New York Double Enduro: Brooklyn Half Marathon & Gran Fondo New York (5/18 – 5/19/2024)

 

Double Medal Monday - 
Enjoying a Stone IPA on the train with medals form Brooklyn and Ft Lee

Brooklyn Half Marathon
Date: May 18, 2024
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Distance: 13.1 Miles
Goal Time: 2:00:00
Actual Time:  1:58:04

Gran Fondo New York
Date: May 19, 2024
Location: New York and New Jersey
Distance: 85 Miles
Goal Time: 6:30:00
Actual Time:  6:45:52

I looked up at the last stretch.  85 miles in and there was one last climb.  A sign at the bottom said: “100 M to finish.”  While it was probably only about 5-7% up the final climb, with 98 miles in my legs over the previous two days, it felt like 20%.  Two things came to mind.  First, I will never complain about a pro unable to sprint away with this much left on a mountain stage again.  But second, I had completed an endurance challenge that I could be proud of: Brooklyn Half on Saturday: Gran Fondo New York on Sunday.  (And thirdly, why is this hill here at the end?) 

On the second one, it was a victory of perspective and perseverance rather than preparation and pedagogy.  While there was surely a path to properly train for both events, I both did not and did not want to.  I have found a current path to half ass train for both to be the best plan for me now. This path walks away from both the specificity of running or triathlon training, or the multi-stimulus conjugate system of Westside and even the challenges of Crossfit.  It is something different and something I want to explore. 

In the 1980s Joseph Campbell – author of The Hero with A Thousand Faces and creator of the monomyth hypothesis – sat down with Bill Moyers for a series of interviews called The Power of Myth.  During the interviews he refers to himself as a popularizer and a generalist.  He isn’t the traditional folklorist with roots in literary criticism or a psychologist coming from longitudinal research.  Instead, Campbell was trying to connect the strands of human experience through a general understanding of multiple disciplines at once.

My training leading to this has failed because I was trying to get too deep into training of too many things.  I kept looking at this as my path back to whomever I was as an athlete before Covid and before my little minor injuries that kept me from running well at Chicago, New York and Malta.  This has been show by the number of blog posts since 2022 – zero. 

I should have looked at my training as what it was – generalist.

Going forward – for the unforeseeable future – I will be adhering to a generalist endurance training.  While not specializing in one sport or training modality, I will attempt to fit what I need.  Why does that look like long term?  I don’t know.  Is that a plan that can build to another thing in the future? I don’t know.

Generalist training is going to be general and non-specific long term.  There will be no macrocycles; no mesocycles.  Maybe a few microcycles?  I don’t know. 

I know many people in the fitness world will reject this. Many old school strength coaches see RPE training as a copout.  Many specific endurance athletes see easy runs or easy bikes as an excuse to not try hard.  And I'm sure some people I know will just laugh at me and under my breath tell me it's just an excuse to train lazy.  

My next two events are: Boston Dragon Boat Festival and B2VT over the next 3 weeks.  So my generalist training will be specific to dragon boat and cycling for the next 3 weeks.  I guess that’s a microcycle. Overall effort will be the goals for the next while. Welcome to the Generalist Endurance Athlete.

Shenanigans in the Springs: Weekend Wedding in Saratoga (8/30 - 9/2/19)

Looking out over the Saratoga National Historic Park

Friday, August 30 - National Battlefield

National Battlefield Map

On Friday, Urvi and I arrived early and toured the National Battlefield.

The Battle of Saratoga is really three separate incidents.  In the Summer of 1777, a British Column led by General Burgoyne marched south from Canada with the intent of splitting the radical New England colonies from the less radical rest of the United States.  The idea was to divide and crush New England while welcoming the Southern Colonies, who were less interested in independence back into the fold.

Moving South, Burgoyne took Lake Champlain and Fort Ticonderoga.  The American general, Philip Schuyler was relieved of command and General Gates took his place.  Gates followed Schuyler's plan of fortifying the Brmis Heights along the Hudson River.  This cut off the Albany Road to the advancing British and would have required they: a) run the gauntlet along the river under heavy cannon fire; b) traverse through the wooded hills to the west of the American position; or, c) attack the Americans on their high ground.

Urvi mans one of the cannon at Bemis Heights

Burgoyne chose a bit from a) and a bit from c).

