Pre-Christmas Trail Run in Van Cortandt Park

Running the old Holiday Marathon course on the trails of Van Cortlandt Park this morning was a trip down memory lane!  Back in the 2011-12 "era" - a much more innocent age- we had a series of holiday themed "marathon" in VCP.  Runners could do four 6.5 mile loops for a full marathon (or any number, for that matter).  The results were recorded on the honor system via a sign out sheet at the start/finish (Tortoise & Hare statue).


The tradition was brought back this morning when the trail runners meet-up group set off with about 15 or so runners, following the old route.  Interestingly, in the intervening years the one major change was the addition of a concrete switchback at the one mile (or so) mark to reach the highway overpass.  In the old days (did I really write that - haha), we climbed the steep embankment up to the highway (and in winter an old rope would be added to make the icy, slushy climb more manageable).


I had a great time - and if I had more time would certainly have gone out for a third loop!  One funny fact: I got a parking spot on Broadway, not to far south from the Tortoise & Hare statue, for the 1st time in years!  Typically, I find myself parking at the Horace Mann school - that's how hard it is to get a spot right off the park! 


Great trails, great company, and even great weather - an awesome way to spend Christmas Eve day!

no st. patrick's day marathon... the sad, seeming demise of free holiday marathons :(

the seemingly implacable impasse between the parks department and the holiday marathons over the use of van cortlandt park has scratched yet another free holiday marathon from the calendar. with the cancellation of the st. patrick's day marathon, that brings it to three straight (after the new years and valentine's day) marathons that could not be run at van cortlandt park. it's actually four straight because the christmas marathon was relocated and held at tibbets brook park in yonkers,

whatever the reasons for the continuing impasse - and the laundry list of grievances is apparently endless (you can read the holiday marathon statement) - there's plenty of blame to go around.  that's not really the point, however. what matters is that if the holiday marathons are to resume at van cortlandt park, adults need to show up and work out the problems (regardless of how big, small or intractable they may seem).

it's unbelievably frustrating because after a year of incredibly fun races we're left with nothing going forward.  unofficial fun runs through van cortlandt park just aren't the same thing.  luckily, there's plenty of time to work something out before the easter marathon - and, hopefully, it will return :D

2011 thanksgiving marathon races: photos

another fantastic weather day - in the middle of november! while it was pretty chilly getting up, by 9 it was in the 40's and sunny for the first anniversary of the holiday marathons at van cortlandt park. last year the thanksgiving marathon kicked off what quickly became a holiday tradion - free cross country trail races at varying distances (from 10k thru the marathon) - and just recently the addition of a 5k course.

but in a twist from last year, the long (6.55 mile loop) wasn't available - the parks department hadn't signed off on it.  instead we ran a 3.25 course that pretty much followed the traditional cross county route over the back hills.  instead of 1 loop for the 10k, it was 2 - and so on (with 8 loops making up the marathon).  the 5k distance was 2 loops of the parade grounds.

even with the course alteration it was still a great time.  like last year, i only ran the 10k - and had to rush home to start work on our thanksgiving day dinner :D

brooklyn marathon packet pick-up at the gibson

who would have thought i'd be back on the nyc marathon course, headed to the gibson bar in williamsburg, for the brooklyn marathon packet pick-up?! it was deja vu walking the 4 blocks of the course (7th to 11th street along bedford avenue) at twilight, that had been packed with spectators just less than two weeks ago.

and, when i arrived the first person i see is michael, who was helping steve set-up. then, after almost a year of interaction via email, fb, phone, missing each other at races, and even podcasts - i finally met up w/steve in person! to make it an even trio, just after stepping inside the bar, eliot walked in!

you know it's going to be fun when pick-up included unlimited rounds of six point beer :D in actuality, however, the bartender kept our glasses full w/brooklyn lager while the sixpoints got cold enough to serve :O  it was a great time!

2011 halloween marathon (5k): race photos and results

after the 5k twice around the parade ground), i realized that i had now run all the holiday marathon distances, 5k, 10k, half marathon, and full marathon (although not in that order). it was a fantastic day to be outside - and we shared van cortandt park with a high school cross country meet that added to the sense of runners "all over the place."

i actually came in second place, with a 22:07 - it had more to do with the small field than any inherent speed :O  tomorrow is the nyc marathon, so i didn't want to push my luck with the 10k, or longer distances. 

maybe it was the rescheduled date (moved from the snow packed last weekend) or most of the regulars were resting up for tomorrow's marathon - but the field was noticeably smaller than past holiday marathons.

smaller size or not, it wasn't any less enjoyable!  i'll add a link to the results once they're posted.

new york running show podcast: memorial day & vermont city marathons, celebrate israel run, and freihofer's 5k

last night's new york running show, episode #33, covered the memorial day and vermont city marathons, the celebrate israel run, and the freihofer's run for women 5k. with only joe, ari, and i on the show, we didn't actually have a participant in the women's only 5k - but joe was a volunteer at the race and gave us his perspective :D

joe also gave us his take on the memorial day marathon races at van cortlandt park last weekend - the latest instalment of the holiday marathon series. ari covered his race at vermont city last weekend. and ari and i both talked about the celebrate israel run. good stuff!

listen to, or download, it here at talkshoe.

2011 memorial day marathon: race photos and results

it was a hot and humid day in van cortlandt park. the morning kicked off with a thunderstorm that flooded a good stretch of the trail for the first half of the memorial day marathon. a bunch of us started early, at 9:00 - todd, mark, joe, emmy and me. if emmy hadn't insisted on running the entire 4 loops, i would easily have called it a day at the half! i'm glad we stuck it out. ran a 5:15 (which was 10 minutes slower than the queens 50k on saturday!) - and emmy finished her first full holiday marathon!

i'll post a short race report, and add a link to the results once they're posted.

a few more photos posted on facebook.