eliot's 2015 boston marathon race report: guest post

it's a pleasure to post eliot's 2015 boston marathon race report.  of all the various "firsts" eliots's written about here as guest posts - this one is probably my favorite (and it has a great mid-race photo too!) :D

nothing (slight exaggeration) beats running boston!
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My First Boston Marathon - #RunsWithASmile - April 20, 2015 - Eliot M. Lee

The gloomy forecast of rain, temps in the low-40’s, and strong 15-20 mph headwinds was not going to put a damper on my first Boston. In fact, once the race started, the raw elements were ‘hardly’ noticeable. Sure, there were times of steady rain, strong wind gusts and unavoidable puddles; but the warmth of the many, many volunteers and spectators spanning the entire course were a clear offset to any discomfort. This coveted first Boston Marathon (my marathon #49) is definitely up there as one of my running highlights as was my first marathon (New York City – November 2008).

I set myself two ‘time’ goals for this race: 1. Have a great time and 2. Finish somewhere around 3:35 – 3:40. My first goal was clearly met; and, the high expectations I had (given the ‘buzz’ of Boston) were far exceeded. As far as ‘finish time’ goes … 3:43:11 … a wee bit off the mark, but, I’m good with it as I can chalk that up to the weather … and to smiling and taking it all in (especially from Wellesley College to the finish).

I ran this one like I run most of my full marathons by targeting a 1:43 first half (+/- 2 minutes). At that point, I usually assess my condition and determine my goal for the second half of the race. I hit Wellesley College a little before the halfway point. I couldn’t resist the creative ‘kiss me’ signs in the ‘scream tunnel’ and went in for a few … more than a few, actually. In total, I think I kissed 25 gals. Surely, they needed to be recognized and rewarded for standing and screaming in the rain for hours … right? That was what I was telling myself anyway. Hehe. This was a PR for me (~25 kisses in about a minute). I was fast and kept good form.

I hit the half marathon mark at 1:45:32. At that point, I knew I would slow my pace closer to 9 minute/miles at around mile 16 through Newton and ‘Heartbreak Hill’ to arrive at Boston College at around 1:20 pm.

As I ran by Boston College, I kept my eyes and ears open for Taylor. Taylor is my first cousin’s daughter. I heard this loud cheer and scream from the side and saw Taylor as she reached over the barrier to ‘tackle’ hug me. She wanted to take a picture with me for her mom and started running along the course at my side. This was clearly the highlight of my day. So, we stopped to take a proper photo.

The rain and wind seemed to stop for the remainder of the race. I didn’t care about pace anymore and the last 5 miles were really a blur. I was simply absorbing the energy from the building crowds as I drew nearer to central Boston. I almost wanted to go slower just to prolong the experience. All I clearly remember was the ‘famous’ Citgo sign … then, making the left from Hereford onto Boylston. As most runners were making sharp left turns onto Boylston still cutting tangents; I went purposely wide, was all by myself and felt like everyone was cheering just for me. Running faster on the final Boylston stretch, I couldn’t help noticing the movement of the colorful flags to my left. Then, seeing the finish line getting closer made me throw my hands in the air. Done! My first Boston Marathon in the books and I think I smiled for the entire 26.2 miles.

I can’t wait to make it back here again.

eliot's "the great new york 100 mile running exposition" race report: guest post

it was a while ago when eliot posted a race report on his first 50 miler (lake waramaug).  there have been plenty of marathons and ultras since that first 50 miler, but just last weekend eliot finished his first 100 miler right here on the streets of nyc!
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The 2014 Great New York Running Exposition 100M/100K – Finding My First 100 Mile Finish – Eliot Lee

TGNY100 had its first 100M running in 2012 and was the brainchild of ultra-marathon runner Phil McCarthy.  Phil is the current American 48-Hour record holder with 257.34 miles.  Phil had a vision that he executed and continues to nurture.  Other than saying that this course covers 100.3 miles through and around four boroughs of New York City, starting and finishing in Times Square, I’m not going to spend time describing the course of this great event.  It was described in this 2013 WSJ article.

For 2012 and 2013, my involvement was that of a volunteer.  Phil called me his ‘supply chief.’  For this 2014 edition, I was a runner.  This was my second attempt at the 100 mile distance (my first attempt was a DNF at the inaugural TARC100 in MA last June) so I had some pressure to finish this one.  The rest of this write-up won’t be in the typical ‘race report’ style; rather it will be a compilation of my scattered running thoughts (good and bad, funny and not so funny).  Here goes …

·         Many happy and excited runners toed the line in Times Square at 5:00 am last Saturday morning.  I was in the ‘Class of 2014.’  The TGNY100 class size is getting bigger each year.  Phil, Trishul, Kaaren and so many others worked hard to get the race started on time.  Richie and Tim were there to start supporting the 20 aid stations on the course.

·         As I ran up Broadway to and through Central Park and further north, it was easy to keep other runners in sight.  But, this was still early.  I made a decision to ‘try’ to stay with a pack of runners for as long as possible.  The pace may have been slightly fast for me but I would save time by not having to stop to read the turn-by-turn directions.  So, for all of Manhattan and some of the Bronx, I tried to stay in the company of Thunder, Cherie and my new friend Ray.  It was also better to run harder then before the full strength of the sun was on us.

·         Midway through the Bronx, I let the runners go and ran alone because I needed to slow down.  Now, I had to rely solely on my maps and directions and had to stop often to regain my bearings.  When I got to Emmy’s aid station in Soundview Park (~50K), I realized that my pacer John who was meeting me at the 60 mile mark in Queens would be there too early given my current pace.  I called him and told him to get there at around 5:30 pm.  By then, the full sun was out.

·         ‘Kuya’ Gerald steps in.  ‘Kuya’ is Tagalog for big brother.  I may be older than Gerald in age but not in terms of ultra-running.  This was his third TGNY100 and he told me to ‘run’ with him.  So, I did for as long as I could.  Gerald is a strong and consistent runner.  He took me through the rest of the Bronx, over the Triborough Bridge, through Randall’s Island and into Queens.  As much as I wished I could have stayed with Gerald, I told him to go ahead at the World’s Fair Marina aid station (~42 miles).  If I was going to finish, I had to run my own race.

·         I took the next 5 or so miles myself again navigating with the directions and maps through the streets of Queens.  Somewhere on Brooklyn-Queens Greenway, ‘Kuya’ Luis steps in.  Yes, I am older in age to him too, but he was also my big brother that day.  This was his third time on the course (once as a 2012 pacer).  Luis was nursing a sore Achilles from the Massanutten 100 in May.  So, Luis and I ran/walked together through Flushing Meadow Park until the 60 mile point (Jewel Avenue) where I met my own pacer, John.  Luis forged ahead.

·         At 60 miles, I was really starting to feel the fatigue.  I made a decision to stop running and to start only walking from that point onward.  Doing the math, it would be possible to finish under the cut-off by keeping a 20 minute pace (3 mph).  Finishing my first 100-miler was still my only goal.  I didn’t want to risk another DNF by pushing too much so I was being very conservative.  Actually, I was being a big baby, I know.  But, if I was going to finish, I had to run my own race.  My 50 mile split was ~10:00 and my 100K split was ~13:14. 

·         The next long 30 miles of walking (~10 hours) were very interesting, especially at night.  I’ve never walked that long or that far!  We walked to and through aid station after aid station.  Darkness fell.  Every mile that passed, I tried to do mental math to project a finish time which was always somewhere between 26 to 27 hours as long as we kept moving.  It is very difficult to do math when you should be asleep. 