First Battle of Saratoga, September 19, 1777

On September 19, 1777 Burgoyne moved his troops into position to attack the American position from the West while he sent the Hessian mercenaries and the baggage to run the gauntlet to the East of the American position. These attacks were met by resistance at Freeman Farm by Generals Poor, Learned and Benedict Arnold (Yes that Benedict Arnold).  The British were driven back to their camp along the Hudson.

Apparently Gates had some sort of issue with Arnold and didn't include him in his official report.  Arnold and Gates had a huge argument and Arnold was relieved of command.

Me at a replica of Gates' headquarters

The two armies stopped and increased the defenses of their positions.  Burgoyne waited for General Clinton to march up form New York City while Gates awaited General Lincoln who had just made some attempted assaults on Fort Ticonderoga.

British cannon guarding the camp next to the Hudson

By October, it didn't seem as Clinton was coming (he wasn't).  On October 7, Burgoyne sent some lightly armed men for reconnaissance and foraging.

Second Battle of Saratoga, October 7, 1777

These troops met the Americans who drove them back.  Then Arnold entered the fray.  (There is dispute whether this was with or without the blessing of General Gates.)  Either way, Arnold led the charge on Breymann Redoubt and helped send the British Army into retreat.  Arnold was wounded in the leg - and again was not fully recognized by Gates.

The unnamed "Boot Monument" that celebrates the actions of Benedict Arnold at Saratoga without mentioning him by name

After travelling the National Battlefield, we checked into our Airbnb and awaited the others.  We headed out for dinner at Druthers' Brewery.  I had a flight of 6 tasters.  I made sure I got the two I wanted but then allowed the bartender to give me his next four favorites: Summer Series NEIPA, Black Lager, Dog Days Lager, Brevity Wit, Against the Grain Hefeweizen, and French Sour.

It's a cool place with good beer.  I wouldn't make a special trip to it; but, if you're in Saratoga it is worth the stop.

Flight at Druthers

Saturday, August 31 - Saratoga Race Track

Scott, C-A, Melissa and Nichole, getting their hats on

Nichole and I spent the morning on a nice 10 mile run that I kept sending us the wrong way on.  And then I recovered with some of Scott's Peanut Butter Chocolate Stout from Madison Brewery...

But, the big attraction of the day was 3 hours at the race track. After some confusion with our Uber driver (I ended up paying the guy cash), Urvi, Nichole, Brian and I met up with the rest in the picnic area on the outside.  It was a nice mix.  Scott commented that he liked just having a picnic area and eating and drinking.  He didn't even need to gamble.

"Down the Stretch They Come"
We all lost money in this race.  The only reason Scott and Brian's horse didn't come in last was that he made a surge to pass mine at the end of the 7 furlong race.

I, of course, was going for the experience.  If I was going to be at a horse track, I was going to bet the ponies.  I went down there with my hat caved in and went back home with a pocket fulla tin. While the first race I doubled my money, I didn't have the same luck again.  But, outside of following Kevin's advice to box three horses in an exacta (there's $12 I'll never see again), didn't lose big.  Went in with $70 and after the betting and chicken fingers and some perfectly fine local DIPA, I walked out with $29. 

We all finished up and split up either to the rehearsal dinner or a group of us went to Brook Tavern for dinner.

Sunday September 1 - Wedding Day

Running to Victory

Saratoga Monument - on Brian's and my 10 miler

Brian and I headed out early for a 10 mile run.  This time I knew where I had gone wrong during the run with his fiance the morning before.  And, in a much more successful trip, we found the victory site.

As seen above on October 8th, 1777 Burgoyne and the British troops retreated from their position near what is now Stillwater.  They retreated North to some high ground.  The Americans surrounded and besieged them for 8 days. On October 17, Burgoyne agreed to the Convention of Saratoga. While Burgoyne declared it was only a temporary convention, it was really a surrender of his army, which he agreed would not fight on North America again.

Brian and ran to and up the Monument that is near the surrender site.

View from the top of the Monument

We then headed South through the Victory Woods and back to our airbnb.

Victory Woods trail

Yaking the Fish

Map of our out and back kayak upon Fish Creek

After I returned from my run, Urvi and I went down to the Kayak Shak at the end of the road.  We rented a double kayak and took it out and back upon the lovely Fish Creek.

