Filed under: NBR Goings On, Races | Tags: marathon, New Jersey Marathon, Races, running, volunteering
The road to the Marathon is long. The road on the Marathon is long. The road to recovery post-Marathon is long. Even those of us, like myself, who did not run the BIG RACE, are still reeling a bit.
So since everything to do with the Marathon is long, I’ll keep it short.
We had 19 ass-kicking North Brooklyn Runners members running the streets of NYC last Sunday and 20 or more NBR volunteers cheering, pouring water, and mixing horrifying quantities of sticky electrolyte fluid at Mile 12 on Bedford and N.12th on the Williamsburg/Greenpoint cusp for 8 hours straight.
We had no fewer than 3 or 4 people qualify for Boston (two of them first time Marathoners), and at least 6 NBRs who are planning to run that Marathon come April. This race got people sick. Sick with Marathon Fever. And the only cure is… MORE MARATHONS!
So whether you’re up for the rag-tag crew forming to run the NJ Marathon in May, joining the ever-growing Boston contingent, or have another spring marathon up your sleeve… you and your need for long, cold weather runs are well met here.
Some Mile 12 photos by Mike E. below and some photos by Karl here.
Also some local NBR Marathon press here.
Everyone is amazing. I <3 NBR!
-Aja
By now you know that Mile 12 is the “official” NBR noise-making point for the Marathon. Wear your NBR shirt, come out, bring friends, shake a poster, play DJ, get rowdy!
Mile 12 = Bedford @ North 12th
The action starts with the bad-ass handcycles & wheelchairs around 9am, followed by Paula & co. around 10:15am, Ryan & the arm warmers around 10:40am, and “everyone else” right after until 1:30pm. The bulk of our runners will be passing by between 10:45am and 12:45pm.
NBR Love to everyone running! Kick ass!
Hey NBR!
There are two non-running NBR events this week plus renegade volunteers and cheerleaders wanted for the Marathon!
Spring Track Meet Meeting – Monday @ 7:30pm
Urban Rustic – 236 N12th Street (Driggs/Roebling)
A note from Matt: We’ll be talking about ideas for sponsors and we need a lot of ideas! Let’s also come up with an official name and date for the event. We’ve been talking to the powers that be in the neighborhood and we have mostly good news to report. Hope to see you there!
Email Matt if you have ideas for sponsors but can’t make it!
Marathon Poster Making Party – Wednesday @ 8:15pm
615 Union Ave., #1L (@ Roebling)
Let’s make posters to cheer on all of our 18+ runners doing the Marathon next Sunday! Cristina (who is also running the Marathon) has volunteered to host a Marathon Poster Making Party! Come after work or right after the Wednesday Night Run– she’s right by the park.
We need people to bring: posterboard, markers, poster paint?, ideas, snacks & drinks to share. Please RSVP if you can make it and what you will bring!
Renegade Volunteers & Cheer Squad – Marathon Sunday – ALL DAY
Mile 12 Aid Station – Bedford @ N12th
We need noise makers, cheerleaders, poster holders, snack bringers, PA tenders, and good spirits at our “official” cheer point in Williamsburg along the Marathon course. With 18+ members running the event and 20+ registered volunteers at the Mile 12 Aid Station, we’re primed to make a scene. If you have ideas for what you’d like to do, email us!
Even if you haven’t yet been to any events, we’d still love to have you out to any of these goings-on this week! And of course we have all of our normally scheduled runs this week as well. Looking forward to seeing you soon!
- Aja
THE STORY
As you may have heard, Marathon day volunteering does not count towards your 9+1 qualifying requirement. I know this is a bummer for many– I just found out about it myself at last week’s NYRR Club Council meeting.
According to NYRR, the main reason they’re not counting it is because they don’t have the infrastructure to support keeping track of everyone on this grand of a scale (6000+ volunteers). I realize this doesn’t seem like a good reason and seems counterintuitive to the whole 9+1 program NOT to include the marathon as a qualified volunteer opportunity, but it’s out of our hands. Hopefully you’re also volunteering because you think it will be fun, and not just because you “have to”, but I digress…
HOWEVER….
