Running

     I have always been fond of running; it is a type of meditation for me.  Running in NYC is one of the easiest and cheapest sports you can participate in.  All you need are sneakers and a running path.  It's very satisfying, as in the more time and effort you put into it, the better your results will be.  What people tend to get wrong when starting out is that they over do it.  They run too often, and keep a faster pace then they can handle.  Like most sports, it takes time, and there is no reason to kill yourself in the beginning.  Just take it nice and slow and let your body build its endurance naturally. 

     You can find great paths all over the place.  Central Park is a quite place during the week in the mornings and afternoons, and has a few good off-road, trail running paths as well.  The West Side has a wonderful running and biking path that goes from The World Trade Center all the way up into the 100’s.  The East Side has a path going from 59th street up into the 100’s as well as from 34th street all the way down to the Staten Island Ferry.   If you’re a skilled enough runner, you could always challenge yourself to one of the many races that occur throughout the year working your way up to The New York City Marathon.  That’s the great thing about running; you don’t need an actual path.  You can run up and down any street, or sidewalk.  Run to and from work, to the dry cleaner, wherever. 

     From a survivalist stand-point, running helps keep you in shape and your endurance high for whatever disaster situations you may find yourself in.  Like for instance; there is another black-out and you have to walk down 40 flights of stairs (just like the last black-out that forced people to do just that.)  You don't want to add to the emergency because you are about to pass out from the physical activity you are forced to do during a disaster.  A survivalist will also gain a lot from running by studying the terrain of his neighborhood.  Find your local police department, nearest park, or closest bridge.  Running up and down the blocks around your apartment paying attention to your surroundings will teach you a ton about the people and places in your neighborhood. 

     Staying in shape obviously has many other benefits, the most important of which is your health.  One of the most ironic aspects of the survival prep community is that these people have enough food and supplies to last them 20 years, but will die of a massive heart attack in 2 years due to poor health.  Your health comes before all prep, because without your health, all that prep is useless.

     

     Get yourself some good, upbeat music, a pair of decent shoes, put one foot in front of the other, and get out there.  If you have bad knees, I suggest power walking, which is much better on the joints and can also give you some great results.  Make sure to stay hydrated, and as always, bring your EDC equipment.