·         Having no headlamps proved to be a hindrance.  With no light, we were directionally challenged in and after Riis Park and again up along the Belt Parkway.  We couldn’t see the yellow course markings or our footing especially with the glare of the headlights from oncoming cars.  We used our map light for the ground when we could.        

·         About my pacer John …  he has only run a few recent ultras (some BUS) but has not done a 100 mile race himself (yet).  So, why John?  He and I run together all the time.  I know his idiosyncrasies and he knows mine, so it was comfortable.  Plus, he was raised in Brooklyn so he knew the lay of the land … even in the dark.  I can’t thank him enough.

·         After 80 miles, even the walking was starting to slow.  Now, I started seeing ‘people’ but they were trees and shadows.  I did start seeing rats too, but they were actually rats.  Once in a while, I scared John by letting out a primal ‘grunt’ or by slapping my own face to wake myself up (a driving straight back from Florida habit).  I even told him that I was going to grab onto his shoulder and continue to walk with my eyes closed … so he says, anyway.  And, that darn Verrazano Bridge was like the moon.  Walk, walk, walk towards it … but, it never got closer.

·         By almost 90 miles, we were going over 20 minutes per miles and slowing more.  Enter Paul.  I heard Paul’s carefree banter behind us and watched his effortless gait.  Somehow, that sparked me and calmed me … hard to explain.  It made me realize that I only had 10 miles to go and was going to finish this thing.  So, after the Leif Ericson Park aid station, John and I ran but walked now only when necessary.  The running seemed to wake my mind and body up as it got my blood flowing. 

·         We ran through the last aid station at mile 95 without stopping and walked over the Brooklyn Bridge.  Once in Manhattan, we continued to run/walk to Times Square.  We managed to finish the last 10 miles in just over 2 hours (almost 5 mph) for a 25:14:57 finish time in Times Square at around 6:30 am on Sunday.  What a second wind!  That is where I gave Phil a big ‘thank you’ hug.  I am now the proud owner of my first 100 mile finisher buckle.  Congratulations to all the 100M/100K finishers … especially to my new friend Ray who showed such resolve on his own first 100 mile finish.

In my 50’s, I am now doing things that I thought were out of my reach.  Life is funny that way.  And, about this first 100 mile finish … as Grant so appropriately quoted these song lyrics to me, “Ain't nothin' like the first time …”

 photo credit: http://www.benkophotography.com

guest post: eliot's livestrong marathon race report

eliot's combined family and running when he went down to austin, texas, last weekend for the livestrong marathon. and, as any good road trip must include a nod to the local food scene, he also reports on the local carbo-loading opportunities :D
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EAT & RUN - A Gathering of Relatives

The LIVESTRONG Full/Half Marathons & Paramount 5K - Austin, Texas
February 17, 2013
 

Eight of us met in Austin in February to EAT & RUN.  First, I’ll give a shout out to our hosts; my sister Faith and her husband Dan.  Second, here’s a shout out to the runners: my wife Jen, my siblings Daniel & Faith, and my cousins Denise, Cari, George & Don.  What can I say?  I think my cousin Denise pretty much summed it up best on Facebook with her few words about the weekend, “reuniting, reminiscing, childhood memories, food trucks, candy crush, 1^st runs, camaraderie, support, medal envy, rolling hills, casseroles, Rudy’s, fine wines, new memories, aching legs, LOVE.”

EAT - For those of you who have never visited Austin, this is a must do.  Being the State Capitol and the home of the Longhorns, Austin is a young and vibrant city with a cozy town-like feel.  There is something for everyone … whether it is finer dining on 2^nd Street vs. the food trucks OR the hustle & bustle of 6^th Street vs. the serene setting of the Town Lake.  To steal a phrase from my cousin George, “Austin is the food truck mecca.”  So, on this trip, we focused on outdoor eating at the local food trucks (Gourdough’s Donuts, Mellizoz Tacos, Dock & Roll, and Chi’Lantro) and on local beers from Austin Beerworks.  We celebrated Cari’s birthday while pasta-loading on Saturday night at La Taverna.  And, our post-race dinner highlights included two specialty casseroles from the Casserole Queens of Austin, tasty take-out Texas BBQ from Rudy’s and selected fine wines from my brother-in-law’s large stocks.

RUN - There is something for everyone on race day too.  All full, half and 5K runners use the expo, share the same start (5K start is after the full & half marathoners) and cross the same finish line.  It is a rarity that every runner can share in the same excitement of the start and finish on the same race day.

This is a race report so here is my shortest version.  My race plan was pretty simple: Bank a minute or two in the first half, hold pace (+/-) for the second half; BUT, cut back for any reason whatsoever to save myself for the DC full in March.  Austin is in ‘Hill Country’ so I expected and planned for the hills.  Rollers and net down the first 3 miles, significant up from 3 to 6, significant down from 6 to 9, long net up and rollers from 9 to 20, net down and rollers for last 6 with a bump near the finish.  What I didn’t plan for was a very necessary porta-pot break at mile 3 (which cost me a minute) and the blisters that formed on both feet bottoms at mile 12 (at the place where my big toes join my feet).  [I need to figure this out before DC … laces too loose, wrong shoe/sock combo, etc.]  But, I pushed ahead and hit the half in 1:44:11, almost at plan.  It was also my plan to give back 10 to 20 seconds per mile for the next 6 or 7 miles and then to make up whatever time I could in the last stretch of downs and rollers to the finish.  At about mile 17, the 3:30 pace group caught me earlier than expected and that had an impact on my state of mind.  Although they were 7 seconds under pace (I heard), this was not to be the day for my PR with 3 more uphill miles, followed by 6 more miles to the finish, 2 distracting blisters, full sun, rising temps, and DC next month.  Decision made to make this a training run so I didn’t attack ups or downs to save my feet, walked water stops, stopped to eat, and hit the porta-pot again.  I neared the finish to the cheers of my family and by reflex gave them the “Hook ’em Horns” sign.  I am in Austin, you know.  With that energy, I sprinted to my finish of 3:48:14. 

Everyone finished in fine form and special congratulations go to my brother Daniel for finishing his first half marathon and to my cousin Don for finishing his first race at any distance (5K).  By the way, Don took 2^nd in his age group. 

eliot's first double - race reports for the hartford and atlantic city marathons: guest post!

this weekend eliot took on a pair of marathons, back to back, for his first "double" - and they were in different states to add a logistical twist!  his friend john joined in this 52+ mile weekend on the roads, both running and driving :D

here is eliot's write up of the adventure (and as a bonus, he picked up another marathon maniac star in the process)!
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Hartford and Atlantic City Marathon Weekend - My First Double Marathon
October 15/16th, 2011
 
Honestly, I’ve been struggling to find myself as a runner for a better part of this year. Can I ever (or do I even want to) become faster? That was my early 2011 plan …. to try to become faster. It never happened. Yes, I did throw down for a bunch of races (short and long), but only did them halfheartedly. What could one expect with basically a once a week training regime? What could I realistically accomplish?

In May, at the NJ Marathon Expo, my ‘5:42 am train to the city’ friend, John, asked if I wanted to try a double marathon in the October; a first for both of us. John’s story is this …. he has run 3 to 4 marathons a year for the past 4 years, including Boston, NYC, Philadelphia, MCM, etc. He has a different approach than me about training. He is like Felix Unger and I am like Oscar Madison. Need I say more? But, I thought to myself that it was like five months away; so, “why not!” This gave me something to work towards …. so, I even ran two/three times a few of these past weeks.

Hartford

The expo at the XL Center was convenient to the start and they had a race-day packet pick-up in the morning, which meant that I could sleep at home, pick John up at 4:00 am and drive the 2 hours to Hartford with plenty of time to spare!
 
