Fitness Deals in NYC

Like to try new things, but don't want to break the bank?  Fitness deals are everywhere in NYC if you just know where to look.  Here are a few of my favorites:

• Vital Juice, provider of daily emails featuring tips on local fitness, beauty, health and wellness finds, launched a new program last week.  Each Wednesday, Vital Juice now emails out an exclusive deal, typically offering at least a 50% savings.  Today, for example, they are offering two spin classes at Flywheel for $30 (single rides are normally $30 per) and throwing in a bandana to sweeten the pot. 
• Well&Good NYC, one of my go-to sites for fitness (and healthy and beauty) news also kicked off a weekly "Good Deal" offering last week.  Their first offer was an unlimited week of Strong Healthy Woman boot camp classes for $37.
• Buy With Me is a service similar to Groupon that offers deals and discounts contingent on a certain number of people signing up.  Buy With Me allows you to select the types of deals you want to receive emails about, i.e. wellness.  I've purchased a five-pack of martial arts classes at Elite Plus Fitness (that I have yet to use) for $19.99 through them.  Right now, they're offering a deal on Central Park Tours & Bike Rentals.
• Ideeli and Gilt, two sample sale sites more commonly associated with fashion deals, also offer great fitness deals from time to time.  Exhale Spa has been featured on both sites, and Crunch has been featured on Gilt.  I got my favorite Calvin Klein running t-shirt from Ideeli for $14 (plus shipping) and scored two weeks of yoga (plus $25 to spend in their store) at YogaWorks for $25 from Gilt.

Before you buy, be sure to read the fine print.  Some deals are for first time customers only.  Others are limited to certain times of day or days of the week.  Also, be sure to check the expiration dates.  Happy saving!

Where do you find fitness deals?  Let me know in the comments.

-Gym Belle-

Fight Gone Bad Recap

One day, I will pull off Fight Gone Bad with the 55 lb barbells perscribed for ladies.  This time, though, I went with 42 lbs for both the SDHPs and the presses.  I'd done that weight for the SDHPs the

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The Newport Half Marathon: Some Final Thoughts

View from my friends' parents' roof deckIn yesterday's post, I focused on my PR and how I think I pulled that off.  I didn't want to leave the subject behind, though, without sharing what a nice race this what, time aside.

The weather was perfect.  It was probably high forties/low fifties.  The wind had died down from the previous day.  Only one gust during the race threatened my hat.  It was sunny.  I actually got a some color during the run.

I started out in 3/4 length tights a tank top and a long sleeved shirt.  By mile two, I tossed the long sleeved shirt.  (RIP If found on ground, please drag across the finish line shirt.)  My only wardrobe hiccup occurred right at the beginning.  I had stuck an extra GU pack in the back pocket of my pants.  It bothered me.  I felt like it was going to weigh my pants down.  So, as we trudged up the first hill, I tossed my Mint Chocolate GU.  I also managed to toss the $20 I'd put in that pocket.  (So, perhaps it was my sacrifice to the race gods that earned me my PR?  Hmm.)

The course was beautiful.  We ran past grazing sheep and alpacas and, of course, the mansions along the water.  The steepest hill came at the beginning.  After that, the hills were rolling and not too bad.

Post-race celebration (courtesy of Cousin A)About 5,000 people ran that day, which was enough to feel like a race, but I always had room to maneuver.  Some of those people were running a full marathon, and I was very happy not to be one of them.

All my friends that I travelled to RI with had an awesome race.  M finished 35th overall with an amazing time of 1:27:58.  S (our group organizer) finished in 2:05:06 and Mr. S finished in 1:46:42.  My cousin A came in at a super speedy 1:52:36.  (Watch out for S & A in the New York Marathon next month!)

After the race, there was live music and (free!) beer and pizza and Gatorade.

It wasn't the most organized race, and there definitely could've been a few more water stations along the way, but it was a lot of fun and I would totally run it again.

-Gym Belle