We usually kayak several times a summer.  But this year - between keep up with her new job and my dragon boating, it hasn't worked out.  So a nice kayak on the pretty creek was just what the doctor ordered for the early afternoon before Melissa and Kevin's wedding.

We finished off with lunch from Beer Wine Pizza where I had a Fiddlehead and returned home to get ready.

The Wedding

In a lovely ceremony, Kevin and Melissa tied the knot.  Nichole handled the ceremony very well.

The ceremony was out on the patio of the Saratoga National Golf Course.  Meanwhile the cocktail hour was up on the veranda and the reception was in the Ballroom on the second floor.

The first dance was a lively mix of a slow dance and a few pop tunes.  The picture I took was so good that I decided not to take any more the rest of the night.

Melissa and Kevin's first dance

Everything was perfect.  Each of the tables was named for a place that they had gone together and loved.  (Urvi and I were with the Breiders and Saba-Shers at table "Seattle"). There was a craft brew only station (and a regular bar but I never went there).  And the Chateaubriand was ridiculous good.

The SRR boys and I get a picture with the Bride

Monday, September 2nd - the Notorious MVB

Urvi and I drove back through a monsoon.  We stopped in Old Kinderhook at a diner and stopped t see Lindenwald, the homestead of our 8th President - "the Red Fox of Kinderhook" - Martin van Buren.

Lindenwald at the Martin van Buren Historic Site

- - - 

Yes, Scott, we all like Shenanigans 

26.2 Quatrains of Doggerel: NYC Marathon (11/5/17)

Cool Medal with my middling pumpkin beer at Baker Street

Race: New York City Marathon

Goal Time: 3:12:00

Actual Time: 3:29: something

prelude

Upon the black asphalt road we huddled,

As first elite women ran t’ward Brooklyn.

We waited in the rain for our turn in,

Dressed in matching yellow, me and Tuttle.

i

Then camouflage clad sent a cannon boom,

While Frank aloud sang: “Start spreading the news,”

And up the Verrazano Bridge we flew

Finding our own area, pace and room.

ii

Descending America’s longest bridge

I was running easy but way too fast;

This pace could not continue nor long last,

Down the easy steep pitch into Bay Ridge.

iii

Into the borough of trolley dodgers

I ran first into high fives from Declan

Then further on those of papa Brendan.

Someone was flying the Jolly Roger.

iv

And now us Or-ange joined with Green and Blue

The first hill we would climb was here on Third

Unhuman crowd like a wildebeest herd

Migrating en masse up Fourth Avenue.

v

My pace was still keeping an even keel

No trouble yet from the humidity

My stomach had yet shown acidity

Indeed this may have been the best I’d feel.

vi

Somewhere in Brooklyn was lost in the mix

Another sixteen hundred meters flat

Where there was either or both this and that

But I cannot recall mile number six.

vii

Suddenly I heard someone yell my name

Then to the left I was forced to swervey

For there was Kathy and my wife – Urvi

For a moment I was the Run of Fame.

viii

I slid across the road from Left to Right

But on the left I heard some cheers: Who Dat?

Jumping up and down were Megan and Matt,

Raised arms as if victory was in sight.

Tuttle and I at the start

ix

In Flatbush a band played a song catchy

With its bongo break it had made hip hop

Carrying me briefly from start to stop

Ran with my mind thinking of “Apache.”

x

Up the road as narrow as Tourmalet

Thru wild crowds to left turn in Clinton Hill

With another look and shout ‘nother thrill

Seeing Jason cheer where Jeremy stays.

xi

These cheers took and lifted my spirits high

This may have led me to run too quickly

For my stomach turned and I felt sickly

There in Williamsburg I puked on the side.

xii

Cheers dulled to quiet in Hasidic ‘hood

Ignoring race going about the day

They allowed the runners on their own way

Ne’er looking up from their phones tho they could

xiii

And into the last section of Brooklyn

Before the Newtown Creek that makes the joint

We ran by the cheers of Poles in Greenpoint

Past the flags toward Queens I kept pushing.

xiv

Over the Creek to Long Island City

Is carried by the bridge named Pulaski

(Not as famous as Dave’s New Jersey)

But upon the halfway point is pretty.

