In case you missed it, I was named one of 15 athletes to follow in NYC on Strava’s blog. I was honored to be picked for this and a little intimidated by the company I was lumped in with. Maybe I was chosen for my sense of humor? While they did a great job putting the article together, I thought I’d share all of my answers with you as I thought I did a good job of mixing humility with humor.
You be the judge.
My Interview with Strava
Your name and age:
Eric Rayvid 46
But age is just a number right? I mean, when I look in the mirror I expect to see 18-year-old Eric but then there’s this old bald guy staring back at me. If you know where 18-year-old Eric went, please let me know I worry that he’s wandering around downtown looking for Wetlands.
Your primary sport (run, ride, etc.):
I run, I eat, I sleep and then I run again. Sometimes I get on the bike. And sometimes I swim. But rarely.
Do you train/compete as part of a team?
Not a team per se, but I run with a group of misfits every weekend we call The Congregation. Some of us are old, some young bucks but all of us have a love of running (weeeell – love or neurotic need, it’s a constant debate point).
How would your describe yourself in 8 words or fewer?
New dad (that about says it all)
What neighborhood or borough do you live in in NYC?
Upper West Side of Manhattan with all the other new parents who push strollers on sidewalks and take up way too much room. (On behalf of all of us, I’m sorry we’re in your way.)
What’s your favorite NYC run or ride (or both)?
I love Central Park and have logged (literally) thousands of miles on the loop, the bridle path and the Harlem Meer. But when I can drag my bones over the GWB, River Road is my absolute favorite place to train in sneakers. And while it might be the obvious choice for riding, beating a path up and back to/from Bear Mountain is a favorite local-ish ride.
Why are you worth following on Strava?
I’m a funny guy – no really, take my word for it. I’m very funny. Case and point, I name my runs (and rides and swims) for the last line of the song that played on my iPod during my workout. Titles like “Slap me back to life and telephone my wife and fill me full of Pedialite” and “Bubble Wrap for the Soul” taken out of context, I think they’re pretty funny.
Oh, and I give Kudos to everyone in my feed.
What makes you notable as an athlete in NYC?
While I wish I could tell you that I’m notable because I win (or place) in races, my reality is that I’m a solid “middle-of-the-pack” runner. But there’s your advantage. I can make you feel fast in comparable runs. I give slow runners hope.
In all seriousness, I run almost all the NYRR races and a few with NYCRuns and I practically live in Central Park logging miles. I try to run three marathons a year in different cities (well, NYC plus two others) but that has been curtailed in the last year or so (see “New Dad” designation above).
Anything else you think we should know about you?
I’m not sure I’ve admitted this in public, but I shaved my head 9 years ago because I sweat a lot when I exercise. And I mean A LOT! Like, I-look-like-I-just-got-out-of-the-shower-with-all-my-clothes-on level. So I decided to shave my head to see if it helped.
It didn’t, but I liked it so I kept it.
Stay out of my way on hot humid days.