Live to fight another day! I went into the first one with a strategy: Run hard like I’m trying to PR and re-assess at the halfway mark. The ½ mat came at about 1:53 and I re-assessed. Goal was to finish in good enough shape to ‘fight another day.’ So, I ran another 6 or 7 at ~ 9:30 mpm pace and finished the rest in an ‘ultra’ style combination of run/walks while eating an energy bar. My goal was to finish with an overall 10 mpm pace or a sub-4:22 finish.

I hate ‘out and backs’ with a passion and Hartford had a doozy! At miles 10 to 17 was the out with a return to mile 24 as the back. It was a long straight stretch in the sun and seeing the runners ahead of me effortlessly heading back is always disheartening. I just grit my teeth to 24 and was finally coasting in for a close to goal time (give or take) when I had my race highlight. During the last ½ mile stretch as the crowd thickened, an obnoxious runner sprinted past me towards Bushnell Park. I said to myself, “F that!” I took after him as the crowds cheered, “Catch him!” As I passed him, I turned my head and gave him a nod. Then, I said to myself, “Holy crap, you looked at him so now you can’t let him pass you again.”

The finish was in sight now so I just put my head down. So focused on staying ahead of this guy, I must have ‘obnoxiously’ passed another runner who must have gotten pissed off at me. That guy got slightly ahead of me. Without thinking about etiquette, I found another gear so we blazed through the Arch together. We both smiled. Talk about a climax. And, I must admit, the obnoxious runner (not me) got me in at 4:21:15. Post-race in Bushnell Park was free Harpoon IPA for the runners. Too bad I left my ID in the car. All in all, a very nice race and course with lots of support.

Atlantic City

John and I headed straight for the car and onto 91S when we hit a wall of traffic just outside Hartford. Damn it. No beer, now traffic and a 5 hour drive to Atlantic City to boot. We got to the hotel at about 6:30 pm, checked in, showered and headed over to Bally’s for late arrival packet pick-up. We had a nice meal at a local micro-brewery which included some food, a sampler of their brews and then a pint of their IPA to wash it all down. Now to sleep, but for the bachelor party next door that returned to their room at 2:30 am. Security please, to the 10th floor!

I went into the second one with a strategy: Finish healthy enough to run NYC in three weeks. I hate ‘out and backs’ with a passion and Atlantic City had a doozy too! After 4 miles of crosswind on the boardwalk, we ran southbound on the roads from about miles 12 to 16 into strong headwinds. I was actually feeling good for this half of the race, crossing the ½ mat at about 2:05 so at about 9:30 mpm pace. But, the ‘out and back’ plus wind just took its toll on me. Funny how it always works out this way, but there was no tailwind to speak of on the backside.  It was sunny, warm and I was feeling fatigued, so my very generous goal was now to finish in under 5:00 hours.

My ‘ultra’ running kicked in much sooner out of necessity. Oh yeah, there was a second ‘out and back’ between about miles 18 to 21; where, again, there were headwinds, this time on the backside. The last 2 miles were running northbound on the boardwalk through the crowds and I felt a great sense of satisfaction finishing at 4:49:17 at about an 11 mpm pace overall. I even stopped for a ‘jump’ at the mat, didn’t get very high, but the crowd cheered anyway. At the finish there was Blue Point beer. Yikes, I forgot my ID again, but didn’t need one in AC. Whew! We hit the road for the 3+ hour drive home. All in all, another very nice race and course with lots of support. Plus, a finisher’s medal that is also a bottle opener!

Marathon Maniacs

Sporting my Marathon Maniacs shirt, I was given special attention. So, I’m giving a shout out to all my fellow MM’s who crossed my path this weekend (like Otto Lam and Dave Mari) for the winks, smiles, and words of encouragement. The ‘maniac’ question of Saturday was, “What are you running tomorrow?” And, Sunday’s was, “What did you run yesterday?” Gotta laugh! And, special thanks to John for making us get our MM fourth stars!

So, besides a MM fourth star, what was accomplished this weekend? I did 52.4 miles in 9:10:32 or at an overall 10:30 mpm pace across two days. Did I find myself? Not yet, but I understand to do so will involve having and setting goals. So, I’ll keep looking ….

todd's harriman state park "completion" run report: guest post

todd is one of my oldest running friends and we've run a lot of races together over the years (wurtsboro, escarpment, boston, for instance). i wasn't going to miss his "completion" run to celebrate the finish of his quest to run all the marked trails in the harriman state park system! it was a great day and i met a bunch of his other running friends in the process. here is todd's recap of his adventure (a fuller version is in the works for his blog).
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As some of you rundangerously readers may know, I have spent the majority of the 2010 running season building a relationship with the mountains of the Lower Hudson Valley. In a quest that I began unwittingly sometime in mid-May, and which took on formality in early July, I have endeavored to run all of the marked/maintained trails of Harriman State Park in one season. According to most credible sources, the current trail system - maintained so wonderfully by the NY/NJ Trail Conference - comprises approximately 240 miles of trails. These trails range in difficulty from reasonably easy woods roads to highly technical single-track trails, but leaning much more heavily toward the highly technical. And so it was with this knowledge that I undertook the project of completing all of the trails.

To make the accomplishment "official", I have kept track of my progress via a large map of the park system, which I have detailed with appropriately colored map pins to indicate trails which I've completed. In addition, I spent the latter two thirds of the project documenting each of the runs via a blog, "Into the Woods," which recaps each run, including photos from the trails. I had certainly been a trail runner prior to this season, having run the Escarpment Trail Run five times, using some of these very trails as training ground. But this year (and this project) has taken my trail running to a whole new place. Since June, I've run less than 25% of my total mileage on the roads, and I have to confess that I don't miss the pavement one bit.

A few weeks ago, I decided that in order to give myself the necessary focus, I should set a goal completion date of November 28th. Once that 'monkey' was out there, I knew that I had to live up to the commitment that I'd made to myself to get this done. And so, over the past few weeks, I have hastened my schedule, averaging about 5-6 hours a week out on the trails in an effort to knock out the last 25% of the project. My second-to-last run was last Monday, when I ran up and over Bear Mountain twice on the Appalachian and Major Welch trails. That run was the one that I essentially viewed as my "final run," knowing that yesterday's run would basically just be my "victory lap around the stadium." And so it was... :)

I had invited all of my runner friends in the area to join me on the final day. And to my delight, many did. Almost 30 of us in all ran across the meadow in the Elk Pen to begin the party that would be this run. And a party it was! We had runners from NY City, Connecticut, Sullivan County, and even five folks from Albany! As we traversed the trail, groups formed, mainly according to speed and ability. Some of the groups got lost. One group (the "A" group) even got lost somewhat permanently. ;) But in the end, everyone found their way back to the Elk Pen, where there was plenty of food and beer, and certainly lots of laughter and talk of the trails. The consensus seemed to be that you would have had to be in a coma not to have had a good time. And although that metaphor is somewhat ‘coarse,’ it pretty much sums up the spirit of the day.

The question people are asking me now is "What's next? Where do you go from here, Todd?", and I can't say that I know the answer to that at the moment. But I have great faith that the answer will manifest itself in due time. Yes, I will keep running these trails. And I will keep on sharing my enthusiasm and spirit for the trails with my running brethren. And in the end, I know the answer will come.

emmy's putnam county classic race director report: guest post

here is the text of emmy's write-up of the 2010 putnam county classic for the "putnam examiner." i'll add a link to the paper once it's available.
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Over 320 finishers at the July 4 Putnam county Classic 8 mile race

The 34rd running of the July 4 Putnam County Classic 'Run for your Life' was a huge success despite hot temps, and intense sunny skies. 325 finishers braved the rolling, scenic lake route, which started and finished at Mahopac High school. The challenging course winds its way down Baldwin Place Road, up Route 6N, around Lake Mahopac, and finishes on the high school track. The race, organized by Taconic Road Runners Club, is a community event which draws area high school and college competitive runners, as well as Club members and runners of all abilities and ages. Its 8 a.m. starting time leaves plenty of hours for family time and relaxation on the holiday. As the holiday fell on a Sunday, the race saw a record turnout.

