Let's face it... The year 2020 is going in the history books. The covid year. Lots of things shut down, especially races but here and there, things started coming back.
I didn't especially want to do this race. I already did the Rockaway Marathon which was basically the same course but I needed to do something. I, of course, asked Mikey and Jamey but I cannot remember right now what was their reason but the answer was a no. OK - been there, done that. I can still go by myself.
I registered. I checked with Dante from the Rockaway YMCA. Perhaps we can meet up if he's working... He said he wasn't. I did not realize at the time that he actually meant that he was no longer working there. Oh boy...
I wasn't sure what I was going to do. I thought of doing the race and potentially showering at the YMCA or come home. I had options. I packed clothes just in case.
Sunday, I left the house. I used the address they gave but luckily enough, I realized that the YMCA is near by. That was good since Waze took me to some hole in the wall. Changed it to the YMCA and all was well. At least I thought so anyway. I parked right near the ymca hoping that it was right and went searching.
The weather was terrible. Well, actually let me explain. Saturday was a VERY wet and cold day. Race day Sunday, was dry but MUCH colder and VERY windy.
I was at the right place. My stomach was up in knots, so I went into the only port-a-potty I saw. It was a relief from the wind and cold but I was getting seasick in there since the damn thing was shaking from side to side from the wind. I am NOT exaggerating...
I'm cold. I get a bag from the RD, put it on and I run with it. It's cold...
We get ready to start. Some idiot is wearing shorts. Who the hell would do that? Adam Orlow! Of course he's shocked (not really) how overdressed I am and I'm shocked (not really) how little he is wearing.
The course, if I remember correctly, is a lollipop type. You go out for about 1.5 miles then come back to the start/finish. Then you go again for about 1.5 in the opposite direction and come back. That's 1 loop. You need 4 of them. The first loop was with Adam and it was awesome. He himself said that running the 6ish miles with me felt like he didn't even run at all. Still, it was a little too fast for me.
I meet this woman named Yaira Perla. She's from JRunners I believe. We run together some. Unfortunatly she is only doing the half. Interesting story with her. Her grandparents were married over 50 years. Slept in the same bad for a long time. Her grandfather got Covid and died. Her grandmother never got Covid. This was before we understood a little bit. This was before the vaccinnes. It was crazy.
Did I mention that it was cold?
I just remembered they started us 2 at a time because of Covid...
Almost finished... Ran into John Vogt the 3rd. Nice guy. We met at the Solomon Schechter 5K. Apparently he ran the marathon here, yesterday in the rain, because QDR was running it. Gotta give him props for that. He lives a few blocks away so that's awesome for him. We picked up Luke Lambropoulos. Young kid doing his first marathon. We encouraged. We pulled. We finished. He had a hard time walking. I was fine. Walked to the car still wearing my bag. Didn't feel like showering. Just wanted to get home so I left. Cops saw me getting into the car wearing a bag and thought it was funny. I think I may have changed clothes. No matter - got home. Later, I see that super Greg was there too. His time and Adam's time sucked. It was that cold and horrible...