Let's start with the crew: Adele is off to a wedding. Jeremy not interested this year. Jim is still having back issues. Hammad is going mountain bike riding. Elizabeth on the fence ; will decide in the morning. Jeff/Heidi doing it. OK... Small crew but that's ok. I wasn't sure what my plan was. I always do the course again afterwards but wasn't sure if I would run home or what. Finally talked to Hammad and we decided that when Jeremy would be playing tennis, we would go out for a little while, distance to be determined.
Woke up in the morning and Elizabeth is going. Cool. We got there, found a parking spot and went to register. I love this race and I love the RD's. Hillel spotted me right away and came over. Tammi came over like a mack truck with a hug. They are good people. Caught up and went to sign up. Elizabeth was sporting the new capri workout pants Avi & Chrissie bought her but she couldn't find a shirt long enough for her at home so she wore a black shirt (longest) and stayed in car while I dealt with registration. I registered and brought her the race shirt and she changed in the car. She's funny about this but whatever. To each his own.
Got 2 light up YOYO's for the kids and also collapsible water container in the shape of IV bottles. It was a marketing thing but it's cool. I was thinking about buying something like this anyway.
The other HUGE benefit about this race is the clean indoor plumbing and the non-shortage of them.
While waiting a dude (Jay ?) came over to me and asked if I was Elik. He went to my high school and recognized me. He's 2 years younger. Cool. His goal was "to survive".
We then walked to the start and I introduced her to Albert and his wife. I met him here last year and we saw them at the Alley Pond 5 Miler as well. I also talked to Daniel Silverman and a few seconds with Dr. Mendelson.
I always talk highly about this race but I gotta be truthful here and also document the bad. This race is *VERY* walker friendly and I am all for it. It's also *VERY* kid friendly and that's awesome. They have tons of kids age groups in this race and a lot of kids do this race and that's cool. The thing I don't like is that the tiny kids always line up the front. There's a timing mat so there really is no point but they always do and as Albert said, "about 1/10 of a mile later, they die down". What this unfortunatly creates is the biggest mayham or Balagan for that 1/10 of a mile. It's a miracle that no one "really" gets hurt during that stretch tho I did see a little kid fall down. Sucks. Hate when anyone falls down especially a little kid. Unfortunatly the kids never learn and so the cycle goes on.
On your mark - Get Set - Shofar blows and we are off. We start and I have to maneuvar a little and I do go between 2 kids but the pass is safe and everyone is ok. I see the field in front of me and I am surprised that I am that ahead. Usually the rabbits at this point go and I think I am top 10 knowing that will change.
I see a guy who I thought was Dovid, a nice guy and once a very fast runner, but it turns out to be Ariel Kohane. He's wearing a JRunner's bib and I remember there were "issues" during the relay and the "issues" were Ariel Kohane. Still, I give him the benefit of the doubt. He's running and anytime he sees volunteers and/or spectators he screams that he's 76 years old. I ask him if that's true and he says that it is and that he was born in 1938 and is getting medicare and senior discount and all that. All the power to him for running. We're together and the screaming is getting a little annoying. Still, if he's 76, he deserves the accolades but the fact that he's an attention whore is getting old.
Scary moment of the day: I always chew gum when I run. It helps. Well, I started coughing and accidently inhaled the gum. I can swallow gum easy but this time, the gum went the wrong way and I choked. All this while running at 120 % and I couldn't breathe. Managed to get spit in my mouth and swallow. All good. Scary but good.
At, what I guess is, the first mile a volunteer tells you your approximate time. He told me 6ish tho my watch said 6:40. Lee told me she got annoyed here because he "was lying". He wasn't. He just didn't have a stop watch so he was guessing. That's ok. Usually at mile 1, Adam Orlow, catches up to me. He always catches me here, tells me he's running his worst race ever and that he's doing negative splits. Negative splits from a 6:40!!! Usually right here is where I want to throttle him but thank God, he's too fast for me to do that. Normally, I love Adam just NOT HERE as he is telling me it's his worst race and negative splits.
This time, Adam did not show up. He finally showed up about 1.5 mile in which was weird. Still, like a good guy, I told him that I am top ten, the field is all kids and he could take this. I don't know if the pep talk will work but I really think that if he moves his butt, he could take this. He leaves and we continue.
