Marnie and Pat: Early Morning Fitness in Domino Park

Marnie Kunz and Pat Stacks Domino Park, Brooklyn

Booking a 7:00 AM outdoor shoot on a hot and humid mid-July morning is generally not my preference. But on the rare occasion, these sticky, swamp-like conditions can serve as the perfect inspiration to get things done.

On this sweaty morning, I had the pleasure of working with my good friend, business partner, and Runstreet founder, Marnie Kunz, and one of the fittest men in New York, 24-Hour Fitness trainer and Yolked sponsored athlete, Pat Stacks. Our location for the day was Domino Park, a picturesque urban green space with stunning backdrops, including the Manhattan skyline, Williamsburg Bridge, East River and the old Domino Sugar Refinery.

The early start time was chosen to ensure that we had the park and its facilities to largely ourselves. For a little over an hour, Marnie and Pat went through a series of exercise demonstrations against a backdrop of beautiful blue skies and dynamic architecture. The park’s rich colors complemented their photogenic faces, beautiful smiles and humbling physiques.

From sprints and pull-ups to lunges and push-ups with a full-extension dap, Marnie and Pat posed perfectly with every move. After spending an hour watching them easily go through exercises for multiple takes, I began rethinking my entire fitness regimen.

Pat scales the Tacocina sign in Domino Park

Marnie Kunz jump’s for joy in Domino Park.

My favorite photo from the session is Marnie’s jumping shot. Captured in one take, the photo screams “FREE,” while the park’s pastel-colored architecture exquisitely accents Marnie’s fire-red hair and vibrant attire.

These photos are a good reminder of the lives we led before COVID-19 altered the world. Moreover, they inspire me to keep pushing and to remember that someday, we’ll feel as free and strong as we did on an oppressively hot and humid July morning in 2019.