Autumn in New York

It is one of my favorite Sinatra songs and although I try to resist, it is one of my favorite times of year. I love the summer with it's fresh fruits and sunny, warm days that make people just a little friendlier. I don't even mind running in the heat and humidity, I'm a sweaty girl, but the heat simply doesn't crush me like it does to many others. My asthma enjoys the warm, moist air and I barely use my inhaler all season. Even though it is really hard to let go of summer, I told myself that this year I won't mourn the loss of summer like I usually do, there just is no point. I love the fall, so I've opened my arms and was getting ready for it to slowly creep in.

Yesterday and last night the weather surprised me a little, when I got off of the subway at 5:30 I ran into a running friend and mentioned that I felt almost "cold" in the breezy street. I wore long pants yesterday for the first time in I don't know how long, since June maybe? As I headed out for my evening run with the Inwood Hill crew, the wind was strong and cool and a man outside my building said "wow, great day for a run!" I knew he was right, fall is the best time for running. As I snaked through Fort Tryon park, the wind was strong off of the river and I nearly lost my hat a few times, but I smiled at the cool breeze whisking away the sweat. We had a nice group run along the Greenway and along Inwood Hill park as the sunset gave us quite a show with it's puffy glowing pink clouds and firey horizon. Since it was very cloudy, my run home got dark quicker than normal, but I know that the time is coming when I'll have to wear my light for the run home and carry my mace because the amount of foot traffic will dwindle in the park.

I trotted home at a quicker pace because I was hungry and because the lingering sunset over the George Washington Bridge was pulling me along. It was beautiful, as many fall sunsets are. The fall offers an opportunity to enjoy my neighborhood in a new way, like starting with a fresh slate. The city transforms with the changing of the seasons, this time I won't resist because to do so would make me miss the best part of the season- the in-between.

First Fall Thursday night run: 6.63 miles, 58:08 (some stopping and chatting included)

avg Page 9:13

Fastest: 7:57 (mi 1)

Slowest: 10:59 (mi 5) walking/chatting

Good stuff. Now I'm off to swim again today, I can't wait. Wednesday's swim was tough after being out of the pool for a while, but I'm ready for more today!