Ryan Cunningham, age 20, of Brewster, won for the men in a time of 46:45 (5:51 per mile pace). Michael Tanzi, 25, of LaGrangeville, came in second with 47:00. Brad Antes, 20, of Pleasantville was third in 47:12. First over 40s male was Mahopac resident David Mitzi. Greg Diamond of Taconic was the first over 50s male. The first female to cross the line was Connie Seigh, 41, of Pleasantville, in a time of 51:36. 34 year old Kristen Colsey of Ossining was second in 55:20 and Lindsey Regan, 26, was third in 55:33. Club member John Albanese, of Mount Kisco ('old glory'), carried the flag in the race for the 26th year. His father started the tradition. Other Taconic members who ran --Eliot Lee, Ilana Robinson, Leo Gormley, Frank Colella, Fran Pisano, and many more.

"This is club-wide effort," said George Grenier, Club President. "Our members work the scoring, finish line, put out water, handle the registration, and prep the food. Taconic Road Runners club is known for its commitment to this event...(see below) And race proceeds go to Taconic's annual High School scholarships." Safety of the runners is the main concern, and the club would like to thank the Carmel Police dept and the Carmel Sherrif's dept. for providing such great support on the roads, with 3 vehicles. The Mahopac falls Volunteer Fire dept also sent an ambulance and EMT person, as they do every year, and should be thanked. "One of our club members is a HAM radio operator, so we have a Carmel area HAM radio team ("PEARL") who has come the last 2 years and monitor the course," said Emmy Stocker, co-race director. With the town's safety help, all runners made it around the lake without mishap. Several Lake families each year hand out water, which is always needed, and spray hoses.

All runners received technical shirts by New Balance Westchester, one of 2 title sponsors. The other sponsor, National Road Safety Foundation, is an advocacy group for safe driving, which works with the July 4 holiday. Coldstone Creamery of Mahopac provided ice cream coupons, and Somers Hot bagels provided bagels, along with the race refreshments of watermelon, bananas and drinks. My brother Bobby's Salsa, also a sponsor, gave out samples of fresh salsa (available at Red Mills Market).

This year, Taconic again had a kids' run on the track, with t-shirts and ribbons to all participants. Over 100 kids ran around the track, and seemed to have fun despite thirst at the end. All and all, the race was a nice way to kick off the July 4 morning.

Thank you from Lee and Emmy to all the volunteers who made the race a success:

Registration - Barb Ende, Cathy Groneman, Diana Pernicano (more helped); Food Prep: Fran Pisano, Frank Colella; Scoring-Karen Davies, Joe Groneman; finish line, start line and trailer -Tom Maile, Joe Porcaro, Ted Pernicano; Lead car - Pete Corsino; Water and Tables -Nick Jubok; Course map and marking - Greg Diamond; Course marshalls -Bob Hermesch, Ernest Joseph; Kids' run-Terry Ellis, Tina Batton; water stop -Pam and Alex Harrison, Carly Johnson. Pickup bagels and ice - Ted Pernicano; Taconic singlet sales -George Grenier; and, Announcements and sound system - Ed Mclaughlin.

Many others helped, and the race could not go on without you!!!.

eliot's 1/2 sauer 1/2 kraut marathon race report: guest post

this weekend, while i focused on shorter races, eliot took a ride out to pa for the 1/2 sauer 1/2 kraut marathon. in the it's a small world catagory, at the cook your buns 3 miler friday night, i learned than yuen and zeke were also headed out to run this one on sunday! it turned out to be a hot, soupy day to run a marathon. luckily, i only had a 5k in bridgeport :D

here is eliot's report from the marathon distance :D
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The ½ Sauer ½ Kraut Marathon, Wyomissing, PA, June 13, 2010 (Sunday)

My last three races were like an old Clint Eastwood movie. My April Lake Waramaug 50 miler was the ‘Good.’ My May Greenbelt Trail 50K was the ‘Ugly.’ Yesterday’s June race was simply the ‘Bad.’ So, I’ve renamed it in my mind …. The ½ Sore ½ Cramp Marathon. Please do not get the impression that the race was poorly run. It was nicely done. The course, facilities and volunteers were all fantastic. It just wasn’t my day or race.

The inaugural marathon (half marathon) was set up to be memorable race. It would be run on a mostly shaded, flat compacted cinder trail alongside the Tulpehocken Creek and the Schuylkill River (near the Penn State – Berks Campus). The route was a simple out and back starting somewhere in the middle and was supported by aid stations every 2 miles. It was recently certified a Boston Qualifier, good for some …. but for myself, I was looking forward to the Oktoberfest aid station where they served alternative energy drinks (wink! wink!) at miles 11 and 22. I had the pleasure of driving there with George G. (Taconic’s President) and Jolanta Z. (another TRR member who was there doing the half). We hit the road at 3:30 am.

It was a brutal day for me. The weather was really the surprise for everyone. So much so, the RD gave all full-marathoners the option of dropping to a half. The 11 mile mark was the decision point …. simply turnaround at 11 and finish the half or forge ahead to mile 18 (the last turnaround) then home. It was already 73 degrees w/ 95% humidity at 6:45 am when we arrived, so I expected it to get worse as the morning’s overcast sky burned off. The 3 hour drive didn't help, but since I planned for the race, I signed up for that aspect.

At 8:00 am, as soon as the gun went off, the sun came out. It probably went as high as 88 degrees in the afternoon and even managed to rain heavily for a period before noon to soak me and my feet at miles 21- 23. By the way, I knew by mile 2 that it would be tough day .... I was totally drenched with sweat from a 9 minute/mile pace! At mile 11 (the ‘decision point’), I was enjoying my cold beer too much and dreamed about turning/doing only half. But, George pushed ahead so I went along as well. George pulled away quickly as I dropped pace drastically. I had already decided to cut expectations way, way back. By 16 miles, my legs were beginning to say, 'cramping now, take that – you should have turned at 11, fool.' Damn that George …. still 10 miles to go. Haha.

I finished in 5:06ish (est.). Yikes …. I’ve done 50K’s faster than that! My half marathon split was somewhat decent given the conditions ~2:00+ hours, so you know how the second half went. I ran, jogged, walked, chatted, took pictures, texted, ate, drank and finished. Then, there was the 3 hour drive back home with traffic on 287 to boot. But, I did get a good dinner off of George!

So, I'm perfectly fine and healthy today, even smiling. Just wasn't a good day for racing for me. And, I'm fine with the outcome …. really. Not all races will be good ones, so I’ve learned. Live (and learn) to run another day!

Here are some words to me from fellow Marathon Maniac, Rich H., who I met on the course. I ran the final 8 miles on/off with him and his daughter, Lauren. It was their first father/daughter marathon. He wrote, "Thanks for the message. What a day! I have run in some severe conditions but yesterday was probably the toughest. It was also a pleasure to meet and run with you."