Mile 7 in Brooklyn

xv

Off the Pulaski another borough

Down into the town of Shea and Bunker

For only a mile in Queens we hunker

Another trip must to be more thorough

xvi

Over Roosevelt on the Bridge of Sighs

Quiet as church mice alone and desert

The day’s humidity had soaked my shirt

I felt that tell tale burn within my thighs.

xvii

Off the quiet of Queensboro’s skid

And onto First in the center of town.

The Bronx is up and the Battery’s down.

As if: “Springfield’s that away!” “Thanks kid!”

xviii

Into the East Eighties, First carried me.

I had to keep working and not relax

But then I heard a roar behind from Max

Sadly wife was there but I did not see.

xix

When I thought it was time to run faster

It was exhaustion I began to know

Thru the cheers of East Harlem barrio

Alas of marathons, I’m no master.

xx

Over the Willis Ave into the Bronx

I heard my name, just like cherry cola

It was SRR’s first chair viola

That dragged me through an early round of bonks

xxi

Once away the djs sounds faded

My queasy stomach turned and growled again

I hurled on the side finding no trash bin

And onward I continued unaided

xxii

Back into Manhattan on Fifth I ran,

Circumnavigating the Garvey Square

Developing dreaded hundred-yard stare

Hoping I could stop as soon as I can.

At Mile 17 with point of approval from Max

xxiii

The park was lovely and fearful sight

I cannot say that I was not forewarned

That this hill is a bull and I’d be horned

But I tried to put up a mighty fight

xxiv

But farther South into the Ninety streets

Was the mountain I had not been apprised

Its steepness and length became my demise

I had been bullied and I had been beat.

xxv

The next to last mile to myself I talked

Per Mark whom I had not seen nor heard.

Of what rabble I know not what the words

But ‘round the boat house I began to walk.

xxvi

Out on fifty ninth and cutting back in

To Central Park I fought myself to run

It was not fast and no it was not fun

That final mile I took on the chin.

.2

So, Three and a half hours was my mark,

Have to walk miles out of Central Park.

Twice as Bright, Half as Long: October Races (10/22 - 10/30/16)

Hand-off between me and Erin: Cape Cod Relay

"The flame that burns twice as bright burns half as long"*
~Lao Tzu


The two weeks after Bay State Marathon, I ran two races in two states.

Race #1:  Queen City Architecture Run
Location: Buffalo, NY
Distance: 3.5 Miles
Goal Time: 21:00
Actual Time: 22:14

We went to Buffalo for the wedding between Karen and TomBWarrior.  The morning of their wedding, Tim, Mark and I ran a race at the Big Ditch Brewing Company, around the corner from our hotel.

The first mile was reasonably fast and downhill to the lake. But, Tim and I took it too fast.  The first split was 5:40.  Both of us were in survival mode for pretty much the rest of the race.

But, when it was all said and done, I won my age group and Tim and Mark took 2nd and 3rd in theirs. **

Flight of beers from Big Ditch
The Hayburner IPA (and the Mac and Cheese) were well worth the trip.

Race #2: Cape Cod Marathon Relay

Location: Falmouth, MA

Distance: 26.2 Miles - team (6.13miles - me)

Goal Time: 39:00

Actual Time: 39:29

The next weekend a large group of us went down and ran the Cape Cod Marathon relay.  My SRR's Coed Open team.  My leg was the second one.  Still two weeks after my marathon, I was still burnt.  Then, as Melissa warned, my leg looked flat but was actually generally up hill for 6 miles.  I never found a groovy pace.  Fortunately, Kieran and Tim held off any challenges and we won our division! 

** - Also, we went to Niagara Falls!

Niagara Falls

From the Rainbow Bridge: Urvi, Roisin, Nat, Paola and me

Urvi and I waiting to get aboard the Hornblower

* - I think this might actually be affected by the inverse square law, so it'd be a fourth as long?

The Ego and The Id: An Oral History of New York City Half Marathon (3/20/16)

Brendan with 200m to go
All photos by Liz Caffrey

Race: New York City Half Marathon
Goal Time: 1:25:00
Actual Time: 1:24:36

Lead up:
The New York City Half Marathon is a 20,000 person race and held the same day as the New England Championship the New Bedford Half Marathon. Being a 20,000 person race it has a two month lottery system register.

EGO: When Jesse first signed up for the NYC lottery, I thought it was a good idea.  We all hate the hassle of New Bedford and this would be a major race and we could have a fun time.

