Boy scout NYC 16 mile walk and dec 13-14 races

chuck, hank, alex and will in front of the Queensboro bridge and Roosevelt island

alex, will, hank and chuck at Beekman place

finally warmed up --no snow yet.

Santa caps were the costume of the day

Santa cheers on the runners
Yesterday, I ran the holiday 4 miler ONLY because had to meet the boy scouts on their annual 20 mile hike through NYC(which stopped at 16 due to cold)...figured that I could kill 2 birds with one stone --get some speedwork in and walk with the scouts. I dropped off Hank at the Greenwich train station at 6:30 a.m. ---it was 25 degrees and windy and he was grumpy and tired!! But at least 5 parents and 8 boys were waiting with him -they would take the train in, take the subway to Brooklyn and begin the walk over the Brooklyn Bridge. Most of the boys would walk 10 miles to Grand Central and go home --I was needed to walk the rest of the way (you need 2 parents) ---so, I picked up Frank and we found a great parking spot on 97th and Madison!! We found ourselves out in the elements at 8 and were reminded of the joys of winter racing -ugh. Both of us put on more clothing. I was overjoyed to see Susan B. with her boys --they were brave to run in the cold and wind!! Never found them at the finish...but sure her boys did well.
As for the race, Frank ran 26:38?, beating out Shelly and Susan's friend from Running Divas.--I could not get my legs moving ---but was happy to run the first 2 miles with John S.who was as usual dressed in singlet and shorts, at age 65. My third mile was slow (6:55?) and the last mile I focused in on finishing and ran 6;45 --so OK...
Frank left for the train and I went back to find Susan and decided the only way to stay warm was to run a few miles with my pack---then after NYRRc and car, took subway to 33rd street and met up with the boy scouts. After a fun lunch in GC, a boy scot father, Chuck, myself and 3 boys walked through beekman place and sutton place, and across 57th street to the park --we decided that since my car was at 97th, we could walk to the North end of the park and back and to the car, making it 16!!! Both Chuck and I had senior moments --we could not remember that that area of madison is called 'Carnegie Hill'!! We couldn't wait to get to the car and ask someone.
I am kind of bummed out that we didn't do the full 20, as the boys were warm and OK..
but they had done 26 last year!! and by 3 p.m. it was bitter cold..after Starbucks, we hopped in the car and drove to Greenwich train station.

Fast forward to this a.m. --Taconic RR puts on a fun relay with a pancake breakfast after in Blue Mountain reservation n Peekskill. Frank and I ended up winning!!
(all finishers got socks and a race t-shirt). Amazingly, Frank won the raffle for a homemade cheesecake...i can't think of anyone more deserving of a cheesecake than him! It was all a stroke of luck as 2 years ago we came in 3rd overall. But this year we just edged out my friend Elsie and her partner. But it's always competitive! The whole point of the race, besides the fun relay, is to socialize with TRR friends, most of whom were hungover from the Sat night party:).