So, for myself, I’ve also learned that the runners you meet and know are the ‘silver lining’ in every ‘cloud’ – (bad day/run/race) that comes your way.

eliot's lake waramaug 50 miler race report: guest post

eliot went from manning an aid station at the sybil ludington 50k on saturday, to running his first 50 miler at lake waramaug, the very next day. one big difference between the two days was the weather! we had great weather for sybil, but the weather gods threw eliot a nasty curve with the rain (and even more rain) that fell on sunday. but a little rain wasn't about to spoil his race - or his 48th birthday, for that matter!!

here is eliot's race report - enjoy!
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The Lake Waramaug (LW) Ultras – One Day, Two Milestones Reached - My First 50 Miler and My 48th Birthday, April 25, 2010

Two marathons, four 50K’s, one 60K in the last six months …. time for a 50 miler …. right? Right. Maniac …. right? Right! So, Kate Stoker’s LW post was all she wrote …. I decided I would lose it (my 50 miler virginity) on my birthday. First, I need to give thanks to my wife, Jen, for dropping me off and then picking me up (driving 1 ½ hours each way) because, quite frankly, I wasn’t sure what shape I’d be in post-race. Haha. To Eric for cheering me in. And, to Vic/Todd for preparing my birthday feast.

After working 4 ½ hours in the sun at the Sybil Ludington 50K on Saturday and going out to a fundraising function that evening, I was tired before the race even began. But, hey, I put it out there in the ‘press’ that I would run it …. so, I wasn’t backing down.

The weather forecast called for rain/drizzle almost throughout the entire day with temperatures in the 50’s. Not optimal running conditions because there was just no keeping dry. I set out a realistic goal and a basic plan for this race (made up of a 4.4 mile out/back followed by six 7.6 mile loops around beautiful Lake Waramaug) which would get me a nine hour finish (give or take). My general plan was 40/45 minutes for the out/back and 1:20 to 1:30 for each lake loop. I planned to eat/drink at every station (boy, did I ever!) and to take a SaltStick cap every loop (for cramping) with Tylenol/Aleve as needed. I left my iPod shuffle in my drop bag for the later loops. That was it. Simple. Plus, my morning pre-race ritual was the same …. coffee, shower, Kinesio tape my knee and, for long runs, some moleskin on the bottoms of my feet …. Ooops, I forgot the moleskin which would prove to be problematic!

I saw Betsy Mainiero before and at the start of the race and that was it. She took off and after the out/back, I never saw her again. It was her first 50 miler too and she rocked it. I crossed paths once or twice with Barbara Sorrell doing the 50K (she and her husband did both Sybil and LW!). Within my own plan, I had the pleasure of running the first 16 or so miles with Dave Obelkevich (organizer of the annual ‘Run around Manhattan’ in Ted Corbitt’s memory) doing the 50K. We chatted the whole time about life and running. Two things he said I remember very clearly. First, he told me that he always keeps good running form when he is tired as this is most efficient. This was replayed in my mind, especially later in the day. Second, he asked about my sudden interest in ultras. I was at a loss for words. We both laughed!

My body and feet were completely soaked by mile 5 and I realized by mile 12 or so that there was a blister forming on the bottom of my left foot. Nothing I could do about it until I reached the start/finish area again where I could swap socks/shoes. Darn it! It was too late …. damage done. I would run the remaining 30 miles of the race with that annoying, sometimes painful, sensation on my foot. Mental note for the next long race: Don’t forget to put moleskin on your feet, especially if it is raining, dummy! Aside from this issue, I had no cramping, no major aches/pains to speak of, but I did have a few mental lapses. It can get lonely out there between stations so whenever I caught up to runners in walking mode, I would walk/talk with them until I felt an opportunity to move on. And, when alone in my own hill walking mode …. I sometimes forgot to start running again because I was daydreaming. La-la land can be that way sometimes! Mental note #2 for the next long race: Put your iPod on your head for the last few loops and let the music pace you, dummy!

The weather may have been wet, cold and unfriendly, but the race volunteers were anything but! Here is how each lake loop went for me: At about 2 miles, I hit Kate and Jill Siladi’s station (with monkey/coconuts) where I got birthday kisses, hugs, balloons, cakes and cheers. Some guy even pretended that it was his birthday too just to steal a hug! At about 4 miles was the ‘soup kitchen.’ Here they had hot chicken noodle soup and buttery grilled cheese sandwich squares. I had a soup and sammie each time I came around. I think Betsy gave them the word as they were giving me birthday wishes too! At about mile 6, they had great cookies …. and, whenever I thanked them for being there, they thanked me for coming out! With all the eating, I think I gained weight during this race! Then, of course, there was the start/finish station where there was clapping and picture taking every time I came around. LW is a very well-organized race, with a nice finisher’s medal and tech tee with volunteers with hearts of gold. When I finished …. someone unlaced my timing chip for me because she knew bending might be a problem. Oh, the ice-cold Negra Modelo beer went down real well too!

With a ‘soft’ time goal of 9 hours, I am happy with my 9:31:06 (unofficial) time for my first 50 miler. Any thoughts of pushing to 100K quickly passed as soon as I saw Jen and Eric waiting/cheering at the finish. Post-race, my body is tired but no more so than after any long-haul race. The only thing to tend to now is that darn blister on my foot bottom and a slight tenderness around my right shin area (probably due to my awkward, blister-favoring gait). Perhaps, I’ll even be in good enough shape to do something off-road like the Long Island Greenbelt 50K on May 8th. We shall see ….

eliot's ted corbitt "run around manhattan" 50k race report: guest post

the ted corbitt "run around manhattan" is eliot's third ultra in as many months - and second in one month! what a way to bookend january - kicking off the new year with with the "recover from the holidays" 50k and ending the month with a loop of manhattan - a 50k measured in horton miles, no less!

above is a photo of eliot and dave obelkevich at the start of our run. dave had just read us a letter from ted corbitt's son, gary. and here is eliot's great report of the run that followed:
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RR – Dave Obelkevich’s Ted Corbitt ‘Run around Manhattan’ – 54K
My ‘Run’ Through Memory Lane - Manhattan, NY, January 31, 2010

You meet the nicest people ‘around’ New York. I write my second-ever RR while the thoughts and images are fresh, and refreshed, in my mind. Two RR’s in one month? Writing these RR’s will not become a regular habit; but this run had a lot of significance to me since I grew up in NYC’s Chinatown, and today’s run helped bring back many of those happy (sometimes forgotten) memories. So, this won’t be your typical report; rather, it will be a collection of the thoughts that ‘ran’ through my head with the ‘views’ through my eyes. So, again, please pardon the lack of the detail in this RR that experienced runners usually crave …. and, be forewarned, there will be none of that here today.

First, I give so much credit to Dave Obelkevich (a legend himself for having the longest streak of NYC Marathon finishes) for honoring Ted Corbitt (the ‘Godfather’ of long distance running) by organizing this annual run around Manhattan …. one of Ted’s training runs. Throughout the day, I had the pleasure of running with many old and ‘new’ friends. To all of you runners: Thanks for making this a very memorable day. Perhaps, we’ll see each other soon when our paths/roads/trails cross again. Last, but not least …. let’s give props to Alex, the rolling one man race crew, for his excellent support throughout the day.

This Wednesday past, I caught some eMail traffic from Emmy about a run on Sunday. Didn’t know anything about the run …. except that it was ‘around’ Manhattan. So, I traded a few eMails with Emmy and Frank and that’s all there was to it. I was committed to doing this even before I got the specific details. Emmy/Frank – What have you done to me?!!

It would be another cold (but dry …. whew!) day today – temperatures ranging from the high teens to 30-ish degrees with wind chills of 10 to 20 degrees. I dressed in layers topped with a fleece that I could open/close to regulate my temperature. My hat and gloves were on early and off later in the day. The 8:00 a.m. start was at Dave’s building on 97th Street/West End Avenue. So, to avoid the hassle of parking, I took Metro-North to Harlem/125th Street and headed down by subway to Dave’s apartment. I arrived at the same time as a contingent from the KRRC and followed them up. Dave greeted me with open arms. Emmy and Frank arrived shortly thereafter. There would be up to 30 runners today (some doing all the K’s, some not).

