Filed under: Events, Group Runs, History of Running, Inspiration, Members, NBR Goings On, Races
Yesterday was the three-year anniversary of the first race that North Brooklyn Runners ran!
Yes, it was three years ago that NYRR added the “North Brooklyn Runners” option to the Team drop-down menu and three of us signed up to run the City Parks Foundation – Run for the Parks 4 Miler on April 5, 2009. It’s amazing to see how much the team has grown over the past three years! At the time of the race, NBR was only a few months old and we didn’t have uniforms, or a website, or even a quarter of the organized runs we have now. And even though so much has changed in NBR, the core idea of the team being open to anyone who loves running no matter how fast or slow, or whether they race or not, or even if they live in Brooklyn or not, is still true today = ].
Thanks to Aja for founding the team! And thanks to NBR for three awesome years of racing. If I didn’t have such great people to run with i know I wouldn’t have stuck with running again this long. Oh and thanks for making it impossible for me to run a race and not immediately follow it with brunch.
| Last Name | First Name | Bib | Overall Place |
Gender Place |
Age Place |
Finish Time |
Pace/ Mile |
AG Time |
AG Gender Place |
AG % |
| DECKER | MATT | 538 | 63 | 62 | 15 | 24:15 | 6:03 | 24:15 | 144 | 69.4 % |
| MCCUSKER | ANNA | 1383 | 604 | 53 | 13 | 28:44 | 7:11 | 28:44 | 109 | 66.9 % |
| LOCKLAIR | RANDY | 1344 | 1463 | 1182 | 220 | 31:55 | 7:58 | 31:53 | 1592 | 52.8 % |
-Anna
Sunday 12/11/2011 1:15 PM
Come out this Sunday for NBR’s first doughnut run! Meet at the usual spot, Northside of McCarren Park Track by the recycle bins at 1:15PM for a tour of three of Brooklyn’s best doughnut joints!
The roundtrip route is nine miles total. See you there!
-Brian C.
(Click on map for larger view.)
The Percy Sutton Harlem 5K on Saturday, August 27 (and the Bronx Half-Marathon on Sunday, August 28), have been cancelled.
Bronx Half and Percy Sutton Harlem 5K registered runners and volunteers who meet NYRR membership requirements will receive 9+1 qualifying credit toward 2012 marathon guaranteed entry, and Bronx Half registered runners who meet NYRR membership requirements will receive qualifying credit toward guaranteed entry to the 2012 NYC Half.
Read the details on the NYRR Site.
But Get some miles in before the storm! this Saturday morning:
a) The bridge run is on. Come on out for a run over the Williamsburg Bridge followed
by coffee at Atlas (Grand and Havemeyer).
We’ll meet at 9AM by the base of the North-bike side of the bridge. Near S5th and Roebling.
b) For the Funday, Long runners, check our google group for details.
Currently meeting at 7am at on the Bklyn side of the Manhattan Bridge.
The next club points race is the Fifth Ave Mile (September 24th) Register Now! It’s already new capacity.
Run hard, stay safe.
Join us each First Friday of the month for The Salmon Run!
By popular demand we’re doing The Salmon Run monthly on the first Friday of the month while the weather is nice for eating outside (through October?). Meet at the McCarren Park recycling bins at the north end of the track at 7:30 am each first Friday for a low key run (about 2 miles at a conversational pace). We’ll bring a dozen bagels from Peter Pan and some cream cheese. We’ll do the standard run – up Driggs, left on Humboldt, and left on Calyer to Banker and backwards down Meserole and Gem St. to Acme Smoked Fish. We’ll arrive just as they open at 8:00 to take advantage of their Friday am smoked fish sale. With our fish in hand we’ll continue down Kent to East River Park for a brunch by the river. If someone wants to volunteer to pick up coffee and meet us at the park that would be great – or we can stop by Cookie Road. Any brunch contributions, more bagels or bagel toppings or whatever are welcome. Pink regalia is encouraged. Non fish eaters welcome. In case of rain we’ll reschedule. See you there!
-Peter M.
Time: 7:30am
Distance: 1.7 miles
Pace: 9-10 min miles (Sometimes we are carrying coffee and bagels)
Effort: Extremely comfortable. (Sometimes Backwards)
Led by: Charlie (co-leaders of KateM & JohnS) sometimes by original leaders ToddZ & PeterM.
Meet: Da Bins. ( Northside of McCarren Park Track)
Route: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=4424186
Monthy confirmation: Be sure to check the Google Group for monthy details and confirmation.
We run as a unit the wrong way up various Greenpoint one-way streets (get it?) at a very mellow pace for a nice light 1.5 mile warmup.
