Biggie vs. Tupac: the Running Edition
L.A. sometimes gets a bad rap from New Yorkers. The traffic. Ew. The “biz.” Meh. The implants. Yawn. But as a runner, I was in love.
Here are five reasons why.
Uno: Can we discuss the weather? Even though New York has been blessed (or global warming cursed?) with a mild winter, running in a sports bra, capris, and a do-rag just doesn’t get old. I got my dose of Vitamin D.
Dos: Because NYC is three hours ahead I was up at 6 a.m., an otherwise un-Godly hour to run in my book. I jumped out of bed on Friday morning for an 8-miler in Silver Lake. Seeing a new city in running shoes is the best way to get the pulse of a place. In New York, I never look up – I look forward and in my periphery, around the cabs, cars, pedestrians, but rarely up. In L.A., I was craning my neck at the palm trees and the hills.
The Hollywood Sign became my North Star. Watching the neighborhood wake up was lovely and it felt so … calm. As I passed each glass-enclosed, light-riddled home and compared it to my teeny Nolita digs, increasing “real estate envy” developed. I also spotted some pretty epic graffiti. Running along Sunset Boulevard was like running through a street art exhibit. To boot, I noticed an organic juice spot right next to Intelligentsia Cafe at the end of my run. Can you say “cherry on top”? I might be inspired to do some early morning runs after that. Maybe?
Tres: the HILLS. I run bridges, so I love hills. I love powering up my quads. Hills are a gut check. And L.A. has some hills, baby. Instead of doing hill repeats as I would on the Willy B or in Central Park, I snaked through the streets around Silver Lake during an out-and-back. Lovely and with less whiplash.
Cuatro: Venice. I die for it. If you make it past the cheesy t-shirts and tourists, it’s a big, outdoor gym. I went on a shorty run along the beach and the Venice canals. We ended at Muscle Beach, which is next to the Venice basketball courts, a skate park, and an outdoor gym. Bloomberg take note – some outdoor rings, pull-up bars, and balance beams would be right at home along the river. We finished the run with dips, pull-ups and planks on the beach. Yum.
Cinco: the Canyons. I only got a chance to hike in Griffith Park, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg. I know a trail run there or in Topanga would be perfect training for the North Face Endurance Challenge in June. And my homie Edison owes me a run through Laurel Canyon.
L.A., this runner girl approves. I can’t wait to return.
But as B.I.G. said, “if I got to choose a coast I got to choose the East. I live out there, so don’t go there.” The only bridge I ran was over a teeny canal. And NY flavor is just how I like it – spicy and unpredictable.
