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.

NYCRUNS SPRING FLING 5K AND 10K 2013

Some spring we are having these days in New York City!  It's cold and windy, I actually put on a wool cap and wear gloves when outside.  Just a few days ago, on Saturday, it was really spring-like for the NYC Runs Spring Fling 5K and 10K on Roosevelt Island.

My duties for the event included shopping for fruits and creamy peanut butter the day before and picking up bagels and such at the crack of dawn on the day.  I once lived in Long Island City, Queens for over ten years and one time actually walked over that bridge connecting Queens to Roosevelt Island.  Back then there was no subway, you could only take the tram, paid for with the tram system's own unique coins, or drive/walk over said bridge.  Well, swim is probably possible if you are that good, though the toxins in the water may kill you years later.  I don't recall actually driving to Roosevelt Island but checked that off my bucket list this past weekend.  I always think of Roosevelt Island as Manhattan shrunken ten times.  Maybe more.  There is just one long Main Street running the length of the island, with some traffic circles here and there for the cars to turn around.  It sure is nice to have the footpath that goes around the island.

When I first started working for NYC Runs, it was winter and water consumption was not a major issue.  Runners did not drink as much.  Maybe it was because I didn't work with the water stations, or maybe because we also had hot chocolate all ready to be poured.  For the NYRR NYC Half, very few people took the ice-frozen water at Mile 11 water station, where I volunteered.  The race was almost done and it was too cold anyway.  With the Spring Fling it was very different.  Gatorade and water constantly ran low and I found myself helping with mixing more Gatorade then fetch more 6-bottle cases of water, then more Gatorade, more water, on and on.  It was a beautiful day to run, but it sure got hotter after 5K or 10K.  Just wait until summer rolls around!



There were a few PPTC runners in the race, like Tom and Kai here.

New PPTC member Glen and me, with the Queensborough Bridge in the backdrop.

That's one big apple, Randy.

Lots of bags in the bag check area.  The bags were sorted by the last digit of the bib number, the columns went from 1 through 9 then 0.

The Gatorade and water crew kept the runners hydrated.

The finish chute by the side of the Queens-side of the island.

Things got a little quiet as the 5K runners got to the start corral while 10K runners just arrived or waited for their turn.

For all 16 photos, see

https://plus.google.com/photos/109153989599275468311/albums/5862261789361079425

PERSONAL TRI-BORO BIKE TOUR, PART TWO

Before moving to Brooklyn in late 1990s, I spent almost ten years living in Long Island City, Queens.  Many times I would drive along 11th Street to get to the Pulaski Bridge, to eventually get on the BQE near McGuinness Boulevard.  On my way to the Queensboro Bridge a few days ago, I thought I still knew my way around the area on the Queens side of the Pulaski.  How hard can it be to travel the area on bicycle?  How different can it be compared to driving?  A lot, especially if you want to obey traffic rules.

After crossing the Pulaski, I saw a bike lane going toward the river and took it.  I thought it could not go wrong to follow the waterfront, which was on the left.  At some point though, I saw that the Queensboro Bridge was on my left instead of being in front or to the right.  Something had to be wrong, I must have made a wrong turn somewhere!  Luckily, not long ago I visited Gantry State Park and knew that Vernon Boulevard runs all the way north, under the Queensboro.  Once I found Vernon, I was on track again.  When I got under the Queensboro, I should have turn right immediately but instead I went straight.  Maybe I did that because I knew from a visit to Sunnyside some years ago that the ped/bike lane of the Queensboro was on the north side of the lower level of the bridge.  Unfortunately, there were no other right turn to take because of the buildings of Queensbridge housing project.  I ended up having to go the extra distance to 41st Avenue.  Eventually I found the bike ramp for the bridge.  Cyclists are supposed to use the left lane while the right lane is for pedestrians.  There were not that many people and the walkers, and the occasional runners, were all over in either lane.  As I slowly made my way up the ramp, it occurred to me how is it possible that I saw land below the bridge, but I was not done with the ascend?  In other words, if the Queensboro Bridge connects Queens and Manhattan, as soon as I see land under the bridge, as opposed to water, should I not be descending the bridge already?  Then it dawned on me.  I was mistaken, for the land I saw was not Manhattan, but Roosevelt Island, the very place I will be running the NYC Runs Hot Chocolate 10K on.

When I finally made the descend, I saw the sign to indicate a steep descend and slowed my progress by braking slowly.  It was a good thing I did because the path took a nasty U-turn at the end of the ramp.  If I was coasting downward I am pretty sure I would not navigate the U-turn in time to avoid a crash.  Maybe I missed some sign that warned "Sharp U-turn ahead!"

Off the Queensboro Bridge, I was already at First Avenue and 60th Street.  I should probably just walk the bike over to Third Avenue and whatever 60ish Street but I rode anyway.  Right away, I didn't like it.  Just a block north there was a truck blocking the bike lane.  As I stopped to look to behind me before passing the truck, some cyclist zoomed by.  Not close enough to hit me or anything, but it got me shaking my head.  Maybe the cyclist already looked behind and saw that the coast was clear.  The short trip across the avenues and the few streets were slow and at times I did walk the bike.  I was glad to find one of those CityRack but then I couldn't find The Running Company.  It turned out my memory failed me and I was off by just one block.  Got the bib and souvenir mug (instead of T-shirt), for myself and another PPTC 10K runner, and off I went.  I would love to ride back to Brooklyn but the trip to the store already took about two hours.  I was needed elsewhere so I had to take the subway back.  Bike trips are great as long as you are not in a hurry.  Or the distance too great.  Or the weather is not too nasty.

