First the history. Mr. Martin "Bodie" Bodek likes to celebrate his birthdays with night runs not to take away from family time which I completly get. He has done this in New Jersey and also in Brooklyn. His wife mandates at least one accomplice AKA friend AKA bodyguard at all times. He decided to up it to 2. Last year, he was trying to find anyone and since I needed the mileage for 2,015 in 2015, I decided to join. Last year it was actually on his birthday so we set out at midnight. This time, since it doesn't match up, he decided to leave at 10. This actually made a big difference in the amount of people starting. It was much greater than last year.
Anyway, he reached out to Adam Orlow and me and I told him that I actually had a friend who might be interested. I figured Jamey would be interested both for the 2,016 in 2016 miles but also if he wants to do a 100 miler, he should see what it's like to run at night. He said Yes. He was also interested to see what it's like to run 43 miles one weekend and then 41 the next.
As usual, the weather report started good and then turned to not good. Potential for snow then to bad rain with cold temps to just cold, no rain but heavy winds. Wonderful... As usual, I would have preferred snow to rain but it is what it is.
As is, the rain came and blew away before we even started so I was happy. I wasn't that happy about the cold but been there/done that.
The weekend before, Jamey and I ran the Paumanok 70K trail race (43 miles) from Rocky point to the Hamptons. It wasn't easy and I felt mentally beat up. I also got chafed pretty bad. That's kinda the norm for me but this was the absolute worst that has ever happened to me. I had a chafe necklace all around my neck with the chafe shining with my blood. Yes, I am still healing as I write this and expect scars. I also got chafed all over my chest and back. Still healing there too. This was a beaut. So, what does someone who got mentally and physically beat up and who started questioning running as a whole (I hear the couch calling) do? I immediatly started planing on the mass stupidity I like to call "my 2017 race calendar". Oh it's stupid. Oh Elizabeth will be upset. Nothing I can do about that.
Off we went to Bodie's father's house. We got there just a smidge before him and got a great parking spot.
Anyway, as I said, I was mentally and physically beat up and I was actually nervous about this run. Usually I'm all upbeat but there we were at Bodie's father's house and I wasn't talking as much. I was pacing though. Jamey noticed. I don't know that anyone else did but I guess they don't know me.
Anyway, before we knew it, 10pm was upon us and we went outside. There was already a big crowd out there. I don't know how many starters we had, I'm sure Bodie documented this, but i figured at least 12. Off we went. I must admit that I don't know Brooklyn so when they mentioned neighborhoods, it meant nothing to me. Still, I did recognize some areas from last year and some from races that I have done like TGNY, Grimaldo's 1 mile swim and others. Still, this made it that all I wanted to do was stay in the back. Some of the guys were running in front and constantly needed to be yelled at to turn lest they continue straight and off track. I wasn't planning on any "bonus" miles or getting lost.
Another big difference in the starting pack was that we actually had 3 women with us which I thought was huge.
Anyway, off we went and the theme of the night was people joining and people leaving. I talked to a few people as I had questions to some of the people there who ride a lot. Again, this is future recon for next year.
I don't really know which park we were at (perhaps Marine Park?) but I saw Adam split off to pee. I slowed down a little. No point in him getting seperated and as is, I was the only one who noticed. Well, I believe Adam said that was a few Gallons or Liters worth. Sure was because the pack disappeared. Thankfully, I have really good eye sight and I kept a line on them. He really took a long time. He finally finished and we chased. Seems like Jamey noticed I was missing and he dropped back. Still, took us a little while but we caught them.
Anyway some mishaps on our journey. One of our female running friends (sorry don't know her name), apparently ran into a fence and later took a huge fall. When I say huge, I don't mean that she was seriously maimed (Thank God) but the distance she travelled from where her toe hit the outcrop of cement to the point where she actually hit the ground was 2 concrete slabs away. I mean this was like a long distance jump or rather a long distance fall. Still, I and everyone else was glad she was ok. This was before we hit my all time not favorite part of the course: The boardwalk.
Again the theme of the night was runners coming on and dropping off.
