Located on East 4th Street a few blocks away from SoulCycle Noho and David Barton Gym Astor Place, the studio has 30 Woodways–the same high-tech, otherworldly equipment that you’ll find at Barry’s Bootcamp. These aren’t your mama’s treadmill, but, don’t worry, they’re remarkably easy to use. And, if you’re like me, who generally steers clear of the “dreadmill” while exercising on my own, Mile High Run Club is our chance to mix things up in the company of others.

Each Woodway is stocked with a cheat sheet, breaking down the 4 different training levels for novice Joggers or more experienced Racers. And, there’s plenty of space for a water bottle and towel.

I chose a class called Dash 28, structured intervals for 28 sweaty minutes plus 10 minutes of kettlebell training for 45 total (the other option is an hour-long class called The Distance, with 50 minutes of treadmill work).

Pro golfer and über all-around instructor Andia Winslow took our all-female group through a challenging mix of sprints from 1% to 5% incline, staying mostly within Levels 2 and 3. At the end, we popped off behind our treadmills and finished strong with sets of lunges, squats and pushups holding 3- and 8-pound kettlebells.

Despite mic trouble and a playlist including “Mambo Number 5″ that should be curated with an ear for much newer endorphin-inspiring tunes (like Row House), this was, for sure, the fastest half hour that I’ve ever run inside.

And, on the way out, a list of upcoming races got me thinking.  In New York, as always, the options are endless. Which races are you running this season?

To toast 20+ years of friendship, we recently flew west for the Napa to Sonoma Wine Country Half Marathon. It was a beautiful course, with only a few hills, from a winery to the Sonoma city square. Fueled by rosé wine, fresh food and hearty laughs, check out our 13.1 under the warm summer sun.

Our favorite wineries were Jordan in Healdsburg and Scribe in Sonoma. (In these photos, we are the embodiment of R&R.)

Warming up before dawn at Domaine Carneros in Napa. Hello, beautiful.

Peace, love and running at the start. I wore a New Balance tank and compression tights by Opedix, to reduce lactic acid build-up and resulting soreness the next day. Highly recommend.

And, my FitBit Flex! (It tracks everything from steps and calories to sleep cycle, for those of us who are super curious to see how things measure up–or, just need a little motivation.)

My time?  1 hour, 58 minutes.

So, here’s a toast to power in numbers. And, the power of one.

Compression tights (c/o Opedix); FitBit Flex (c/o Women’s Health Magazine & Target). #fitbitflex
All thoughts/assessments are my own.

In between outdoor training runs, I’ve been mixing things up with charity workouts, like last week’s Body Space Fitness “Sweat for Yellow” bootcamp to benefit LIVESTRONG.

Exciting out-of-studio classes also abound from Manhattan and Brooklyn to the FITiST Collective in East Hampton.  I just got sweaty with Cyc at a sunset ride.

Hosted on the terrace of the always-chic Gramercy Park Hotel as part of their #cycsummershare series, we enjoyed watermelon shots before class and Juice Press shooters afterward.

How’s that for happy hour?!

I was styled in Nike, Under Armour and Adidas by SIX:02. There’s nothing like some hot fitness fashion to really crank up the heat.

Today, I fly out to the west coast for the Napa to Sonoma Wine Country Half Marathon. I’m so excited for our trip, which has been in the works for a year. My friends and I will be hanging out with the crew from Clif/LUNA Bar at the company’s San Francisco HQ, touring and tasting at some of the most beautiful vineyards in Napa and Sonoma and snapping a few photos along the way.

Stay tuned for more from the race: #willrunforwine

Want to pitch a tent and sleep under the stars in Brooklyn?  Or, learn how to surf in the Rockaways?  And, did you know that Staten Island is NYC’s greenest borough? Take a hike at Wolfe’s Pond Park where birds, wildflowers and mushrooms abound.

June 4th is National Running Day and to celebrate one of my favorite sports, I’ll be leading a 5-mile loop of Hudson River Park with pro runner Eliud “Heldy” Ngetich. He grew up running through the mountains of Kenya, traveling distances of up to 150 miles as the family’s messenger. His story is unsettling and amazing, and, I’m humbled to partner with such an accomplished athlete and Olympic hopeful.  After the run, we’ll gather at Tent & Trails downtown to re-fuel and talk more with Eliud.  Register here.

In New York, there are lots of opinions about everything, from politics to polenta. But, one thing is for sure: OutdoorFest will be the most rockin’ way to kick off summer in the city. See you there!

My next one is the Napa to Sonoma Wine Country Half Marathon in July, with three of my best friends from high school.  To toast our birthdays, we WILL run for wine.  So, like many of you, I’ve been searching for ways to maintain (and even increase) my fitness level this winter before race training kicks into high gear.

Enter Soho Strength Lab.  Founded by 3 former Equinox trainers, it’s bright, big and industrial with a 54′ landing strip of astro turf that serves as the main training area for individual PT sessions and small group classes.

Equipment ranges from kettle bells and free weights to slam balls and battling ropes, plus the infamous Power Sled, which I’ll tell you more about in a bit.

I took Soho Speed, a 45-minute cardio conditioning class incorporating a mix of sprinting drills and ab work to help us find our “inner athlete.” Led by Andy Speer, who’s also an Elite model, Soho Speed was the closest thing to high school track practice that I’ve experienced since 2001.  From “high knees” (running in place, pulling the knees way up for stronger hip flexors) to suicide sprints, it was reminiscent of running for the Ramapo Raiders, all the way.

And, similarly, once Andy busted out my newest friend in fitness, which I’ve lovingly nicknamed #thesled, I was definitely feeling the burn.