We took a few photos outside the building then we were off to the races. With the breeze coming off the Hudson river, it was cold as we ran north along the Henry Hudson Parkway: we passed the George Washington Bridge, Washington Heights (where the annual NYRR Coogan’s race is held) and the Cloisters (where I had gone on elementary school trips as a child – I still remember seeing the Unicorn Tapestries). We then headed through Inwood Hill Park with views of Spuyten Duyvil and Marble Hill (stops on my daily Metro-North commute to the City). We marched past Baker Field, where the Columbia University Lions play football …. although I went to business school at Columbia, this was my first actual viewing of Baker Field. Our first rest stop was at Twin Donut (218th Street/Broadway) after about 8 miles. [Approx. 8 miles.]

The next 8 or so miles brought us to our second rest stop at Bob’s Bagels on 87th/York Avenue. During this portion of the run, we wound ourselves down and through - Broadway - 10th Avenue - Dyckman Street – St. Nicholas Avenue - up Fort George Hill - Edgecombe Avenue to 124th Street/Mt. Morris Park W. One part even took us along the NYC Marathon route down 5th Avenue. I remembered vividly how tired I felt both times I ran this portion of the NYC Marathon course in 2008 & 2009. Ahhh …. Central Park – the home of the NYRR races, the NYC Marathon finish and Wollman Rink (where I ice-skated as a young teen). [Approx. 17 miles.]

After my fill of Gatorade (w/ salt packs added) and chunky chocolate chip cookies, we set off across 86th Street to the East River. This was, for me, by far the coldest part of the run. I was still damp and the cold air hitting my cooled down body made me really shiver. Thank goodness the East River promenade was now in full sun. Before long, I was warmed up again. The next 8 or so miles were running southbound beside/under the FDR Drive. We would pass many landmark bridges along this route – 59th Street / Williamsburg / Manhattan / Brooklyn. When I first started my casual 2 - 3 mile jog/runs, say, ~ 25 years ago; I used to run across/back the Brooklyn Bridge .… so that is, I guess, where it all began for me. We ran by Stuyvesant Town (where my sister lives), by the South Street Seaport (where I would go to hang-out as a teen and, then, into my 20’s) all the way down to our third rest stop – the Staten Island Ferry Terminal. The Staten Island Ferry also brought back memories of my teen years. My brother, friends and I would regularly take the ferry over to Staten Island for day long bike trips. For kicks, we would spend the day riding to the other side of the island just to ride down Victory Boulevard – a big-ass, white-knuckled, hill – back to the ferry terminal. Lots of work for 10 minutes of extreme satisfaction. [Approx. 25 miles.]

The final stretch home. We circled around Battery Park and then up the esplanade/Greenway on the Hudson River (where Captain ‘Sully’ landed his plane last year). Along the way, we passed the footprint of the Twin Towers (as a boy, I watched them go up …. as a man, I sadly watched them fall), the ‘new’ Stuyvesant High School at Chambers Street (I graduated from this high school when the building was located on 15th Street/1st Avenue), Canal Street – portal to Chinatown, and on Worth Street - the Church where I met my Jen over 30 years ago and married her 8 years later, 23rd Street (home of Chelsea Piers) and to the east – Baruch College, where I received my undergraduate degree. A few of us affectionately referred to Baruch as ‘UCLA’ – the ‘University on the Corner of Lexington Avenue.’ We passed the Intrepid Museum (where my cousin was stationed a few times during Fleet Week in the 90’s when he was a Naval carrier jet pilot). We continued up the Greenway to the 95th Street exit, and then we were back at Dave’s on 97th/West End Avenue at about 3:20 p.m. for the complete loop. [Approx. 33.5 miles.]

After the run, we took more photos; shared smiles, stories and a great sense of satisfaction for having completed this wonderful journey together …. with many new friendships as a result. Like I said earlier …. you meet the nicest people ‘around’ New York.

So, to recap my results today: Total Distance - 54K; Time – Fantastic.

eliot's mhrrc "recover from the holidays" 50k race report - guest post

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i'm so happy to post eliot's race report from the "recover from the holidays" 50k he ran this frigid weekend. it's wasn't his first ultra - the knickerbocker 60k last november was his first race beyond 26.6 miles. but it was eliot's first 50k (on the road to his first 50 miler) :D


eliot, on the right, eyes open :D

MHRRC’s ‘Recover from the Holidays’ (aka, Fat Ass) 50K
Norrie Point, Staatsburg, NY
January 3, 2010

I write this first-ever RR as a relatively ‘new’ 47-year old runner and very, very, very ‘inexperienced’ ultra-runner. As background, my ‘late’ passion for running really began with the TRRC Putnam County Classic 8-miler on July 4, 2008. Since then, I’ve managed to log in 25+ races (mainly, NYRR and TRRC ones) which included 3 full marathons (w/ NYCM – ‘08 & ‘09), 10+ half marathons (w/ the ’09 NYRR 5 borough Grand Prix series) and my first ultra-marathon on November 21, 2009, the Knickerbocker 60K. So, please pardon the lack of the detail in this RR that ‘experienced’ runners usually crave ….

The forecast for Norrie Point for Sunday morning was for temperatures from 15 to 19 degrees, wind gusts up to 40 mph, wind chill real feel temperatures from 0 to 5 degrees, total cloud coverage and snow showers to boot. Ominous .… right? Who would even think about running any kind of race in this weather? The answer …. someone like me, I guess …. someone that caught a bug. I’m not sure when I got this bug; but, where I got it is no mystery to me. It was Emmy Stocker and Frank Colella that passed it on.

The RD, Pete Colaizzo, was okay for an early start for me so that I could finish early. So, up until 6:20 am that morning, the plan was to see Emmy and Frank on the course up there. But, at the last second, their combined experiences told them to opt for the more local Boston Build-up 10K in CT (still in frigid weather) …. while my inexperienced head said, ‘What the heck? It’s in your backyard anyway. Just go check it out. You can always cut it short and make it a long training run.’ Besides, I was still having regrets from cutting short the Roxbury (CT) marathon at 16 miles in December. So, I felt I owed it to myself to at least start and try to finish this one.

I arrived at 8:00 am and there were already 3 other runners itching to start early; Bruce (one of Emmy’s CT friends who I also saw at Roxbury) plus Patrick and Jason from HVTC. So, I quickly hit the porta-john, grabbed my running pack (w/ sunglasses, shuffle, cell phone, Chapstick, aspirin, salt packs, and my balaclava) and we were off to the races. Since it was a loop course, I did not carry the added weight of water and food (very unusual for me); which was a lesson I learned from the Knick 60K. I wore 4 wicking layers on top (plus a down vest that I removed after the 2nd loop and put back on for my last one) and winter tights and shorts. I opted for ‘old’ road sneakers as opposed to my trail ones (left in the car). On my head, I wore the UT Texas Longhorns beanie cap I stole from my nephew while visiting Austin last year. This got me a “Go Texas!” shout-out from the lead runner almost every time we crossed. And, I wore my lighter Garmin watch w/ foot pod as opposed to my GPS one which proved to be a mistake. The mile-to-mile details are fuzzy because the foot pod froze at about 11 miles and stopped recording mileage, but I do know from my watch that I finished in 5:25:21 (at about a 10:30 pace overall), which was just under my goal time of 5:30:00.

Patrick and Jason were regular runners in the park, so they knew the course lay-out. Bruce and I followed them for the first out and back 5K loop (there would be 10 of them) and Bruce and I managed to stay together for about 25K. We chatted with a few other runners as other groups mixed in and out (some doing all 50K, some not). But, I basically kept quiet listening in awe to all the ‘war’ stories that these veterans shared about their running and tri- experiences, heartaches and successes.

