Last Sunday, I ran in the NYRR Staten Island Half Marathon. Getting to the island by ferry took more energy than actually running the distance of 13.1 miles, but overall it was a worthwhile trip. One reason I like the S.I. Half is the chance to explore the island. Staten Island is large and the race route only covered a small area in the north of the island. Still, that is one area I may not otherwise visit.
The Bronx is another borough of New York City that I do not visit that often. My first home in the U.S. was actually in the Bronx, in the Kingsbridge area, to be exact. From time to time I would visit the area if I happen to be up there, but I rarely purposely go visit the Bronx. Sure there is the Bronx Zoo, the New York Botanical Garden, and of course the NYRR Bronx Half Marathon. Except for this year the Half was cancelled because of Hurricane Irene.
For a short time, I thought I would have a great reason to regularly visit the Bronx - the Holiday Marathon series in Van Cordlandt Park, on most major holidays, even on some "fun" holidays like Halloween. The idea is that people normally party and eat more than they should during holidays, so why not burn some calories through running? As a plus, the event is free to participate in, although if you can afford it, a minimum $10 donation is suggested. There are no T-shirts to have, no unique bibs, no electronic timing, and no monetary prizes. But there is camaraderie, water and fruits, trinkets to remember the events by, and a nice trail to run on. The route is about six miles long, so run twice to make a Half Mary, four times to earn a Full, or whatever distance you can get enough people to run with you. I ran in the series once and was looking forward to the Halloween event but trouble is brewing in the cauldron...
No comments:
Post a Comment