Justin Kopunek said: “On top of that, Id rather be in New York City, or any other major city and have to travel 5-20 minutes for a run (or god forbid run on the roads once) than to be in some rural, podunk town where Applebee's is the best restaurant and the only thing for miles other than fields and people's homes is a strip mall with a 2 screen movie theater. There are advantages and disadvantages to every college.”
Haha! I go to school in a podunk town just like this! But our best restaurant is Chili's. I actually like it, there are 20 mile dirt roads all over the place (which is a great surface) and they are within a mile from my dorm. And if I want to go do something exciting there's a big city 45 minutes away. I've tried training in Dallas and San Antonio, TX and I think it sucks compared to the small towns.
But I could see myself loving Columbia too with all the trails in the major parks. It's all good!
I lived and trained in new york city for two years after college - it's definitely possible to get training done, but that doesn't mean it is pleasant.
Central park is a decent place to run - but no picnic day after day....
Also tracks are generally crowded with joggers/walkers/bicyclists/dogs/pushcarts etc. from dawn til dusk. I got some decent quality work in late at night or in inclement weather, but anyone out of town who did a workout with me would be shocked at the number of obstacles on the track.
New York is a fantastic place to live - but I don't miss trying to run there.
im from the NYC n parking in the city is not a good idea, so he took the cap for a good reason, there's nothing wrong with tht, will u want to pay $30 dollar for park spot or spent $5 for cap.
I live in San Francisco, one of the most beautiful and desiarable place in the world to live.....and also one of the most VIOLENT PLACES TO LIVE (per capita) in the country.
I feel safer walking in NYC at 3:00 am than down Market Street in SF an hour after dark
Older, But Prob Not Much Wiser October 23 at 3:23pm
I would kill to run for a NY college! I'm 30 now and only ran for exercise in college (didn't get into the hardcore marathoning thing until about 24 yrs old). Ahhhh... to be a young 18 again with all the choices laid out before me, and wonderful opportunities around every corner - all you need to do is look for them! I love NY - one of my fav vacation spots. To be able to roll outta bed and head for a long run in freakin' CENTRAL PARK any day you want!?!?! Are you kidding me - how amazing would that be!
Look, I have been thinking about this and I don't want you guys mad at me! Please delete was I said and I will try to be more positive...thanks for feedback and the credible job you guys do!”
Dont feel bad, it is an impression a lot of people have of New York, and I try to help dispel it when I can. A lot of people picture New York as what they see in American Gangster. The past 2 decades, however, have seen crime rates plummit. You are not the only one thinking it is an unsafe city, but it is actually continually ranked as the safest major city in the US. Nothing to worry about, feel safe if you come visit.
ran 4 years at Columbia in the late 70's early 80's (we are having our 30 year reunion for the original Columbia HEPS victory next week) There is no better place on earth (well maybe DC) to live and train. So many directions to head out; down town exciting stimulating runs, quiet park runs what ever your mood calls for (not to mention 30 guys streaking through Garnd Central at rush hour!) Then ther is the city and all it has to offer.
Look, I have been thinking about this and I don't want you guys mad at me! Please delete was I said and I will try to be more positive...thanks for feedback and the credible job you guys do!
I gots to chime in. Any college has negatives no matter where its at. I am guess you don't have much experience in NYC, but I could be wrong. Just because it is the biggest city in the US doesn't mean you can get into any more trouble than any other place in the country. You could argue that with all the options of things to do in a city you'd be less inclined to get tempted and lured into to other things by peer pressure. I went to a school in a small southern college town where there wasn't much to do outside of the university.....kids can be more tempted to do dumbs things when they are bored.
as for training....i was skeptical when i went to visit iona last year and columbia this year, but you'd be suprised the options they have for being in and around NYC. its obviously not on campus, but a lot of options are real close (columbia right next to central park - which has more soft surface than just the mile path around the Res- and iona has trains right off campus). in all my travels i have found that every school i have been to has a pretty good situation in terms of training. i don't think i have been anywhere yet where i left saying "man i would hate to train there".
don't forget that Fam trained in nyc....it treated him pretty well
Ok Justin, I realize NY is not the only place to find temptations, maybe I am wrong but I always thought NY had one of the high crime rates in the US and possibly in a city like NY you could have tons of more oppunitunties for things to go wrong? I don't know for sure?....maybe like you said..... you are well protected. All I am saying there positives and negatives. If you don't want to ask questions about the negatives just say so.
Don't forget about the bad temptations, dangers, and drawbacks that could possibly go with living in the city. I am sure there are some!”
You are fooling yourself if you think New York is the only place college kids find temptations. It is more the being without parental supervision then the location you are in. Drugs are actually a HUGE problem in rural America today, because the kids have nothing else to do. Usage of drugs like Meth are dramatically increasing for young people in those areas (see the link below). As for danger, the security at these colleges in the city is great because they of the fact that they are in a city. Crime on most of these campuses in NYC from outsiders is basically non-exsistant.
"busy, traffic-heavy street" The street was not busy, or traffic heavy. Also, a lot of schools travel places close by that are nice to run at, take a look at past WOWs, most recently, Providence. And the little extra time that may add to practice hardly cuts into school work, college student have so much free time it is ridiculous. What does cut in to school is having to travel overnight and far away for all your meets every season because there are no quality meets/facilities near by.