The roads were remarkably free of snow at the start with a few ice patches that were visible. The wind gusts were absent throughout most of the mid-course because of the shielding from the hills, but they could be felt in the open areas and especially off the water by the Norrie Point marina. I never appreciated hills so much! There were 2 hills each, out and back, and I followed the lead from the HVTC guys and power-walked one each way. For myself, I also took a quick breather at the turnaround each time (customary for me at my weekly long run at home). And, I stopped by my car at the end of every loop to drink my Gatorade (I wasn’t thirsty but made myself drink), to eat a Power Bar after loops 4 and 6 (after that, they were frozen solid – Emmy warned me of that) and then to log my name in for the loop at the RD’s table. At about 4 loops the snow started to fall lightly, which made for a very serene and beautiful setting. The roads quickly became covered and the town trucks came out to plow and sand the hilly parts around the 30 or so runners. Even though there were still many slippery spots, they did a great job overall of keeping the roads in fairly decent condition for a snowy day. After 5 loops, I was figuratively on the downhill …. counting down the loops to the finish. Nothing was stopping me now. As I cruised in during my bell lap, I saw Bruce driving away. I smiled and waved. He did the same. All in all, I am thrilled that I finished this race despite the weather conditions. And, I can still remember hearing Bruce telling me somewhere along that cold, windy, hilly road in Staatsburg, NY, something like, “It’s too late for you. I can tell that you are already crazy.” I’ve learned new things about myself during each of these long haul races. So, if that’s what I get for being a tad ‘crazy’ …. it’s worth it to me.



here are the race results.

here is a nice write-up from the poughkeepsie journal.

pat and tina's night at the 2009 u.s. open: guest post

can a year have really flown by that quickly!? seems like pat and tina were at the 2008 u.s. open just yesterday! but yesterday they were at the 2009 edition!! as always, i'm very pleased to post pat's write-up of the event :D
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Two Sisters at the U.S. Open: Going “Inside Tennis"

There’s nothing like a phone call from my Uncle Bill to remind me that summer’s not really over until my sister Tina and I accept his invitation to make our annual trip to a tennis match at the U.S. Open in Flushing, Queens. And that’s exactly what we did last night.

Tina and I met up at Grand Central station around 5:30 and took the #7 subway out to the “USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center and Arthur Ashe Stadium,” as it is formally known. When I saw Tina, my first reaction was: Where’s the camera? Tina always brings her great telephoto camera with her and takes some amazing pictures of the players, no matter where our seats are. Alas, she had forgotten it at home and it was too late to go back and get it. That was okay, though, because Tina and I got a chance to chat most of the night, which was really wonderful, since we don’t see each other too often.

We met up with our uncle, Bill Simons, at the stadium. He's the editor and publisher of “Inside Tennis,” a magazine that has been covering regional, national, and international tennis for 28 years. After big hugs hello, Uncle Bill handed us a copy of the latest issue of Inside Tennis, which features, on the cover, a wonderful picture of Serena Williams along with the headline, “The 16 Confessions of Serena Williams.” Although I didn’t get to read the article last night, I found it today in the "archives" section on the Inside Tennis website.

I love the way my uncle writes about tennis, making it so personal and interesting. Here’s a snippet from the article:

"'Love, Lies, Depression, Death and Deliverance: Serena Williams’ Riveting New Autobiography Fills in Huge Gaps in the Compelling Tale of the Most Tumultuous Star in Women’s Sports
We’ve seen it so often: that singular expression, a roar of determination, such ferocity — raw, almost fierce.

Few other athletes drink more of that most empowering of sports tonics — will power. For, as Sue Mott told us, Serena Williams’ 'role model was less Chris Evert than Thor.'

Federer may be tennis’ prevailing icon, but Serena is the fiercest competitor in tennis and maybe even in all of sports. As one fan recently noted, 'That girl has exactly the kind of chi and chutzpah it takes to win.'

So from what deep wells of intention does Serena draw from when she unleashes her often unstoppable fighting spirit?

After reading her new autobiography Serena Williams: On the Line, you would certainly think race and heritage has more than a tad to do with it. In ‘04, Williams set off on a pilgrimage of discovery to Ghana and Senegal. There she journeyed to outback villages with their poignant mix of poverty and generosity — endearing children and wide-eyed teen moms — and then made her way to those harrowing coastal castles which shipped out generations of slaves to servitude or death."

It has occurred to me, over the years, that my mom and her siblings, especially Uncle Bill, have a flair for writing that I simply don’t. Perhaps it was the influence of their parents, both of whom were good storytellers. My parents were a good storytellers - - my mom through her writing, my dad through his talking - - but I guess I was more of a listener. Well, I digress.

The three of us had a quick bite to eat at an outdoor table in the warm late summer air, Indian food for Uncle Bill and ham-and-cheese crepes for me and Tina. We chatted a little about “Inside Tennis” and how the Internet has changed so much of what we do in life. Unfortunately, though, dinner was short, since Uncle Bill had to go back to his computer to cover the match that was to begin in a few short minutes. So we said thanks and hugged him good-bye, and headed into the Arthur Ashe stadium to watch the first night-time match, featuring . . . Serena Williams!

Tina and I found our seats and within minutes the match between Serena (seeded #2) and Flavia Pennetta (#10) began. Although I played a bit of tennis as a kid and a teenager, I never became very good. Tina, on the other hand, went to one or two tennis camps as a teenager and invariably beat me whenever we played games. She has continued to play throughout her adulthood, although less so since she moved to New York, and still really loves the game. So, it was fun listening to her color commentary, albeit delivered in whispers, since she actually knows the names of shots and the strategy behind them. Every once in a while, I’d put in my two cents about how the players were playing. From where I sat, both Serena and Flavia made it look so easy. And every time Flavia won a point, I started getting a little nervous for Serena. But, as I expected, Serena easily won the match, 6-4, 6-3.

Rivaling the thrill of watching Serena Williams play great tennis was the pure enjoyment I had spending a relaxing night talking with Tina, alone. It happens so rarely, but it was really great. As we watched the match, we chatted about Tina’s husband Piers Lawrence, his jazz quartet and the new CD they are making (it sounds like it’s going to be great!). We got caught up on family and work stuff, like all siblings do, and, of course, in between, we talked about tennis.

The tennis highlight of the night was the next match, between Rafael Nadal (#3), from Spain, and Gael Monfils (#13), from France. Tina and I were rooting for Nadal (silently, as one must do when one watches tennis), not simply because he was the favorite (or because he is cute), but also because he comes from Majorca, the island off the coast of Spain where Tina spent quite a bit of time after college. Nonetheless, we tried to stick to our rule of not applauding after Monfils made mistakes that benefited Nadal. It’s a hard rule to follow, in practice.

Monfils started by matching Nadal pretty evenly, baseline hit for baseline hit. After just a few minutes, it felt like we were watching a slugfest between two prizefighters! Some of the rallies were spectacular, making me wonder, as I always do, how athletes can play so consistently well for so long. How exciting it was to see two of the best players in the world “duking it out!”

After a few games, it looked like Monfils might actually win the first set! As it approached 10:00 p.m., the tension in the air was thick and the crowd seemed to be pulling for Monfils. I, who had planned on leaving the stadium at 10:00 to catch a commuter train, could not pull myself out of my seat. Before I knew it, they were playing a tiebreaker. Unbelievably, Monfils won, 7-6!