ID: I just don't get it.  We registered for a race but we didn't really register?  We had to wait two months to find out if our registration was really a registration.  Why couldn't they just hold the lottery NOW?  . . . Are you going to eat that cookie?

EGO: So, when we really did get into the race I was happy.  At the same time I was a bit sad because Urvi - whose idea the race was - did not win the lottery so she would be making the trip without the fun of actually running.

ID: 135 Dollars?  Really? We're paying 135 Dollars to travel to run through Manhattan?  They really should be paying us to do this race; I mean, we're the ones doing all the work.

Race:
Three months after the lottery results, the NYC half was held.  It starts in Central Park at 72nd Street and goes north past the Met and then down the hill past the skating rink on an out and back on 110th Street that loops around Frederick Douglass Circle before reentering the park and hitting the first 5k mark. 

ID: The starting horn went off and there were all these people just in our way.  Didn't we sign up for the 6:30 per mile group?  I just wanted to start shoving people or weaving through them or something. We had to run faster than this.  Stupid Ego wouldn't let me do it though!

EGO: I knew it was going to be crowded at the beginning.  So instead of doing something crazy like weaving through people just to keep up the pace, I knew we'd be better off if we just let the race come to us.

ID: And then I said: "Hey look! IT'S THE GUGGENHEIM!!!"

EGO: After the first mile it goes down hill past the skating rink.  Our first mile had been slow but I knew we'd make it up on this part.  Especially if we didn't sprint.  I also didn't want to go so slowly that we'd have to hold back and ruin our quads.

ID: Do you ever use those old tape recorders?  You know the where you had to press two buttons at once to record?  What was the question?

EGO: Out of the Park was the Out & Back on 110th Street.  Fortunately by now the crowds had thinned out enough that we could just run our pace.  I looked down at the watch, while it was a little closer to 6:30 but a little fast.  I figured maybe we just needed to average 6:30s on the first half of the race - the second 5k was going to be hilly. And then making the turn around Douglass Circle was tough because I wanted to cut the tangent but how do you tangent a circle?  We didn't pay enough attention in Trig for that.

ID: I was just singing that Bobby Womack song from Jackie Brown. You know that statue of Douglass in the middle of that rotary is NOT flattering.  Oh, and on the way back we saw Brendan and Corey and then it was like: "HEY!!! THERE'S KATE!!!"

Corey on far left

The basic goal was to average 20:05 per 5k.  Jesse ran passed the first 5k at 20:16.  While that was a little slower than the average the plan had been to negative split.

ID: What is this "Negative Split" bullshit?  What do you mean we aren't going to run fast NOW? Anyways, then when we get to the Harlem Hill and Ego is all like: "We gotta work and run up this pretty fast" and I'm all like "Whoa, buddy this is no fun let's take it slow."

EGO: We had to take it pretty fast.  It was too long to let us lose time.  But we aren't doing a hill workout or anything so let's stay within the plan.  Maybe 7:15/mile average up the thing. And once we get over them then we can take the next three hills that Jess Z called the "Three Bitches."

ID: They are bitches!

EGO:  Each hill we just had the same game plan.  Ease up the first 2/3rds; race the last third and then recover on the downhill.  Each time at the top it felt like it had been a bad idea but on the downhills, I realized we were recovering and getting ready for the second half.

ID (Arms flailing): WHEEE!!!!

Upon leaving the park the second time, the course moves onto 7th Avenue.  Two blocks later is the 10k marker.  Jesse had run the first 10k in 40:40 which meant 1:25 was going to need a 39:40 for the second 10k negative split.

EGO:  As you leave the park, you crest a hill and then you can look down 7th Ave.  I knew there was a lot of racing left.  So, I wanted to make sure we didn't fall into running too fast that could kill us later.  There was a lot of miles left.

ID: The hills are gone!  RUN!!!!

EGO: I don't know what happened we listened to Id...

ID: Oh my god, Times Square!  (singing) dun, dun, dun, dun, dunt... Fresh Air. We're just sprinting through Times Square people yelling and music playing and oh my god... Wait, it goes the other way: It's first "Fresh Air" then (singing) dun, dun, dun, dun, dunt... Times Square!

