I joined a gym in downtown Toronto called Roland Semprie Rosedale, I love the fact it has TV’s attached to their treadmills, makes running a lot easier and its a great distraction!