Running around New York...Literally

East River bike path view

I can't get over how much has happened in the last week since moving here. I don't even know where to begin, but I guess I'll start with my run along the East River. I moved up to NYC a week early to adjust and familiarize myself with the city before actually starting work. Since I still don't have an apartment in the city yet, (which is an entire blog post in itself)

Anyway, I decided to go for a run along the East River and explore the East Side. The past few months I have been running in the North Carolina heat which has almost been unbearable, so when I had the chance to run along the East River on a cloudy New York day with the wind from the water it was absolutely perfect. And because it was so perfect I kept running farther and farther uptown. Before I know it I'm in Central Park on 95th street, which most New Yorkers know is about a 5-5 and a half mile run from 14th. (And that's usually the distance I've been running these days.) When I finally realize how far I ran I'm exhausted, without money to subway home and without any water. Good job Kayla. So I begin the 5 mile trek home since I'm way too tired to run even a little bit.

So remember I said I went for a run to go exploring? Well, while walking through central park with my workout clothes is completely normal, the genius I am decides to explore fifth avenue at this time. Boy was that a mistake walking down New York's (if not the nations) most fashionable street in my sneakers and workout clothes. I would have loved to see myself among the crowd of Chanel, Burberry, Gucci and Louis Vuitton that day. People are strutting down the street with beautiful custom made purses, shoes and dresses while I'm walking with my dirty sneakers and sweaty hair. Never making THAT mistake again. Plus I really didn't think it would be as crowded as it was, but man was I wrong.

Although I'm venting and complaining about it now, walking through Manhattan is really the only way to familiarize yourself with the city. I walked through the Upper East Side, Midtown East, Murray Hill, Gramercy Park, East Village and Union Square. And since I'm in the process of apartment searching in those general areas it really wasn't so bad after all.

As for the rest of the week apartment hunting here I come!