HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY, U.S.A.!

Independence Day 2013 in the U.S. found me getting up at 4 A.M. to get to work, part-time, to support the NYCRuns Firecracker 5K/10K races on Roosevelt Island.  One problem, a First-World Problem really, is that that early in the morning my local Dunkin Donuts did not have donuts or bagels to offer.  I settled for a muffin, which I ended up not eating, and a croissant.  As I got back to my U-Haul in the parking lot, the new donuts and bagels arrived.  Oh well.  I suppose it's more efficient to have some big factory dole out the donuts etc and have the goods trucked to the various locations.  It sure doesn't jive with the old commercial about "time to make the donuts".

It was nice to have the road mostly to myself early in the morning.  I picked up a colleague near Grand Army Plaza and we made it to Roosevelt Island early.  Eventually the other vehicles in the NYCRuns caravan arrived and it was time to set things up - registration table, water tables, bag check area, etc.  I couldn't help wonder how people work in big places like the Barclay Center, constantly setting things up then break them apart for the various, different events.

Between the setup and doling out FrozFruit ice cream sticks, I managed to snap a few photos of the calm before the rush, of volunteers and the setup.  Plus one photo of some PPTC participants.

Volunteers of Water Station #1.

More volunteers at Water Station 1.

Bag check volunteers.

Packet pickup, race day registration etc.

Want the dirt on the race?  There's a big pile there.

Let's get the music going!

5K race was about to start soon!

PPTC reps Ed and Meghan.