I definitely need to re-visit Kent Avenue and the Pulaski Bridge to take some photos.  I also totally passed by East River State Park.  I think I often saw it from across the river in East River Promenade under the Williamsburg Bridge.  It looked like a nice place to take a stroll or just to relax.

NYC RUNS HOT CHOCOLATE 5K/10K 2012

Much as I would love to give you details of my bike trip in Queens and Manhattan, i.e. the second part of the PERSONAL TRI-BORO BIKE TOUR, I need to pre-empt that writing to bring you the latest in my road-running adventure, the NYC Runs Hot Chocolate 5K/10K...

So we know the personal tri-boro bike tour was for me to go get my race packet, which consisted of a mug and the bib, as pictured below.  Much as I love T-shirts, I must admit that I do have quite a few already so having a mug as a race souvenir was a good thing.  It is also good that the time tag was attached to the back of the bib.  One fewer thing to worry about, i.e. unlike the D-tag, there is no need to attach the tag to the sneakers.  Of course, the down side is that on the subway ride over to the race, while waiting on the subway platform, without the D-tag sticking out from the laces on the sneakers, it is not easy to tell who your fellow runners are.

The subway ride to Roosevelt Island was uneventful, and that's a good thing.  Earlier in the weekend, I noticed a sign saying there would not be Coney Island bound service.  By Sunday morning, however, the token clerk wrote "Normal Service" on the whiteboard in the token booth.  Not that I dread a little longer walk from the N train station after a 10K, it was good to know.  Many years ago, Roosevelt Island was accessible only by tram or by foot/car via the bridge from Queens at 36th Avenue and Vernon Boulevard.  I did take a tram trip just for the fun of it and still have the tokens I saved as souvenir.  Nowadays the F train has a stop there, aptly named "Roosevelt Island".

The 10K race was scheduled for 10 AM but I wanted to be early to take photos of the 5K runners.  I also picked up race packet for a PPTC member.  I emailed her once I got out of the subway to tell her that I would wait for her in the subway station, away from the cold rain.  She called me back a short time later to ask me to meet her at registration area, near a mutual Facebook friend.  Mug and bib transferred to its owner, off I went to do some stretching and mingling in the crowd to greet PPTC friends and NYC Runs officials.

I took a few photos of the fast runners lining up for the 5K then walked down the corral looking for PPTC members.  Found one and took her photo and just as I was still at the end of the corral the race started.  I rushed back to the front and snapped a few, uh, blurry photos.  It must be the overcast sky and the lack of a working flash on my camera.  Next time I'll use my wife's still-flashy camera.

I had some time to kill before the 10K race started.  Walked around a bit and took photo for a different PPTC member as well as those of the runners milling about waiting for their turn.  I wanted to take a picture of the front-runners for the 10K race, too, but I didn't want to risk having my bib mistakenly picked up at the start mat.  I am perfectly fine with running from the back of the corral, but it would be bad if my time starts at the mat before I actually run across it.

Hurricane Sandy brought about some damages to Roosevelt Island so the course had to be changed.  I was a bit worried that I would get lost somewhere along the slightly different course, but good thing there were volunteers etc along the way to guide the runners.  I was with the bulk of the runners all the time too so I was able to follow the runners in front of me.  I typically run at least 8 km so the 10 km race should not be a big deal, but after a few Ks I did wish it would be over already.  I suppose running on the street I had many forced stops, at unfavorable traffic lights and such, perfect time to catch my breath.  In a race, the road is usually closed for us runners so there's no excuse to stop, unless the body cannot take it any more.  And my body sure could take it!  I ran continuously, through the light rain.  There was some dirt road in the northern part of the island and runners were advised to wear old shoes for the race.  Luckily, it didn't rain that heavily so we didn't have a muddy path to deal with.  I was a bit cold in the beginning but by 5K I felt I had too many layers on.  The course was advertised as flat, perfect scenario to get a personal record.  At the NYRR Queens 10K my time was 1:07.  When I was within earshot of the cheering from the finish line, I started to sprint to end the race.  I was hoping I would beat the few people in front of me but too bad they too stepped on the gas.  I still had a new PR for a 10K, 1:02:44, although I was told later by other PPTC members that had I ran through the finish mats, instead of pausing to stop the GPS watch, I could have shaved 5 more seconds from the finish time.  Oh well, next time, next time I will.

Souvenir mug and bib.  I even brought the mug to the race planning to use it, instead of a Styrofoam cup, so just in case there were other mugs I attached a piece of swimming pool wrist-band to the mug handle.  I got lazy and used a Styrofoam cup after the race though, sigh.

If you run 8 minute-mile or better, you get to be in the front.

Off them 5K runners went!

Race officials setting up the 10K start, which is a short distance from the 5K start.

10K runners already hanging out in the corral.

I normally have a fanny pack across my chest to hold house keys, cell phone etc, but for the Hot Chocolate Run, since I wanted to take some photos before the race and after bag-check, I had a separate fanny pack to hold the camera.

More photos can be found at

https://plus.google.com/photos/109153989599275468311/albums/5822721934907065953?authkey=CJ-Bwe7KyciiOQ