EGO:  That 7th Mile was a little fast, but we were on the second half of the race.  It was time to put into action the negative split plan...

ID: Oh this again; I'm going to get a beer.  You want one?

EGO: 42nd was a little lonely since everyone was packed into Times Square.  But surprisingly just as we started to flag we got a surprise yell cheer from Liz Caffrey.

ID (yelling from the kitchen): We should have gone back and given her our gloves!

EGO (yelling into the kitchen): You don't turn around DURING a race! (turning back to me) Had we realized it at the time, we could have ditched our gloves but by the time we thought of it we were BLOCKS away.

ID (while walking back into the room and handing me a Sculpin IPA): Then we took that left before turning and heading the other way.  We get a great view of the Intrepid and I'm like: "Remember that Law and Order..." and Ego cuts me off.

EGO: I did.  Now was the time to concentrate on the job at hand.  We wanted to spend our concentration on running each mile at 6:20 or faster.  We were getting tired and daydreaming about 20 year old Law and Order episodes wasn't going to help.

With a tail wind, Jesse managed to make up some ground.  The 15k split was 1:00:14, or 1 second under the overall plan!

Jesse on the last turn with the flag of Iceland.

EGO: The negative split plan was working...

ID: Because we finally started fucking running!

EGO (looking at the ceiling away from Id):  I'm not having this argument again. So, now all we had to do was keep hitting each mile at 6:20.  Just try to clock each of them.

ID: And this guy with the Dominican Flag!

EGO: Yes, there was this guy with the Dominican Flag who passed us.  He was running faster but not much faster than us.  So we just targeted the flag.  Just keep that guy in our sights.

ID: We were blowing past people now. There were some tired runners. And we felt AWESOME!!

EGO: We did not feel awesome.  But, as we came upto the Tunnel and the 12 mile mark, we were relaxed and on target.  I mean, we still had to run at least 6:40 miles but...

ID: The tunnel was kinda cool at first and then it sucked.

Coming out of the tunnel was the 20k mark and Jesse was at 1:20:04 ~ 16 seconds ahead of the plan. But still there was a tough climb and 1.1 km left to run.

ID: All I could say was: "WOW!!! Look at that view of the Brooklyn Bridge!"

EGO: Coming up the hill out of the tunnel we were going so slow.  We had to run the last 1.1 km in less that five minutes and I needed us to stay focused and then all I could think was: "WOW!!! Look at the view of the Brooklyn Bridge!" But I kept us focused.  As I made it up to the 400 meters to go I was going to look at my watch and as long as it was 1:23:30 or faster, I knew we'd be doing alright.

ID: RUN!!!!!

EGO: There were two turns.  Just before the second one was the 200 meters to go and I didn't want to bother about time in case we weren't going fast enough so we listened to Id again...

ID: RUN!!!!!  Oh my god, we were just running as hard as we could.  There was the finish line just keep running!  I saw the clock and it was under 1:25.  RUN!!!!!

EGO: It was great to reach our goal and now we can concentrate on the Boston Marathon.

ID: That guy in the suit still beat us.

Jesse finished the race at 1:24:36 which was not only a nearly 3 minute Personal Record (PR) but, as long as the qualifying times don't change, should auto-qualify him for the 2017 New York City Marathon.

ID: Then I blew chunks on Wall Street.

EGO: Yes, we vomited.

Corey also had a PR in New York and Brendan just missed by 3 seconds.  Meanwhile in Ashland Rob Cook and Nichole Bukowski had big PRs in the half (Nichole WON!!!).  And in New Bedford, Brian Keefe, Aharon Wright and Mark Duggan (in a divine comedy of errors) each had PRs.

ID: Wait, you're going to quote us directly?

EGO: Yes, it's all in those release forms he had each of us sign.

ID: I didn't fucking read those.

Rumble in the Bronx: Bronx 10 Miler (9/27 - 9/29/14)

In the shadows of Yankee Stadium

Sunday 9/28/14

Race: Bronx 10 Miler
Location: Bronx, NY
Goal Time: 1:06:00
Actual Time: 1:07:04 (PR!)

I heard my name called - "JESSE!"  There on the other side of the race was Corey.  We gave each other a High-5.  Right after was was the five mile mark.  I looked at my watch: 34:19.  Speedy and I felt good.  I decided to see if I could put in some more effort.

