STATEN ISLAND STRIDING

CitStrides.com is a web site that collects your walks and runs onto a map.  It's fun to look at the map and see where you have been to.  To make it even more interesting, you are ranked against other walkers and runners in the cities you have activities in, in terms of completing streets.  You can make things private and only you can see where you have been to.

When I first started using CityStrides, Brooklyn NY was my target.  Some guy named Dan was at the top of the list, I was in the top ten somewhere.  I was still an active long-distance runners and competed with a few others to maintain my spot.  All for bragging right!  On more than one occasions, I sailed past my competitor in the morning but she then inched past me, so I went out for another run, on the same day, just to beat her again.  At least temporarily.  What a silly thing to do, but it was so enjoyable.

At a past job, I traveled all over Long Island and the five boroughs of NYC.  I would either leave for work early or pull over at some strategic spot on the way home just to get a walk in, to complete a street or two.  At one point, I became the champion in Staten Island.  Years later and at another job in New Jersey, I started to cover areas in New Jersey.  Elizabeth, Rahway, Carteret, victories came with some work.  One day I happened to glance at my position in Staten Island.  What?  Since when did I get to #2?  And not just by a little, the gap was over 100 streets!  Time to regain my #1 title in Staten Island.  I don't know how long it took but around the end of June 2025 I finally made it.  I don't know what my challenger's plan is, I know I will keep widening the gap until it is over 100 streets.  Then I will re-visit the counties of New Jersey again.  I lik to see new areas, even if they are just people's home or public parks, nothing too exciting, but it's my thing.

SCENES FROM A RUN: GREAT KILLS PARK

My son goes to school in Staten Island and this weekend he needed to meet a classmate for some project.  The bus does not run reliably on the weekend so I drove him to Staten Island.  The kids stay at a public library and I had some down time.  Years ago I would spend that time in the car watching movie on a portable DVD player or maybe listen to audiobooks etc.  Now that I'm more health-minded, the night before I checked out nearby area for a running route.  Once before I noticed some National Park not too far from the school and the library.  Great Kills Park it is called.  It has a beach, too and features a narrow strip of land sticking out into the Atlantic.  That was my destination after dropping off the boys at the public library.

I don't hate driving per se, it's the parking part that I hate.  Luckily, this is Staten Island, the one borough of New York City that not that many New Yorkers visit.  I drove into the park and even near the main entrance near Hylan Boulevard there were some parking spots.  I kept driving further, I wanted to go as far as I could by car then explore the rest of the park on foot.  Parking Lot G was the furthest I could go.  Beyond that you would need a permit of some sort.  There was plenty of parking spots and there was no booth to collect tolls so I supposed it's free parking.  Kinda sad how I thought that way, elsewhere in New York City it costs a fortune to leave your car in a safe place, to avoid getting ticketed.  

I already had running clothes on the inside, so just removing the outer layer, a few minutes of stretching and off I went.  To be safe, I started with the multi-use path, there were already a few walkers and runners.  Not too long afterward the road ended and I took the sandy path on the left to go toward the beach.  On the beach I turned northwest to get to Crooke's Point.  The run became more of a walk, I rescued two overturned horseshoe crabs and watched them slowly re-entering the sea without saying thank-you.  There were a few fishermen out on the beach, some with kids.  The waves lapped at the sand but there was always enough room to go along.  After Crooke's Point, there was a rocky wall and a road paved with gravels.  I resumed running but took time out to snap photos of some sleeping ducks.  What a life, just lounging around with beaks in their back.  At the end of the gravel path, I was back at Parking Lot G.

I already covered about 5 km so I figured it would run 5 more km for an even 10.  As I ran toward park entrance, a raccoon calmly crossed the road to get into the bush.  The park has some some wild sections closed off to visitors, either by fence or bush, the 'coons are very much at home.  At the 6 km mark, I planned to run for another 2 km then U-turn to reach the 10 km.  However, at Parking Lot F, I decided to go along the nice waterfront and unknowingly curved away from the park entrance.  I kept following the road and eventually found myself back on Hylan Boulevard.  Sure I could still U-turn but there was no fun in that.  I had a good idea where the park entrance was and found my way there and eventually got back to Parking Lot G.  The distance came out 12 km, a hot and humid km's more than planned.