As we get to the final block of Mesarole Ave and Banker St, we run it backwards for the full effect. Waiting on that street corner is the entrance to the Acme Smoked Fish plant, which opens every Friday at 8am for wholesale smoked fish to the public at insanely low prices. The operation is cash only, so come prepared!
Armed with the full smörgåsbord of bagels, smoked fish, and cream cheese, we skip down Kent Ave a few blocks to East River State Park, where we hold a fabulous breakfast picnic against the backdrop of the Manhattan Skyline. Those whose work desks are calling can make theirs to-go. We can probably coordinate a coffee service from Cookie Road just around the corner.
Last year and previous months have had great turnout. I wish we could start this earlier to accommodate those with strict 8:59am factory whistles at their jobs, but the Acme plant’s operating hours are the blocking factor.
* If you have an aero backpack you don’t mind jogging a mile and change with, bring it so I can help distribute the bagels for thosewho don’t want to hoist their bagels Olympic-torch style during the run.
* Cyclists welcome to come and roll with us, if you don’t mind disobeying traffic laws. 
Also known as the Omega 3 Clearance Run!
No we’re not trying to clear Omega-3 from our systems, we’re running over to Acme Smoked Fish to buy our Essential Fatty Acids on sale to put them where they go best – on a cream-cheese covered bagel! The Salmon Run starts tomorrow at 7:30 am at McCarren Park track recycling bins. So get your fatty acids out of bed and join us or you’ll have to wait another month…
-Todd
Since the beginning of NBR, we have had the privilege to lead speed workouts every Thursday night. It is based on a weekly workout that is repeated every month. The workout has stayed the same during these 2 years for several reasons. The first is to keep it simple. As a runner, It is easy to remember- after a few months at least- which workout to expect. As a “coach” it is easy to learn how to time each workout, how to break up runners into specified heats, how to phase in recoveries after each rep. The second is to keep speedwork as a somewhat diluted workout that can accommodate all runners of all skills and running intentions. It has worked well, and we have enjoyed leading all the runners that have committed to coming out.
Now, with a new year, a new club points schedule, and perhaps a more developed and grown NBR, we are wanting to move forward. I can believe that this has the possibility to create an exclusive workout. With that in mind, I would like to define the exclusivity we are aiming for. First, I must make this clear: we do not limit speedwork to only fast runners. We understand that everyone has different talents and experiences, and rather than honing in on the fastest of the group, we do want runners to come out with the fullest intention of getting faster. In this sense, Thursday night is different than other scheduled NBR runs. It has always been our goal to have the workouts make our runners faster, and we have been able to see this pay off.
So with that preface, we will be introducing a new way of leading Thursday nights. The workouts will be seen as monthly ‘training sessions’ that are geared toward racing the distance of the upcoming club points race. I am compelled to do this for several reasons. First is because I am competitive. I hate to project this onto the group, but that is what interests me, and I will exploit my leading a run to fulfill my desires. Second, I believe in the group as a whole. I think we need to preserve the diversity of runners that represent us, especially at the club points races. And I want us to be confident in doing it. Thirdly, I know we are fast. And I know there is a lot of potential for us to get faster. I would rather work on the people I run with and love to get faster than wait around to recruit the one that will bring home the bacon (although that would be nice too). This is where we might seem exclusive: don’t expect to run Thursdays without getting faster. I am not a certified coach, nor have I ever had and official experiences beyond one season of high school cross country. I see running as pretty simple. But after running my first marathon (and taking the months of training beforehand a little more seriously) I am starting to believe that there is a little bit more to training for a race than just running fast or long. So with the help of other runners that I have much respect for, here is the workout planned to get you in shape for the first club points race of 2011: The Coogans 5k on March 6th.
week 1- Feb 3rd:
4-5x400m
week 2- Feb 10th*:
6x1200m
week 3- Feb 17th:
6x1000m
week 4- Feb 24th*:
4x800m
4x400m
week 5- Mar 3rd:
easy workout
* Denotes dates of NYRR Thursday Night at the Races
Even more demanding in these workouts will be the dictated pace of each rep and the recovery times between. The generalized concept behind these workouts is to build up a tolerance of running at faster speeds than what you are usually running during your other daily runs, (There is actually a science to it, i am learning, where you are building up your body’s lactic threshold which allows you to run harder with less fatigue…basically, your body learns to run more efficiently, which will help you regardless of what type of runner you are. Sounds like a pretty good deal.) While I mentioned that I am not thoroughly qualified to assign specific workouts, I would encourage runners to see Thursday night workouts as only part of a 5k Training program. There are several sites with great workout plans for all types of runners, and pretty much all of them encourage speed enhancing workouts.
We hope this change isn’t seen as offensive, as our intentions are only to encourage everyone to strive for their desired potential. We love NBR and what it stands for, and love seeing you guys get fast.