***
10 Miles and 10 retired numbers*

The race starts in the shadows of Yankee Stadium at Grand Concourse and 165th.  By virtue of my half assing the 14 degree Manhattan Half Marathon in January, I was put in the 3000s corral.  I was at first worried that with such a massive race - 10,000 people, I'd be forced to run too slow during the beginning.

1. Billy Martin
In 1977, Billy Martin and Reggie Jackson almost went to blows in the dugout of Fenway Park because Martin took the best hitter in baseball out for casually playing a Jim Rice hit.  In 1983, he managed to get George Brett's go ahead home run annulled for too much Pine Tar.  George Steinbrenner fired him 4 different times as manager of the Yankees.  His number was retired in 1986.

I started the first mile slowly.  In the pack with runners that were normally not as fast as I, I decided not to do the freak out bobbin' and weavin' through the crowd.  I took my time.  At a little faster than 7 minutes, I would have liked to go a little faster but it was still a success.

2. Derek Jeter
Perhaps my favorite moment of Jeter's career was the day he was honored for having "144 fewer hits than former journeyman designated hitter Harold Baines."

I ran the second mile a little bit faster than the first.  However, I was still in comfortably-a-little-hard mode and probably still many seconds slower than former journeyman designated hitter Harold Baines would have run it in.

3. Babe Ruth
While at Lone Gull I was using the Triple Lindy.  At the Bronx I was using the Rock Island Line Maneuver. Each mile I was "picking up a little bit of speed, picking up a little bit of steam."  Three was the first one I was swatting.  Despite a small piriformis grab, that I just ran through, I was able to drop the speed a bit.

4. Lou Gehrig
Some people might think I had gotten a bad break being in the wrong corral.  But, by mile four it had opened up and this mile... mile...mile... mile, was the fastest... fastest...fastest...fastest of the first half ... half ... half... half

5. Joe DiMaggio
Where have you gone mile 5?  The fourth mile was so good, that I realized it might be too good.  A couple of turns slowed down the race and by the half way point, I was ready to drop the pace.

6. Joe Torre

Pascuel Perez once drove around I-285 in ATL 3 times to get to the game.
Torre was not happy.

Joe Torre was the manager of my favorite baseball team of all time - 1982 Atlanta Braves. (I was at game 4 of the 13 wins against the Astros.)  His Yankee years are unimportant to me...

I had managed to split the race nicely. Now it was time to start the second half 13-0.  I also got quick shouts from Carl and Corey as we passed.

7. Mickey Mantle
Mickey Mantle could be greatest player to be still overrated.  There are New Yorkers of a certain age (about Billy Crystal's age) who act like he's the Wayne Gretzky of baseball.  And this at a time when the Wayne Gretzky of Baseball was still playing right across the Harlem.

Well, my seventh mile was not as good as Willie Mays or Mickey Mantle, so I won't overrate it.

8. Yogi Berra
Ninety percent of running is half mental.  This part started the countdown where each mile was one fewer to run.  Just kept in my head to not slow down and I did so by running the same speed or speeding up.  Felt good at the end of the eighth mile but remembered: "It ain't over til it's over."

9. Roger Maris
You know Roger Maris held the single season home run record longer than Ruth did?  And, he would still hold it if people like Mike Lupica were as indignant in 1998 blaming other people for ignoring steroids as they are today.

The ninth mile was the record for the fastest mile.  However like Maris did it in 162 games instead of 154, it was mostly downhill.

10. Phil Rizzuto
Holy Cow!  Like the Money Store, I did it again!  I came in, even with the slight uphill, with another fast mile.  And at 1:07:04, it was my third Personal Record of the fall!

Saturday 9/27/14

And, in more important news... The day before the race, Urvi and I went to a great dinner on 2nd Avenue

Urvi at dinner

And then we went to the Empire State Building...

Grand Central Station

Where we got engaged!

Engaged!

Monday 9/29/14

Scenes from the Park

 On Monday, Urvi and I went to the American Museum of Natural History:

Urvi and Elephants

Gas Giants

Me & TR

Otter

Blue Whale

Lucy

Urvi and Ivory

Dinosaurs

Clydesdale weigh-in n the moon

* - #2 isn't retired yet.  The Yankees will probably schedule that next year so they can get fans to come out and see their not so great team once.

Official Pic from Empire State Building