Finally off the boardwalk. Pupko talking to someone on the phone, trying to direct him as to where we are. Right off the boardwalk and Bodie spies an open porta-a-pottie. One of many opportunities to "take a load off".
From there, I believe we journeyed to Yoni's house. He was sleeping, waiting for us and was woken up by Michael Katz and Adam Orlow. He got scared. Indoor plumbing opportunity this time, not just for Bodie. Real nice of Yoni's family to let a huge group to just "drop by" at some God forsaken time.
Off we went. Twenty+ miles to the next aid station. Really?!? Yuck!
On and on. Mile by mile. One falling temperature degree by degree. At times, the wind was in our back. At other times, in our face.
Eventually, people dropped and it was Bodie, Jamey, Adam, Yoni, me and another runner we picked up: Joe Bootin. Joe is an interesting character. At the very least, he was immediatly a contrarian to Bodie. He wouldn't even agree that they can't agree to anything. He brought a lot of positive energy with him. I like that.
Somewhere/sometime I taught the group the meaning of "prairie dogging it". It's a very useful tool in your arsenal if you're in the middle of a GI storm. It will buy you some time to find a place. I was shocked by Bodie's physical/mental fortitude on the matter. I'm not sure if Joe quite understood the situation tho. He cajoled and other interesting verbs Bodie to get him moving. Depending on your point of view he either promised or threatened to run just in his underwear if Bodie would run longer. I'm sure he saw it as a promise. We saw it as a threat. I even asked if the converse is true that if Bodie promised not to run, will he not run in his underwear. I don't quite think he understood the difference of opinion here whether this was a treat or not. Also, in his own words, he wanted to get in into Bodie's write up. He succeeded.
Anyway, once Bodie releases his writeup I will include it and I will let him explain what he went through. He writes much better than I. Spoiler alert: The dogs were barking from mile 18-31. I can't even fathom what he went through. I would have already dealt with the situation. Oh well. Here is his version...
We eventually reached the park right near the Verazzano Bridge. Bodie was suffering. Badly. He finally decided to do what he had to do in the bushes. He disappeared for a good 10-15 minutes and came back without success. We started again but it was too much for him at this point. Again he disappeared. Not too much cover as before either. He came back with a lighter step. He was no longer a "port-a-bush virgin".
We did have 1 break in this endevour. Once we got to the pathway near the water, parallel to the Belt Parkway, we heard and then saw the current. The wind was blowing hard and pushing the water fast. Luckily for us, the wind was coming from our back.
Somewhere along this stretch, Joe's threat came true and he pranced back and forth ahead of us and behind us in boxer shorts. Ok...
Somewhere at this point, Adam took a fall. Sucks. Talking about Adam, he and Yoni managed to spy a girl-on-girl fight and various vomit puddles.
Our next target was Bodie's mom's house and her French Toast. While Bodie went to the indoor plumbing again, we sat down. We all waited to take the first bite, not sure of protocol. I couldn't take it anymore. I swallowed one in 2 bites and the ravaging of the French Toast began. I think I swallowed about 4 or 5. I had a great conversation with his mom. I didn't know she was Israelli and we talked in hebrew for a while. Eventually tho, on our way we went. I think it was 6 more miles with another stop here after 3 miles. Slowly we did that. This year Appel wasn't there with a Coke. Oh well. We passed by the mom's house again but didn't go in. We all wanted to get to the end already.
At one point, a runner joined us. I wasn't sure if he was homeless. I think he was religious. He asked us what we were doing and couldn't believe it when we told him.
Due to some re-routings, we didn't have to do the "extra" mileage neccessary to complete 41. We finished in front of Spoons, on time this year, with 41.22 miles.
Had a nice breakfast and toward home we went after dropping Yoni at his house. Got 41+ miles in, hung out all night, ate a nice breakfast and the best part?!? I did NOT get CHAFED! Why? I have no clue.
During the night, I gave Bodie the news. The first year I did it was great. I don't like to repeat races/events but gave him a freebie this year as well. I'm done with it tho. There won't be a 42 mile journey for me next year. Sorry...