PETER SHANKMAN
| POSTED ON August 31st, 2010 | 25 COMMENTS | + ADD YOUR COMMENT |
Last week I tweeted that I’d come up with the perfect challenge for myself for September. So here it is.
I’m going to try and go the entire month without using Mass Transit, Taxicabs, or car services within the five boroughs AT ALL.
In other words, I’m going to become a pure, 100% walker.
I live all the way on one side of Manhattan. (The West side. The good side.) Anyway… There’s a bus that stops right in front of my apartment, and makes it incredibly easy to get to the middle of the city, where I can grab any subway I want. While this is easy, it also lets me leave at like, 7:40 for an 8am meeting downtown, which usually I’ll make.
Problem is, one of the biggest reasons to live in NYC is that by simply living your daily life, you get a workout every day! By taking the bus to the subway, I’m kinda becoming… suburban! Next thing I know, I’m going to start taking the escalator to the gym. This has to stop.
So – I’m going to try and go the entire month without taking mass transit, cabs, or car services even once.
Ground rules:
1) I can take mass transit to the airport, like I normally do, but if I’m going to Newark Airport, I have to walk to Penn Station.
2) I can still drive my car, as long as I’m leaving the city. But this isn’t new, I never, ever drive my car between any two points in Manhattan.
3) Weather doesn’t matter.
4) If I’m traveling to a city with a good mass transit system (Chicago, San Francisco, etc.) same rules apply. I can take mass transit from the airport to my hotel and back, but that’s it.
So that’s my challenge. Walk everywhere. I’ll have to leave a little earlier, and might start rethinking how much stuff I carry on a regular basis. My ScotteVest will come in quite handy, and the guys at TriSmarter will, I’m sure, be happy about my challenge.
So here’s the question… Anyone up for it with me?
Tips? Ideas? Thoughts? Leave them below. I’ll post random updates on my blog as the month progresses. I’ll also note if I’ve lost any additional weight at the end of the month.
I’d better subway it up as much as possible today.
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I think this is a great idea, if you don’t have much hair and you’re a guy. If I were to try to leave my house and walk to a meeting in 95 degree heat (I’m in DC), with high heels, I would look like a bus just choked me it out of it’s exhaust pipe. Not a good look. |
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I want to play! I’m pretty sure walking from Queens to Soho five days a week won’t work for my boss or my hygiene but I’ll avoid non-walking as much as I can. Good luck! |
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I LOVE this challenge! And I hate to be that guy that says “I’ll do it later” but really, I think I’ll just have to do it later. I had a nasty spill on my bike and bent my front tire (bad), my saddle, and cracked my helmet. Well, I got a new saddle on Craigslist last night and the new wheel I ordered online arrived yesterday too. I would have ridden my bike to work this morning but as I was piecing Suzy back together (my bikes name is Suzy), I noticed the rear wheel was bent too! Just slightly but enough that I can’t loosen the brakes and still ride. So, I’m headed to the bike shop today and hopefully they can fix it. Sorry, I’m rambling! I guess I just said all of that to say that I really like this idea and me living just about 10-12 miles from work (Virginia -> DC), it’s totally possible. I’ve ridden a handful of times and the Metro really isn’t terribly reliable anyway! I can’t wait to see some updates and maybe I’ll pick this up as soon as I get my wheels turnin’! |
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Great, ready for the challenge, but I live on the other side of the globe…India |
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Mimi, maybe you can’t do what Peter is doing..but what could you do? |
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Now if you would like to be considered a 100% pure walker, then you should also rule out taking elevators in the city. Stairs both ways whenever possible. |
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Good question, I could take my bike more, which I love, and be more time efficient so as to take my bike. Good point! |
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That’s a great idea especially now that the weather, dare I say it, is getting better. I will join you by walking to do my errands for starters. Let the walking begin! As for the hair thing Mimi, ponytail/updo anyone? Thank God for hair clips. Thanks for the rally to action Peter. |
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Normally I would say this is a great idea. But how will this effect your Ironman training, particularly recovery? I suppose the answer in part depends on how much walking you’ll be doing, how fast, etc. All the best with it! |
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All I have to say is- good job of choosing September as the month you want to try this! It might be a little warm at the outset, but by the last two weeks? Perfect walking weather. I would add “break a leg”, but that’s almost like wishing you failure now, isn’t it? lol |
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Great Idea! Maybe you can get sponsored “per day” by some of your minions and use it as a charity fundraiser – or, better yet, maybe I can do it (or a variation since I am a suburban dweller) and do it as a fundraiser. |
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I love this challenge! I’ve been thinking the same thing for months (“I should spend the 60-90 minutes I spend at the gym on the extra time it will take to walk or ride a bike around town.”) and this is a good kick in the you-know-what to get started. Now I just need to get my kids bought in too… |
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Yeah Peter – How will you manage to make it to Staten Island? You did mention ALL 5 boroughs! By my calculations there are two ways to do it – a) Ferries don’t count as public transportation (especially free ones) or b) you drive OUT of the city to Bayonne, park and then walk over the Bayonne Bridge. WWPSD? (What will Peter Shankman Do?) Frank |
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Try walking home from Midtown, that should do it. I’m suburban now, you drive everywhere, and I hate it. Walking 20 blocks every day is a good way to lose weight too. |
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Peter |
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Sounds like a great challenge! I wish I could play but I don’t live in a city (well technically I do but it doesn’t really count). That means no village restaurants or bars, unless you are up for a really long walk?! What will you say to social events you can’t get to? |
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Peter, From their website: You can put stakes on your goal by committing to give an anti-charity (a charity that you wouldn’t be caught dead giving money to) X amount of dollars if you don’t meet your goal. Talk about incentive! I cheer your efforts and can’t wait to hear about your success! The September walking goal isn’t applicable for me but I can counter commit with a month of eating an anti-inflammatory diet for my good health. Best, |
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Peter, you’re too awesome :-D I’m particularly amazed by your commitment to walk to Penn Station with your suitcase in tow! Does this mean that your friends on the UWS may get to see you more often? |
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Sounds great, Peter. I lost 5 lbs after a NYC vacation when I was 5 months pregnant from all the walking. For sure it works. But, I have to say that riding buses, taxis or subways is soooo NOT suburban. We walk, drive, bike or scoot out here in the burbs. Only kids ride buses, taxis are for the airport only and what’s a subway? |
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This is a great idea. I live near an Old Town district that has everything I need within walking distance. I’m in! |
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Good for you, Peter! I love it! One of the things I miss most about living in Manhattan is the built in “exercise program” of daily life. I used to live on the “upper west side” (yes, the good side) and I’d walk home from my job at Third Ave. & 53rd everyday. Best exercise in the world. Now, I live in L.A. and my commute is much less. I expect a full “weight loss” report as well from you after all the walking. :-) |
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That is a great way to live your life. If more people simply walked whenever they could it could have a positive impact on the worlds carbon footprint. |
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