-Jennifer Daniels
Two years ago NBR had it’s first group run– it was the Bridge Run & Coffee. And as we’re about to do that run again, I wanted to just give you all a big e-hug.
For all of you who have been with NBR since the early, frozen days to the many of you joining every week, I just want to thank you for making this group what it is. I’m really proud of each of you and have loved watching the group grow, see individuals achieve amazing goals, and most of all, experience the formation of a sincere community– it’s like watching those “magic crystals” come alive! I honestly never envisioned NBR to be as big or vibrant as it is– I had this feeling it would be me, Misha, and hopefully a handful of other people.
It was a blast celebrating two years of this amazing group with so many of you at the Prom last weekend and I look forward to many more!
North Brooklyn Runners– you rock my world.
Love,
Aja
With temps in the mid 40′s and the sun shining we couldn’t have asked for better weather to run rogue in VanCourtlandt Park. Some of NBR and the Dashing Whippets awesomest runners made the trip to the Bronx to get back to basics and run through the woods up some mean hills and then down some kamakazi downhills. The day started off with a few bumps but all came together in the end to turn into a great race. Midway through it I was feeling nauseous and ruing my decision to attend last night’s Happy Hour but then I heard the sound of my spikes on gravel while arms flailing downhill and I thought to myself ‘God I love cross country’. On the very next uphill I recanted that statement and then went back to loving it again. Such is XC at VCP.
Pavel Marosin won 1st place in the Men’s Division and Anna McCusker took the Women’s. Ken Allen also won his division of Fastest Runner Wearing a Sling (now that’s hardcore!). Matt Wong stopped by to cheer and was immediately given the responsibility of timing the race and Mike Essig ignored conventional driving etiquette to get to the Bronx to be the official race photographer.
Post race we enjoyed gatorade, coffee, and bagels courtesy of Shane Clarke who was also awesome enough drive up the “hand-crafted” race souvenirs which were immediately put to good use at the “brunch” at Gleason’s.
All in all I had a lot of fun and am really happy to have run with everyone. Thanks for coming out guys!
-Anna
Some event photos can be found on The NBR FB Photo Page.
More photos and a write-up courtesy of The Dashing Whippets.
Official Race Results:
| Last Name |
First Name |
Team | Bib | Overall Place |
Gender Place |
Finish Time |
Pace/ Mile |
| Marosin | Pavel | NBR | 104 | 1 | 1 | 15:03 | 6:01 |
| Zino | Todd | NBR | 101 | 2 | 2 | 15:50 | 6:20 |
| Yang | Marvin | DWRT | 128 | 3 | 3 | 15:57 | 6:23 |
| Batten | Scott | DWRT | 102 | 4 | 4 | 17:28 | 6:59 |
| Lin | Jeffrey | DWRT | 133 | 5 | 5 | 17:33 | 7:01 |
| McCusker | Anna | NBR | 523 | 6 | 1 | 17:40 | 7:04 |
| Clarke | Shane | NBR/FDNY | 116 | 7 | 6 | 17:40 | 7:04 |
| Grevemberg | Kevin | NBR | 103 | 8 | 7 | 18:00 | 7:12 |
| Kelly | Megan | DWRT | 106 | 9 | 2 | 18:06 | 7:14 |
| Allen | Ken | NBR | 136 | 10 | 8 | 18:20 | 7:20 |
| Slaski | John | NBR | 124 | 11 | 9 | 20:17 | 8:07 |
| Huber | Christine | NBR | 139 | 12 | 3 | 20:23 | 8:09 |
| Mormon | Karen | NBR | 125 | 13 | 4 | 20:25 | 8:10 |
Official photos by Mike Essig:
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Thursday’s PM Track Speed Workout Gallery from November 28th.
Pyramids! 400m – 800m – 1600m – 800m – 400m
From the Lens of Ken Allen:
Hey All!
Jen, Linda, Katie W., Pavel, and Aja are leading FREE runs co-sponsored by Asics & The Sports Authority this month. The series kicked off last weekend, and you want IN!
Free breakfast (bagels, fruit, juice, coffee), free Asics swag (last week it was caps, water bottles, beanies, and gloves), a chance to win free Asics shoes (only a handful of people came out last week and they all won shoes).
This is a great opportunity to tack on a few extra miles to a Saturday long run, take in fall along the Hudson River or Central Park.
DETAILS
What: 5-mile Group Run (various pace groups) & Stretching
When: Saturdays in October – 9:00am
Where: TWO LOCATIONS – The Sports Authority on 6th Ave. at 19th St. AND 3rd Ave. at 50th St.
Other: Bag Storage available
Spread to word to other NBRs, friends in the city, anyone who might be interested!
Please volunteer to be a substitute run leader. Enter your contact information and select runs you’re able to lead on this spreadsheet.