That night, we pushed around a 120-pound Power Sled – the sled, itself, weighs 50 lbs. and the plates on top were 70. Hello, it was SO hard! I was totally seeing black spots afterward (in a good way).

My take?  If you’re in pretty good shape, you can definitely handle Soho Strength Lab classes.  It’s perfect for runners, cyclists and guys who find some of the boutique studios way too frilly.  Participating in passport programs like ClassPass or FITiST?  It’s part of their list.  If you’re coming off an injury or are just getting back into things, you might try personal training with Andy or another of their trainers, tailored to your current fitness level.

Before I arrived at Soho Strength Lab, it had been a rough day. Nothing seemed to be going right in my world. After the class, I walked outside and in the glow of the “Little Italy” sign, I texted a photo with #thesled to my dad. His reply?  I looked strong.  Even on the worst day, I know that I am.  You are, too.

I’d love to know: which races are you thinking about or training for right now?

And, nowhere is that more important than when it comes to well-being.  From diet and exercise to relaxation and sleep, knowing what you actually do (vs. what you think you do) is the first step toward setting goals for significant improvement over time.

A few weeks go, I attended the NYC launch of the Bowflex Boost, a 24-hour activity monitor, joining the popular NikeFuel and Jawbone UP.  It syncs with my iPhone to measure steps, distance, calories burned and sleep patterns on a daily, weekly, monthly and yearly basis.

I immediately set my goals…

Some of the things that I’ve learned are obvious.

For instance, I move more on weekends, when I’m not behind my desk: walking to/from morning cycling classes, with my dog from Chelsea to the Union Square Greenmarket and with friends in the West Village.

On a typical work day, I average 5-6 miles vs. a Saturday or Sunday, when it’s more like 10-12.

Something that I’ve found interesting is that it takes me, literally, NO time to fall asleep: between 8-10 minutes. I’ve always been a sound sleeper, but, seriously?! I must be really tired.

The Boost has been a great addition to my day-to-day for information and motivation. Here, wearing my Boost before a run in Hudson River Park.

And, if all else fails, here in the city there’s always a little caffeine nearby…have you tried Intelligentsia at The High Line Hotel?

Bowflex Boost (c/o), Eddie Bauer vest (c/o), SmartWool shirt (c/o), Lululemon leggings, SparklySoul headband, New Balance sneakers (c/o).

The High Line Hotel: 180 Tenth Avenue @ 20th Street, NYC

The sun was just peeking out of the east when we parked on the grass at Trapp Family Lodge, where 160 teams were warming up for the start of the Vermont 100 on 100 Relay.

By 6 a.m., the second wave of runners (including our team’s endurance queen, Ashley) were off, headed for the trails.

We spent the next FIFTEEN hours running, driving, eating, drinking, cheering, ringing cow bells and duct taping our toes (best remedy for blisters ever).

Because runners are always intense about everything from their training schedule to the pre-race meal and color of their socks, there were outlandish van decorations…

…and crazy costumes.

I was runner #3 and my legs were 7, 3.5 and 4.5 miles for a total of 15. I was most nervous about the first, having spent long hours at the office leading up to the race, but, with my Katy Perry playlist blasting into my right-ear-only headphones, I felt great.

I’ve always felt in every workout that pushes me to my own personal limit, whether it’s a solo run, a spin class or a formal race, there’s a moment where I feel entirely in sync with myself and everything around me.

It happened during my third leg, a series of major downhills. I was at the top of a steep peak and found myself running what seemed to be almost parallel to the sun, nestling into the trees. “If So” by Atlas Genius was humming in my ear. I took a deep breath and charged the last few hundred yards toward the finish line.

It was pretty hardcore.

“50 Shades of Crazy” team photo at the finish (from left: me, Ashley, Audrey, David, Amy & Diane).  We were exactly 100th place. You guys rock!

My race day check list includes: a headlamp (our team’s start time is 6 a.m. and we’ll be on the move for 14 hours), one ear headphones (many races now allow only these, if any), my most comfortable pair of running shorts and lots and lots of Pink Lemonade Crystal Light in my Klean Kanteen (post-run, it’s kind of great).

More to come from our crazy adventures on the run.

Fresh fruit, strappy sandals, family BBQ at the boatyard and my best training run thus far.

I hope that yours was filled with things that make you happy, too.

Meet a few of my amazing friends in fitness, both new and from way back:

Audrey is one of my oldest and best friends.  Smiling at the start line of our first half-marathon last fall (we were still smiling at the finish, too).  She’s our “team leader” for the 100-mile relay this summer.  Fingers crossed for the same after that one!

Sadie founded NYC’s 305 Fitness, a crazy fun dance cardio workout.  She’s spunky, super dedicated and shows me how to #sweatsexy, 24/7. 305fitness.com

Colleen and I had a BLAST at JumpLife.  They teach “rebounding,” a fitness movement done entirely on a specially-designed trampoline.  It’s a low impact workout, first practiced by WWII pilots and astronauts, now by ladies in Lululemon and GapFit at JumpLife’s Tribeca location.  You really feel it in the lower body, though there’s a segment with hand weights, too.  And, once Katy Perry’s “California Gurls” came on, I was bouncing my way up to heaven!  jumplife.com

Remember CrossFit coach Will?  He’s now the GM at Brick New York, the popular new mega gym on West 17th Street.  bricknewyork.com

In the spirit of friendship, check out my new post for Revolve, NY Magazine’s “Best Spin Studio”: blog.revolvefitness.com

And, for the runners: you can’t miss my regular guest blogging gig starting in June – stay tuned!

Bottom image by Shante Carlan.