On top of that, Id rather be in New York City, or any other major city and have to travel 5-20 minutes for a run (or god forbid run on the roads once) than to be in some rural, podunk town where Applebee's is the best restaurant and the only thing for miles other than fields and people's homes is a strip mall with a 2 screen movie theater. There are advantages and disadvantages to every college.
If you ever did a run at Rockefeller state park you would think it is worth it to travel. Also to be able to train at van cortlandt is awesome. The runs in Central park as long as along the river are excellent. not all runs have be on soft surfaces. I am sure there are many teams that travel 20 to 30 minutes to go on runs at specific places.
Overall i think coach wood's point about the opportunities NYC offers is excellent. Many high school athletes overlook the fact that having close proximity to NYC is an advantage when it comes to getting internships and jobs after school. Plus there are so many other things to do. Columbia, NYU, Fordham, Manhattan College, and Iona are all great schools that offer this kind of opportunity. All those schools can be seen at vcp, and Rockefeller.
No, you can get much more than just the Reservoir in Central Park, also a block away is Riverside Park which has trails running the length of Manhattan.
I find it ironic that an interview about NYC's "great places to train" and "soft ground" takes place entirely in a cab driving down a busy, traffic-heavy street. Sorry, Coach Wood, but I'm not convinced! I'm sure you can GET to soft surfaces, but the fact that busy college students (presumably working hard at their studies) would have to spend uwards of an hour a day traveling to and frm practice in order to do so seems like a turn-off to me.
(Also - Central Park as an example of "soft surfaces"? Unless you are running around the tny reservoir dirt path, aren't teh carriage roads all paved roads?)
Columbia Coach Willy Wood talks about training in NYC
A lot of people thinking training in the one of the world's biggest city would be difficult. However if you've been to Columbia and seen the access to facilities and running venues, you may think differently. Head Coach Willy Wood talks about the good training situation they have at Columbia and the benefits of being in the most electric city in the United States.
Columbia Coach Willy Wood talks about training in NYC
“On top of that, Id rather be in New York City, or any other major city and have to travel 5-20 minutes for a run (or god forbid run on the roads once) than to be in some rural, podunk town where Applebee's is the best restaurant and the only thing for miles other than fields and people's homes is a strip mall with a 2 screen movie theater. There are advantages and disadvantages to every college.”
But I could see myself loving Columbia too with all the trails in the major parks. It's all good!
baker field is 15 minutes from their campus...
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2094/2115139331_203e6c6250.jpg
Central park is a decent place to run - but no picnic day after day....
Also tracks are generally crowded with joggers/walkers/bicyclists/dogs/pushcarts etc. from dawn til dusk. I got some decent quality work in late at night or in inclement weather, but anyone out of town who did a workout with me would be shocked at the number of obstacles on the track.
New York is a fantastic place to live - but I don't miss trying to run there.
I feel safer walking in NYC at 3:00 am than down Market Street in SF an hour after dark
“Ryan and Justin
Look, I have been thinking about this and I don't want you guys mad at me! Please delete was I said and I will try to be more positive...thanks for feedback and the credible job you guys do!”
http://en.mercopress.com/2009/06/04/new-york-city-remains-the-safest-city-in-united-states-according-to-fbi
Look, I have been thinking about this and I don't want you guys mad at me! Please delete was I said and I will try to be more positive...thanks for feedback and the credible job you guys do!
I gots to chime in. Any college has negatives no matter where its at. I am guess you don't have much experience in NYC, but I could be wrong. Just because it is the biggest city in the US doesn't mean you can get into any more trouble than any other place in the country. You could argue that with all the options of things to do in a city you'd be less inclined to get tempted and lured into to other things by peer pressure. I went to a school in a small southern college town where there wasn't much to do outside of the university.....kids can be more tempted to do dumbs things when they are bored.
as for training....i was skeptical when i went to visit iona last year and columbia this year, but you'd be suprised the options they have for being in and around NYC. its obviously not on campus, but a lot of options are real close (columbia right next to central park - which has more soft surface than just the mile path around the Res- and iona has trains right off campus). in all my travels i have found that every school i have been to has a pretty good situation in terms of training. i don't think i have been anywhere yet where i left saying "man i would hate to train there".
don't forget that Fam trained in nyc....it treated him pretty well
“Don't forget the negative stuff.
Don't forget about the bad temptations, dangers, and drawbacks that could possibly go with living in the city. I am sure there are some!”
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=3805074
On top of that, Id rather be in New York City, or any other major city and have to travel 5-20 minutes for a run (or god forbid run on the roads once) than to be in some rural, podunk town where Applebee's is the best restaurant and the only thing for miles other than fields and people's homes is a strip mall with a 2 screen movie theater. There are advantages and disadvantages to every college.
Don't forget about the bad temptations, dangers, and drawbacks that could possibly go with living in the city. I am sure there are some!
Overall i think coach wood's point about the opportunities NYC offers is excellent. Many high school athletes overlook the fact that having close proximity to NYC is an advantage when it comes to getting internships and jobs after school. Plus there are so many other things to do. Columbia, NYU, Fordham, Manhattan College, and Iona are all great schools that offer this kind of opportunity. All those schools can be seen at vcp, and Rockefeller.
(Also - Central Park as an example of "soft surfaces"? Unless you are running around the tny reservoir dirt path, aren't teh carriage roads all paved roads?)