2014 nyc marathon expo: some photos :D

the most surprising moments of the nyc marathon expo this afternoon was entering the bib pick-up area with having to undergo a security check!  in fact, stunned might more appropriately describe my reaction - no searches, no id checks!  it was a positive stunned - glad we just got to go about our business without all the delay - read, lines - associated with all the security.  now if something bad happens there'll be tons of second guessing.  but i, for one, am happy with the return to normalcy :D

as for the expo itself, i ran into jim just i exited the official merchandise bazaar.  then saw emmy volunteering at the pacing booth.  there i briefly daydreamed about returning to the days when i could run 3:15 marathons - haha!  next to the pacers booth was katherine switzer, who was promoting her new book!  i also ran into david - who is running his 39th consecutive nyc marathon this weekend!

all in all it was a fun time.  and now, with that behind us, time to dwell on the weather forecast -- which seems to predict chilly conditions for sunday... brrr!

 

a few barcelona sightseeing photos :D

even though i was only there for 3 days, and one of them was devoted to work, managed to get in some sightseeing (and running).  also managed a trip to the moritz brewpub and biercab (in the same afternoon)!  all in all it was a great time - and barcelona is a fantastic destination :D

posted more pictures up on facebook.

greetings from barcelona :D

i just arrived here in barcelona a couple of hours ago, after an overnight flight out of jfk.  it's a short business trip - i fly back home on wednesday morning (and then head over to the nyc marathon expo on thursday). this is my first time in barcelona and i'm looking forward to a little sightseeing in my free time. 

i'm not sure i'll get in much running here, however - and, on the heels of the low mileage week that led up to this trip, the last couple of weeks have put a crimp in my overall training for the nyc marathon.  be that as it may, even with the less than optimal training this year, i'm still looking forward to another 26.2 miles over the streets of nyc next weekend!

but, for the moment, stay tuned and i'll post some pictures from my days here in barcelona :D

jack kerouac died 45 years ago today :(

jack kerouac died 45 years ago today, at the tragically young age of 47.  five years ago, on the 40th anniversary of his death from the ravages of alcoholism, i posted a short piece that included a clip of kerouac reading from "october in the railroad earth" - an intensly appropriate work to remember him by.  looking at that post now, the youtube clip has been deleted.  so i'll take this opportunity to repost a similar clip:



i won't repeat the comments i posted 5 years ago (easy enough to read, if you're interested).  but i will repeat that kerouac is easily my favorite writer - across any genre.

here's remembering my favorite fellaheen writer... still safe in heaven, 45 years and counting :D

2014 nyrr five borough series recap

staten island wrapped up the 2014 five borough series for me.  it was the first time i've completed all five events in consecutive years (and my 3rd complete series).  this year's results were the opposite of my 2013 finishes - then i started slow and got stronger.  this time around i started stronger and got slower!  still, i was more than happy to get in all 5 events.  also, this year was the first year that the nyc half marathon replaced the manhattan half marathon as the borough standard bearer.

here are my 2014 results:

nyc half marathon  1:43:24
brooklyn half marathon  1:43:23
queens 10k  47:07
bronx 10 miler  1:22:14
staten island half marathon 1:48:48

here are my 2013 results

manhattan half marathon  1:45:31
brooklyn half marathon  1:45:01
queens 10k  45:54
bronx 10 miler  1:15:29
staten island half marathon  1:44:28

as always, the brooklyn half marathon is my favorite race of the series :D 

2014 staten island half marathon: race photos & results

it's done!  the staten island half was race number five in the 5 boro grand prix series!  it's also race number 8 in my 9+1 for the 2015 nyc marathon - and, fittingly, the 2014 nyc marathon close the circle and complete my requirements! 

as for the race itself, it was a chilly morning (not breaking 50 degrees at the start). one of my favorite part of this event is the ferry ride over to staten island.  except for the wind chill outside the cabin, this ride was no exception (but the ride back was strictly an inside affair given the construction of the that ferry). 

before the start, i was interviewed by ny1 about using the half as part of training for the nyc marathon.  i was surprised that some of that interview actually made it into the broadcast coverage! 

as for my training for the nyc marathon, it's been a mixed bag this season.  still i was pleased with my 1:48:48 finish (well under my 1:50 target).  it was basically a training run, but i doubt i could have gone under 1:45 even if i had tried to push it (although with the bathroom pit stop and having to retie my laces - twice - i wasted almost 2 minutes).

the biggest shock of the day was seeing a runner down less than a mile from the turnaround!  the police were performing cpr on him as the ems truck race over to his location.  that was one of the scariest moments i've every seen during a race.  i hope that runner is okay!

here are the race results from nyrr.

 

here are the rest of my photos up on facebook.

 

2014 staten island half marathon packet pick-up

i picked up my shirt and bib for the staten island half marathon this afternoon.  in a twist from last year, the shirt is short-sleeved - instead of a long-sleeved one like 2013. 

logistically, getting to this race will involve quite a commute for me - car to the metronorth, metronorth to grand central, train down to south ferry, and the ferry over to staten island.  then run the race and repeat the commute home.  it's one of those events where the travel time easily eclipses the actual running (or walking) time for the event!

but, it is the fifth and final race in the 5 boro grand pre series!  and, for me, it's point number 8 on the road to 9+1 for the 2015 nyc marathon.  in fact, this year the 2014 nyc marathon will be - hopefully - my ninth and final point to qualify for the 2015 race!

as always, if you're at this one - say hello!  

october 2014 race schedule

october kicks off with a big question mark because i still haven't decided what race to run this weekend!  it's between greta's gallop and the ridgefield half (and a third, the harvest half up in red hook).  right now the slight nod goes to greta's because it's a team race. but i'd rather head up to ridgefield - a decent drive - or the harvest half - and even further drive.  regardless of the choice, i run a half this weekend :D

the only definite for the month is the staten island half - the 5th and final race in the 2014 5 boro series.  if i run greta's the week before, it will become my 9th qualifying race for the 2015 nycm (otherwise that would wait until the 2014 nycm next month).  the day before i'd love to do the "run for the rings" half in brooklyn - but will have to settle for "virtual" participation instead.

the following weekend is a toss-up between the harry chapin 10k here in westchester and the great pumkin run in trumbull.  it the old days (like a couple of years ago), this wouldn't have been a conflict because the harry chapin 10k was one of only a handful of afternoon races.  now it moved to a morning start... so need to choose!

last, but not least, is a return to the ghosts & goblins 5k in westport (sherwood island, actually) for the last weekend.  i would love to run the wilton Halloween hustle 5k - probably me favorite Halloween themed race - but flying out to barcelona the night before.  i'll be back in time to head over to the nyc marathon expo later that week :D

here's how it looks so far:

10/5 - tbd - half marathon (edge to greta's gallop)
10/11 - "virtual" run for the rings
10/12 - staten island half marathon
10/19 - great pumpkin 4m or harry chapin 10k
10/25 - ghosts & goblins 5k

as always, if you're at any of these events - say hello :D