Shocked and riveted, I stayed to see the start of the second set. Lucky for us, Nadal won that first game, and I felt I could leave with some hope that Nadal would pull it out. Although I needed to go home, Tina decided to move to another part of the stadium and sit with a girlfriend she knew, to watch more of the match.

We got up from our seats and Tina walked me to the stairs that headed down and out of the stadium. We hugged good-bye, smiled, and parted ways. Although I don’t know how late Tina stayed, I do know that Nadal ended up winning the match, 6-7, 6-3, 6-1, 6-3 - - - making me realize that she and I saw the best part of the match! And, of course, I also realized, both last night and again today, that Tina and I have Uncle Bill to thank for giving us a wonderful night together. “Thanks, Uncle Bill!”

some pictures from pat's trip to san francisco: day two - guest photos

day two of pat's trip to san francisco included a drive over the golden gate bridge to marin county and where she spent a couple hours hiking in the ring mountain preserve and tiburon ridge.













here are some pictures from pat's first day in san francisco.

from the archives: emmy's 2006 escarpment trail run 30k race report - guest post

emmy wrote up a great race report when we ran the escarpment trail run back in 2006. it was originally published in the hi-tek newsletter - and since we're heading back to the catskills for this grueling trail run this morning, thought it would be fun to post it here.

enjoy...

(and here are some race photos)
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I survived my first long trail race yesterday... the July 30 Escarpment 30K trail run (yes, 18.7 - actually - miles of rocky, root-strewn, muddy, slippery, ledge-like trails running up and down 6 Catskill mountain peaks). Oh, and it was 90 degrees in the shade (and most of the trails were shaded), so I wore a fuel belt for the first time. It was a day of firsts for this road racer… (and Frank - we entered together, and yes, even with our endurance base, we were both nervous).

I have many trail running friends (like Rick, Carol and Nick) who have said that it is truly an accomplishment JUST TO FINISH the Escarpment trail run. We were told by the race director that we could severely injure ourselves, fall off a cliff, or even get lost further into the Catskill mountains. The 150 runners in the race (no awards; just the glory of finishing) have to qualify by finishing an ultra, marathon or ultra trail race in a certain time (a road marathon is nothing compared to this!). The trail starts in Windham, NY and ends at North Point - along the way is the most challenging, unrunnable terrain imaginable - it is crazy to even think about 'running' the Escarpment trail, yet the winners do finish in sub-3 hours! They even run up the climbs! and fly down the unrunnable last 2 miles of ledges.

We lined up at the trail head to Windham Peak, and I was told, as a rule of thumb, that one adds 1:30 to a marathon time to predict a finish (well, I finished more than 2 hours after my time!). The first part of the course was up Windham High Peak. It took me 57 minutes to power-hike up the mountain, and we had only gone 3 miles into the 18.7 - although I felt good (I had been pounding the water on Saturday), I was cursing my decision the day before to race a 5K at Shea Stadium (when I got to the top of the first peak, Saturday seemed like a million years ago). We were offered water and gatorade from volunteers who had hiked up, and then everyone continued down the mountain - the rocks and roots were slick from the Sat. rain (it rained all night) and I was terrified of falling.

I hopelessly watched 10 other women pass me like I was standing still-as I type
this now, I realize that they were had experience 'free falling' over rocks and were wearing appropriate trail shoes (I stupidly wore my supportive Nike training shoes - I chickened out on wearing my new-ish trail shoes as was afraid of blisters) - one man told me to keep my nose over my toes! and just 'go for it'. After another climb up Burndt Knob - 3,180 feet!(I found the climbs easy – was able to run up parts and passed alot of the big men and women! who passed me on the down hills).

I found myself all alone (until i tried to relieve my bladder on the side of the trail - then ironically someone passed by) until the 6.2 mile aid station - this was a gift from God, as my friend Rick had backpacked in (he does this every year) food and drink - he offered many words of encouragement (like the fact that i wasn't last)but he did warn me about the biggest climb ahead - Blackhead Mountain - 1 mile of a climb up 3,940 feet. He said 'when you get to the base of Blackhead, you'll know' - and I did, as many well-wishers and volunteers were at the bottom.

I loved the climb up Blackhead, as I felt great scampering up (we had to climb up vertical ledges at the top and pull ourselves up trees) - I passed at least 10 men who were 'breathing dangerously hard (at least my lung power got me some help in the race)- the top of the climb was lined with balloons and cheering volunteers (including kids - mountain goats). Only 18.7 more miles to go! We were offered candy, all kids of snacks... the peanut butter and jelly sandwich was the best I ever tasted - oh and the view was spectacular!! 2 men asked me to take their photo and I figured it wouldn't put a damper on my slow race time!!

The runners had to pass through the next climb in 4:15 to stay in the race (Dutcher's Notch, another big climb to 12.2 miles) and I hit that aid station in 3:38 - thank goodness I wasn't going to be sent off the trail head! The sun started to beat down, although the trail was shaded, and the ground dried a bit. I became more confident about 'jogging' over the rocks, roots and stumps - I had stubbed my big toe and yelled in pain for all to hear every time I tripped on a rock...at the next climb up to Stoppel Point, I had been on my feet for 4:30 - more than any ultra - and my legs were beginning to tire - it was harder and harder to navigate the relentless rocks and ledges (instead of jumping, I crawled over) - we did see the infamous wreckage of a private airplane that crashed - that was spooky.

Finally, an aid station volunteer told me that we 'only' had 4 miles - that 4 miles took me over an hour to complete! We had to go along big flat rocks and cliffs and jump down big ledges - again, the view was spectacular. The last 2 miles seemed to take forever - we had to follow the blue flags and had to again get through steep, rocky, ledges. I looked at my watch and I had been climbing, jogging, or crawling for 5 and ½ hours! A volunteer then yelled that we were 100 yards from the finish - truly, I though I would never see the light at the end of the trail tunnel - but there it was - a finish line.

My brother and sister-in law (and Frank who had just finished) were waiting for me. Oh, and to add insult to injury, in the last downhill climb, the women's winner had hiked back to cheer us on - hadn't she had enough climbing for the day? Didn't she know she had to back down the darn trail?? I was hot, sweaty, bug bitten, and exhausted but so elated to finish in one piece. Diet coke never tasted so good, as did the pasta salad and bagels and peanut butter. After a quick campground shower, we were on our way...oh, and the most exhausting thing was having to focus on the trail the entire time - to take one's eyes off the ground could be fatal!

I realize now that with some downhill running training (maybe I'll never be fearless) and some decent shoes (like the new Merrills), maybe I can take an hour off my time...but then, I should just be proud of myself for power-hiking the 6 climbs and the 18.7 miles. Taconic RR member Nick finished in 4:11, Frank in 5:20 (he also slipped down the downhills with the wet conditions and had to be extremely careful going down - he had tootsie rolls in his race-ready shorts and every time he tried to unwrap one he fell!). Obviously, the real mountain goats (like the winners) can shave hours off their times by flying down - but then again, maybe it's good to be slow - at least I survived.

p.s. a volunteer cheerfully told me at the finish that since I came in under 6 hours I could get into the 'race' next year - as if it was the best news we'd heard all day ...

pete seeger celebrates 20th anniversary of walkabout clearwater coffeehouse in white plains: photos

last night 89 year old folk music icon, pete seeger, played a concert benefit at the white plains high school to celebrate the 20th anniversary of "walkabout clearwater coffeehouse." pat was at the concert and took these great photos.

the clearwater project was started by seeger in january, 1989, to raise awareness of waterway pollution. check out this earlier ny times article describing the project, seeger, and the upcoming concert benefit.

while i didn't go to the concert, i did catch the very timely pbs american masters program on pete seeger, "the power of song," on friday night (and rebroadcast yesterday).