We cross over 188th street which is the signal for the second part of the 5K and the easiest (except for the last hill). I look forward to almost mile 2. That corner where you make a left toward Union Turnpike is always manned by Tammi and usually she sees me from afar and starts screaming my name loud. It's awesome to be cheered at during a race by a stranger screaming your bib but it's really cool to hear your name and pronounced correctly too. I think the whole neighborhood knew I was coming because at that point Tammi saw me and of course she started telling hebrew to me which I also love because I never hear it.
unfortunatly, it's short lived as I must leave her and go toward the mile 2 marker. Mile 2 is a right turn into the park but the volunteer said stay to your left which was weird. I knew what to do. Ariel didn't. He went out, saw me and fixed it. He was very upset and said that this is why he is going to lose to me. Idiot...He's 76 and I'm not and that 1/2 a second... C'mon. He caught up and I told him he didn't need to worry but he was saying that "I took pity on him and gave it to him". Sheesh. Is this the Olympics? Whatever.
Ran around the big apple circus and up into the upper area of Cunningham Park. I saw an older kid walking and a light touch to his shoulder with are you ok? He said yes and I continueed. I gotta be me.
Still running and I see Adam already out of the park toward the finish. I yell to him to "move it". I know he's got this. Does he?
I say hi again to Tammi and I wonder where Elizabeth is. I don't see her and I don't know if that's good or bad but she's gotta do her own thing.
I run and I see some activity behind me. I also see Ariel. I know I am doing well and contemplate making a move on him. I didn't. I kept the people behind me behind me but never made a move on him. I got first for my age and didn't need to do more. Silly, but my decision and ultimatly my mistake.
I finish. I don't think it was my best time but I'm happy. I felt like I did well. I ask around if anyone wants to go again. I need the miles and this 58 year old agrees to a nice easy pace. Awesome. We go off nice and easy and talk. Love to talk. Turns out this alta-cocker runs 5 or 6 times a week for 6 miles and now has trouble keeping a 8 minute pace. What?!? He had me at 5-6 times a week. We continue talking and I mention that I used to have 2 kids in SSSQ but now one is in High School. He asks me which High School and I mention Townsend Harris and he says "mine too". He asks me what grade and when I say 10th, he's shocked and again replies with "me too". I then ask him his kids name and he tells me that it's David Zarowin. HA! Of course they know each other. They did a project last year together and I think I met his mom last year at the parent teacher conference. I heard the name and asked if she's the mom etc. How cool is that? I'm running with Paul Zarowin, who's the father of a kid Jeremy knows in HS. What kind of small world...
We finish and check the results. I got 2nd for age. What? Ariel is upset because they have him in the wrong age group (40-44). We go over to the timer who asks if we are pulling his leg as Ariel was just there and he said he's 43. I call Hille over who knows Ariel is lying. Turns out I am the gullible fool. Oh well. Also turns out Ariel is either a mental case or just... Nah, I think he is a mental case.
I'm annoyed at myself for what I should have done but still it was a good day and I gotta remember that. I did well, no one got hurt (though later Hillel tells me there was 1 injury) and it was a beautiful day. Cherry on top: Lee also did well. I got 2nd for age and she got 3rd for age. Cool.
Elizabeth made a friend that day. She ran with a 61 year old dude who said his usual pace is 11 minute mile. They both didn't stop for water and did a 10:19 pace. Awesome!
I also found an ID card and I start scanning faces as we head back to the award area. We walk in and Tammi sees Lee and rushes over to herr by passing me completly to hug Lee and tell her that I'm nuts. I truly love Tammi. I show her the id and she shows me the person in question. Turns out that I found the ID belonging to Tova Frenkel who also got 2nd female overall. She was suprised that I found it as she didn't realize she lost it but it's cool.
In other news, Albert and his wife also did well with 1st in age for each of them. Cool. Adam, worst race in my life, Orlow actually did win the 5K and as usual his whole family came back home with hardware all around. Tammi grabbed the mike from Hillel and announced that since Adam won he will from now be the RD to which Hillel replied with "I love you Tammi". Good people these guys.
On a different note, they are going back again for the NYC Triathlon and this time staying in Manhattan. This is a guy who last year did his first Open Water Swim or really any swim so that's great.
Anyway, we left all awash with runners glow. Came home and had a small lunch and then ran with Hammad at Alley Pond while Jeremy played. We ran short. I initially hoped for 7 but Hammad was done and done and so we kept it short. I ran the 5K twice and 2 hours later when the legs were all destroyed another 4.35 hilly miles. It was a short day but there is something good foryou to run on dead legs. We then watched Jeremy play for about 30 minutes so that was cool.
All in all a good day tho next year, I hope for Ariel's sake he's not around me.
Even tho I keep saying I am going to retire this race, I know I will be back. I do love the race, the people, the course and of course the RD and his entire family who is out there volunteering on the course. Nice!