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ialwayssayinterestingthings:(via designworklife)
Earlier I had posted about the Broadway Ultra Society’s Pioneer Memorial 100 Mile Trek, an ambitious three day event with a 50K option in Alley Pond Park. What I did not post was that I had actually signed up for the 50K, but was uncertain about whether or not I would actually do it. I haven’t been feeling super healthy and this 50K would mark the fifth straight weekend of fun running related races, as well as the second 50K in one month. It would be naive to think that my body would put up with that without acting out just a bit. That said, 5:45 AM yesterday morning, a few minutes after I woke, I was greeted with a wave of uncertainty/doubt/laziness/fear.
There were a couple of things to consider: Is my hamstring okay? Will it be unbearably hot and humid? What was the course like? Would I be comfortable taking my first official DNF if worse came to worse? Would it be worth it?
Not knowing what to do, I texted three friends.
Response 1: DO IT! [INSERT CONFIDENCE HERE]
Response 2: Do it, but control your expectations or you will be your own worst enemy.
Response 3: Wow, we we clearly take our weekends differently. You wake up at the ass crack of dawn to potentially run a 50K, I wake up past noon to catch up on sleep. I personally would hold off, but knowing you, you prob already ran it.
I must really be that transparent. New 50K PR set, and I got a trophy! So funny! Everyone was a bit surprised to find me smiling 9 repeats of the 3.45 mi loop later, but what can I say? I was happy.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lluv1yI0sZ1qzmtc6o1_250.jpg)
A humbling ultramarathon adventure.
This weekend, while some of us will be lying ocean-side with adult beverages, relaxing, and celebrating Memorial the best way we know how, there will be a select few attempting to run 100 miles in three days. This challenge is called the New York Pioneer 100 Mile Trek, a three day event in memory of Abe Fores, John Sterner, Al Williams, Nat Cirulnik, Ed Levy, Harry Murphy, Aldo Scandurra, Kurt Steiner, Joe Yancey and Ted Corbit.
The 100 Mile Trek is a New York Ultra Running Grand Prix event which covers 33.333 miles a day and it begins tomorrow at 9 AM at Alley Pond Park in Queens. To learn more about this ultra adventure and, for the brave, to find out prices for day of registration, click here.
Please note that there will also be a 50K option tomorrow, May 28 in Alley Pond Park. For more information about that race, click here.
Sunday's NYC AIDS Walk raised $6.2 million
i heart nyc.
THE ESSENTIAL MAN: Tourists
Today a couple asked me to take their photo outside of a coffee shop in Tribeca.
Their unnecessary camping backpacks with matching fanny packs, maps of New York clutched in their hands, gave them away. Tourists.
I happily obliged.
As I was fiddling with the settings of the camera, I noticed the woman was adjusting the man’s shirt. I snapped the photo.
“Oh!” The woman said, “We weren’t ready.”
I ignored her as I looked at the photo.
The man was a good 5 inches taller than the woman. His chin straight and soldier like. But his eyes were looking at her. His mouth tugged with a slight smile. The woman had no idea as she was fixing his shirt that he was adoring her. Captured forever.
“Trust me, this is the photo you want. I’m a photographer.” I lied.
As they examined the photo’s nuances on the tiny 3” LCD screen, the woman’s head naturally gravitated towards the man’s chest.
Tourists.
Share a photo, share a meal
How many of you post photos of food on Tumblr? Check this out!
“For each breakfast photo a user uploads to the Web site shareyourbreakfast.com, the Kellogg Company will donate a breakfast to a child who might otherwise go without. The project is part of a national advertising campaign for Kellogg called Share Your Breakfast, which will support National Breakfast Day on Tuesday.”
My Life on a Mat: The Inflexible Stretch a Little
My old health club back in Brooklyn had a Sunday morning yoga class that was often attended by a couple of Hasids. This is of course an odd thing to see considering the extremist branch of Orthodox Jews live so separately and abide by the strictest of rules, one of which likely prohibits practicing an Indian spiritual discipline.
These Hasidic yogis would show up on mats in their signature suit pants and white under tanks, yarmulkes pinned on to unruly hair. They sweated like crazy, working at each pose with dedication. It was fascinating and inspiring to witness the culturally and socially isolated men try out Warrior poses with a room full of tattooed goyim.
Yoga for everybody!