I was there!

Lucky duckies.

These two horseshoe crabs became some seagulls' dinner.

Whatever species these flowers are, I stopped and smelled them.

STATEN ISLAND ON MY MIND

The biggest ferris wheel in the world.  The missing link of the Harbor Ring.  A half-marathon where I achieved a new personal record (PR).  Staten Island has been on my mind of late.  Like many New Yorkers, I don't spend much time on Staten Island.  It is expensive to get to.  It is not convenient to get to.  But I tried.  Years ago in high school I actually purposely signed up with WalkAmerica to walk in Staten Island, just to get a better perspective of this oft-ignored NYC borough.  I don't remember much about that walk, unfortunately.  But I came back to Staten Island again and again.  Not counting those times when I drive on the clogged I-278 to get to New Jersey.

This past Sunday, for the NYRR Staten Island Half-Marathon, I arrived in St. George ferry terminal early enough to snap a few photos of the nearby area.  It was my third or fourth time, in recent years, at St. George but I didn't have the time to look around, until Sunday.  Below are some photos from the visit, mostly of the 9/11 Memorial, but also one photo from another visit.  On that visit, I purposely went to Staten Island to visit Snug Harbor's Chinese Scholar Garden and South Beach.  If some day the Verrazano Bridge actually has a bike/walk lane, I will definitely visit Staten Island more often, or at least the South Beach area.

9/11 Memorial looking north.

Only when I took this photo did I realize the pieces are profiles of people's faces, perhaps in the likeness of the victims associated to the pieces.

From a summer visit to Staten Island.  I often saw South Beach across the water from Fort Hamilton and finally made a trip there.

BASED ON THIS PHOTO INSIDE ST. GEORGE FERRY TERMINAL, TRUE OR FALSE, STATE ISLAND IS THE ONLY NYC BOROUGH NOT SERVICED BY SUBWAY?

NYRR Staten Island Half-Marathon 2012

Somehow I had the feeling that I would achieve a personal record (P.R.) at the NYRR Staten Island Half-Marathon 2012.  It was the first race I ran after becoming unemployed.  I had some extra time to run more often and longer, usually in the morning, with the afternoons spent on tweaking resume, submitting it to job engines etc.  The cool weather, below 80° with no sun, helped, even if it was no where near the 9°F that helped me PR at the Manhattan Half-Marathon in 2011.  For that race, I dressed in layers, with gloves, and was soaked in sweat by the time I finished, in 2 hours and 23 minutes.  I had to run continuously, both to save time and also because I had not discovered on-the-run nutrition.  For today's race, by race time I only had one layer, a singlet and a running shorts, with the long-sleeved layers with baggage check.  Usually I don't eat at all before a race, but since there was much time available, while waiting for the ferry I had a bagel and coffee.  Better training, cool weather, fewer clothes to better dissipate the heat, and pre-race nutrition, all that combined to get me to have a P.R. of 2:14:39, nine minutes from my previous P.R.

The night before, I got everything ready.  D-tag wrapped around left shoelace, bib pinned to the Prospect Park Track Club singlet, cell phone and GPS watch fully charged, eyeglass case, home keys, some money, MetroCard, Gu packs etc stuffed into a fanny pack that I will wear across my chest.  For the pre-race down time in the cold, I set aside an outer layer of long-sleeved garments.