After being one of a couple of club reps at the meeting voicing their concern about this whole thing not being well communicated, I was later approached by Edwin, the NYRR Volunteer Coordinator who I’ve emailed with a lot this past year but hadn’t met. In the end because we’ve been understanding, he’s agreed to make NBR a very special and kind exception and will help us out with this.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
If you have planned to volunteer on Marathon Day and need it to count towards your 9+1, here’s what’s up…
- You MUST register on the Marathon website as a volunteer at “our” aid station (#11) – Mile 12 (N12th @ Bedford)
- I will be keeping track of signing in and out our volunteers and confirming that they completed their entire shift (7am-3pm). I can only keep track of those volunteering at Aid Station #11 as that’s where I will be, and what I have agreed on with Edwin.
- If you haven’t already, please post your name here once you’ve registered as a volunteer
- If this volunteer situation doesn’t work for you, let email me off list and we can discuss your other options.
HOW TO REGISTER (click)
NBR Love,
Aja
As North Brooklyn Runners’ crazy ultrarunner, I dream about races on trails far from the congested streets of Greenpoint. I initially read about the Dick Collins Firetrails 50 Miler in Trail Runner magazine, and it sounded awesome — good footing, good views, good foods, good people. I fantasized about running it, but didn’t register until just a month before the race. I’m so glad I did – it was my favorite ultra ever, probably even my favorite race.
With a view like this, how could I not be inspired to run fast?
The course was hilly — lots of ups and downs — and is an out and back. This means that while mile 20-25 you are running downhill, you hate it because you know on the way back you will be walking and suffering. Most of the hills weren’t the heavy-breathing-painful-walking-type-hills, but the kind where you could drink some water while power walking or even do a slow run up them. There weren’t too many technical portions, but there were some really lovely views.
Smiling big around mile 16I was SO happy to finish. I was pushing as hard as I could, running the hills, and when I saw the finish line, I almost started crying. I ran with my hands high up in the air, pumping them with a massive smile!I had PR’d by an hour and twenty minutes — I finished in 9:47! I had hoped to break 11 hours, and to break 10 was awesome. I came in the top 100, and this was pretty fantastic in my opinion (out of 234 starters).
Next Monday, October 19, is Club Night at JackRabbit for NBR. Mention NBR or North Brooklyn Runners at the register and get 15% off all purchases!
This is just enough time to get a new pair of sneakers for the marathon. Ideally, shoes for a marathon should have 50-100 miles on them at most. Pick them up, break them in the rest of the week. You can also pick up various other delightful items JackRabbit has, like delicious energy gels (which you can use to sweeten your coffee like Nelson does), t-shirts to replace those stinky ones, watches, and more running geekiness!
This offer is valid only at the JackRabbit by Union Square between 6pm and 8pm.
42 West 14th St (between 5th and 6th Aves)
(212) 727-2980
New York, NY 10011
- Cherie
Filed under: NBR Goings On
If you need to pick up your shirts or just want to go to an awesome new market in the ‘hood this weekend, head on over to the Greenpoint Food Market by McGorlick Park on Saturday from 12-5.
I will be there selling my delicious sandwiches and cookies for the very first time and Misha may make an appearance making food related on-site art. Incidentally, I will also be handing out NBR shirts to you all. It’s going to be a lot of fun so even if you have your stuff already, you should come on down and check it out.
Address: Church of Messiah located at 129 Russell Street between Nassau and Driggs Ave.
<3,
Aja
NBR rocked the Greenpoint 5K this past Sunday, picking up no fewer than 6 trophies and a case of Brooklyn Lager in the process! And yes, there were some dance-offs.
With a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place sweep in the Women’s 20-29 category, high fives to Beth, Jen, and Aja! Misha and Matt place 2nd and 3rd in the Men’s 20-29 category and Mike E. placed 3rd in the Men’s 40-49 category, woohoo!
Our friend Miriam B. was the top overall female finisher! Yeah! 
Thanks to all of those who came after the Staten Half or otherwise and cheered on the sidelines and hung out after. (And congrats to Karl and Anna M. who ran qualifying times in the Half that morning!)
Check out the photos and dance-off video!
Click here for full results from the Greenpoint Get to the ‘Point 5K.