The day started early at 4:30 AM and I was out the door by 5.  I got to the ferry terminal before 6 and would catch a 6 AM ferry, per the schedule on the wall, but the P.A. said the next ferry would be at 6:30.  I had time to go grab an everything bagel, toasted with cream cheese, and a large coffee with milk and sugar.  By the time ferry-boarding was allowed, I was mostly done with breakfast.  In Staten Island, I had time to go the restroom then spent about an hour inside the warmer St. George Terminal.  Out on the waterfront, I had some time to take photos Manhattan Island then the 9/11 Memorial.  Last year I only had time to check the bag and jumped into the race some time after most runners were already left the corrals.  This year, I had time to remove the outer layer of clothes to check them and even went back to the ferry terminal to use the restroom a few more times.  During such a trip, I met Mr. James Lu, a local runner who is regularly seen at NYRR races and well-known for his handbells and for starting to run late in his 60s.

Mr. James Lu, the venerable late-stage runner.  Near his left hand are the hand-bells he is well-known for.

Early in the race, I saw that I was running at about 6:23 minute per kilometer.  That's a bit fast compared to the usual 7:xx I maintain during the almost-daily workout.  I didn't want to lose steam so I actually slowed down but somehow I was still going sub-6:xx min/km.  Probably the excitement of running in a big group.  At one point, the right knee felt weird, just briefly, while at some other point, in the first few miles, the left calf felt a little tinkling, so I had to slow even further, both to avoid any cramps and to avoid injury before the New York City Marathon mere weeks away (on November 4th)

I normally consume a Gu pack every hour, instead of the recommended 45 minutes.  I was going to go with the recommended time but still end up missing actually having a Gu at around 53 minutes into the race, around Mile #5.  Just before that I discovered my right shoelace was loose so I had to stop to re-tie it.  Since I already stopped and a water station was visible, I had the first Gu then, washed down with Gatorade and water.  On the way out to the turnaround mark, about 7 miles out, I looked for fellow PPTC runners to give them a shout-out.  I purposely stayed near the median of Frank Cappodono Boulevard to better spot any PPTC runners but without my glasses I probably missed a few.  Some I caught in time as we passed each other and I was able to greet them loudly, other times they recognized me first and we just waved.  The "game" helped me get to the turnaround mark quickly.  It was already past Mile 7!

I recall last year around Mile 8 the runners entered Fort Wadsworth  then exited onto Bay Street.  For whatever reason, this year we ran along the outside of the fort.  The hill at Mile 8 was brutal but after that it was mostly downhill.  I had another Gu after that hill, again with Gatorade and water from the fluid station.  Around Mile 10 all that Gatorade and water had to be expelled but I resisted the urge.  Knowing how fast I can go, given the distance left, I was sure I would P.R., only if I keep up the modest pace I was running at.  Best not to have any more Gu breaks, but I did grab a water after the bridge around Mile 12.  The last mile, as usual, felt pretty long, with one more hill to surmount.

Further back around Mile 11 I started to see finishers walking or running against the runners trying to finish.  None had a medal around their necks, so I thought there would be no medal.  It would be big slight to the borough of Staten Island if there was no medal for the half-marathon finishers, since even the Queens 10K gave out medals.  After Mile 12 I saw many finishers with medals so I had the extra incentive to finish even sooner.  I only have a handful of medals so they are big deals to me to have.  Perhaps this year the trip out was further than before, as the finish line seemed to be closer.  So ran faster I did, a lot faster than usual, even faster than my usual finish-line sprint, I think.  2:14:39 it was indeed, a P.R. indeed, by nine minutes!  Normally, shaving a minute or two from a P.R. is a big deal.  Almost ten minutes is a really big deal.  With better training and losing five pounds or so, perhaps some day I can reach the sub-2-hour mark for a half-marathon!

As a slow runner, I usually don't have my photos taken by the photographers along the route.  Them photographers usually just hang around for the first few thousand runners  By the time I make my way to the finish line, there would be no photographers along the route, just some at the finish line.  Today I decided to do a favor for the runners that came after me.  On the way to the ferry, I stopped to take a bunch of photos for these later finishers.  I would take more but the rain was getting heavier and there was a ferry to catch.  The photos don't appear as good as I wish, as the bib numbers don't show well, but hopefully the runners can recognize themselves.  Below are the photos but they are also shared at

https://plus.google.com/photos/109153989599275468311/albums/5796734866780894465

Bib #9829.

Bib #9605.

Bib #8032.

Bib #8089.

Bib #9599.

Bib #8514 etc.

Bib #9248.

Bib #9095.

NYRR Staten Island Half Marathon

Some time today I shortly wished that the New York Road Runners is a powerful, maybe even evil, corporation that at a moment's notice makes the City of New York jump through hoops for treats.  That the City would ensure the runners of NYRR events get the best treatment they wish.

The day started early, up at 5 AM to try to catch whatever Staten Island ferry before the 7:30 AM one.  Or so I thought.  It did not help that the D train, a short distance from my house, did not run to Manhattan.  I had to jog over to the N line to catch the D!   Confusing enough?  On other weekends, the N would run on the D line into Brooklyn, for some distance, then resume running with D stations!!!

I got to the ferry terminal in Manhattan around 6:40 AM.  I just missed the 6:30 AM boat by about 10 minutes.  Who knows, maybe it actually left at 6:35 AM so I really missed it by just 5 minutes.  The next boat was scheduled for 7:30 AM!  Argh, so I would take the 7:30 boat after all.  Now that I work in New Jersey I no longer have the luxury of picking up my bib and T-shirt at NYRR office during lunch, so I was hoping to be in S.I. early to take care of registration etc.  I still managed to get everything done in time once in S.I. but the wait in the ferry terminal was unbearable.  Breaking my routine of totally fast prior to a race, I had a banana while waiting for the subway and then croissant and coffee while waiting for the ferry.  I lucked out and happened to sit near the gate for the ferry.  I heard some people could not get on the small boat that the City provided.  It would be so nice if the City brought a bigger boat, not for a bigger shark but just to quickly move people to S.I.  And more frequent schedules for such a big day!  Suspending subway re-route would be nice too, but I suppose that's impossible since NYRR races happen almost, if not, all weekends.

The nice thing about being a non-competitive runner is that I don't have to worry about being at a particular place in the corral.  I only have to race against my own records and always run from the end of the corral.  There are slower people than me and I would go around them when convenient.  I never really worry about when the race really starts.  As long as NYRR does not dismantle the starting line, I have some time to reach the mat - only then will my time kicks off.

Mile #1 appeared pretty quick and so were the subsequent miles.  The route was no Central Park, with its nice shade, and the hills are formidable.  Most of the route was along the waterfront but some parts went through industrial areas and there was no shade whatsoever.  I had a GU energy gel a short time before and do not follow the recommended 45-minute interval for subsequent gus.  Instead, I took another gu around Mile 4.  Between Miles 5 and 6 I noticed the fishing pier on the waterfront.  Or was it the Roosevelt Boardwalk?  I love to explore Staten Island some more so some day I will have to be back with the bike.  I hate driving so going over the Verrazano won't do.  Anyway, I was going to use the last gu at Mile 8, but the climb up the hill after Mile 7 was so strenuous I stopped for Gatorade.  The walk and the water kept me going until Mile 10, at which point I wolfed down the last gu.

I sweat so much the leather watchband stinks.  For today's race, and going forward, I plan not to wear a watch at all.  I already hold the cell phone in my hand anyway, its clock will do.  Actually, for the S.I. Half, I totally forgot to bring the cell phone.  I prepared for the race the night before, laid out all the clothes, packed the fanny bag, charged the phone... Except I didn't remove the phone and charger from the wall socket.  No loss, as the time is shown at each mile marker anyway.  I knew I started about 6 minutes after the race clock started ticking so I knew what my time was.  Mile #13 seemed to take forever to reach but I finally made it into the finishers chute.  It was really nice to hear a fellow DailyMiler called out my name.  I saw her and called her back.  She already finished some 20 minutes earlier and was just hanging out cheering the runners.

In the end, I finished the run at 2:25:14, my third best time for a Half Marathon.  It was a hot day but I think it really helped that I wore a tech shirt, to wick away most of the great volume of sweat I normally generate, plus the gus, otherwise it could easily be another 2:40+ finish time.  Overall, it was a great day to be outdoor.