• Jessie Lever Taylor on Coming Back from Injury

    One of the worst things about being injured is the good advice other runners give you – after you’ve injured yourself. If only they’d given it before. I’m hoping this piece might provide more timely advice, highlight some very bad decisions I made, and prevent others from getting injured.

    I’m a very goal-oriented individual. After a graphic on Strava showed me I’d run over 20 miles for 7 weeks, I became fixated on running at least 20 miles a week. I didn’t listen to my body even though my right foot was becoming increasingly sore. I ran on through pain because I thought I was just being soft if I stopped. I topped all of this off by actually limping to the start of a 5k just because I’d paid to do it and didn’t want to pull out.

    Once I was injured, my decision-making did not improve. I did rest my foot and do exercises until it was no longer painful when I walked. Helpful members of CHRC suggested that I recover by using the rule of twos. Go for a very short run (I started at 10 minutes). If it doesn’t hurt, then increase your next run by two minutes. If at any point it hurts, reduce by two minutes. Never run on two consecutive days (you need time to see if there is any pain). This went well until I got up to 20 minutes. I foolishly decided that I was obviously completely recovered and started longer runs again. I had signed up for my first-ever half marathon and was determined to do it. Every missed training run felt like a disaster, so I was desperate to get running longer distances again.

    The result? You’ve probably guessed. Another injury – though in a different place this time. I guess I was running with an odd awkward gait in an attempt to protect my incompletely healed tendon. One of my toes took the brunt of it and I developed a stress fracture. Needless to say I missed the half marathon I’d rushed back to train for, and another after that!

    Among other things I’d done wrong was to forget that when you are in your 30s stuff just doesn’t heal as quickly as it did when you were 20.

    Fracture eventually mended, I was all set to suffer my next injury. I was back doing short runs, meticulously using the rule of twos. One day, my left shoelace came undone, once and then again. I did it up and ran on. Outside of the Brooklyn Museum, it exasperatingly came undone a third time. I reached down, yanked my shoelace as hard as I could, did it up super tight, and completed my run. A few minutes later I had a lot of pain on the top of my left foot. Dr Google diagnosed me with an injured tendon in the top of my foot because of too much pressure from my shoelace.

    This was the final straw. Not only was I injured again, but it was the most ridiculous injury. I had injured myself by tying my shoelace too tight! Now back to that advice that comes too late… I reluctantly admitted my injury to a few other runners. They had one of two responses. Either “Oh I had no idea you could injure yourself that way” or “Oh yeah, that’s why I use the bunny hop method”. What? Wait! There’s an actual shoe-tying method to prevent this? If you don’t already use this method, then I thoroughly recommend you Google it and start!

    I have now been back running for nearly 5 months. For the first couple of months, I expected every run to end in an injury but I used the rule of twos until I was up to a 42-minute run, my pre-injury mileage. I have only signed up for a few races this year, as I don’t want the pressure to train. I just want to enjoy running again. I am slowly regaining confidence in my body. My only goal for 2018 is to not get injured. I’m listening to my body and not running when I have the slightest twinge and I am tying my shoelaces with the bunny hop method. If anyone else has any other injury related advice, now would be a great time to tell me!

  • Nate Turner » 2018 Tokyo Marathon

    TO START

    Going to Japan had been a dream of mine since I was a 13-year-old learning Japanese against my guidance counselor’s advice. It was my favorite class and the one in which I did the best. Didn’t know it would take so long for me actually travel to Japan, but the Tokyo Marathon gave a great reason to finally make the trip.

    THE EXPO

    Like any other large race — Tokyo is one of the five largest in the world — race weekend started at the expo, which was held at a giant, futuristic looking event hall called the Big Sight. Hundreds, if not thousands, of runners were patiently lined up to get checked in and collect race packets. Once inside, the race staff and volunteers worked to get us through quickly, even as we had to go through all of the security checks: providing IDs for verification, having our photos taken, and having our important information associated with our individually coded wristbands.

    From here, the next step for runners is the upper level of the expo, itself. The upper floor is the designated space for booths set up by various race sponsors. With a constant barrage of lights, electronic sounds, and booth staffers projecting their voices above one another, this area at times felt like being dropped into a mash-up of Times Square and a chaotic video game . . . or a regular day in Shinjuku. (I later learned that the Tokyo Marathon Expo is the largest trade show in the country.) Since only registered participants are allowed in the bib pick-up area, this is where many people connected with their family members. I hung out on this floor a bit to have my photo taken a few times, buy some official race-branded snacks (yum), and knock back some non-alcoholic Asahi (um, okay), but passed many of the other attractions in favor of heading to the lower level where the vendor booths and much of the race swag could be found.

    Parts of the vendor level were impressive. As the official apparel company for the race, Asics had the largest shop on the floor with over FORTY tech shirts on display! I regret not buying an official jacket because they’ve proven nearly impossible to find since the expo. An unexpected bonus of the expo was the Asics-run 2020 Summer Olympics merchandise booth where Kristen and I both found some nice wearables to bring home.

    Unexpected bonus number two came outside of the expo hall: the look in Kristen’s eyes when we came across a local band performing a cover of John Denver’s “Take Me Home Country Roads” in both English and Japanese.

    THE RACE

    A simple breakfast and an uneventful train ride to the start village made for a very quiet beginning to what would be a great day. Going into the race, I had a predicted time goal based upon my training plan. If I were to hit this goal, it would represent a major improvement over my existing personal best. The jump was significant enough that, going into the race, I took some comfort in knowing that getting anywhere close to this (arbitrary) goal would represent a great achievement for me.

    Navigating through the start village (on the grounds of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building) was made easy by the many volunteers from the Tokyo Marathon Foundation Official Volunteer Club. The “Voluntainers” even staffed the port-a-potty lines to make sure the traffic flowed quickly and smoothly. After doing a few warm up drills, I found myself in my corral and with great sense of calm. Small things that I either forgot for race day or moments of doubt felt during training didn’t matter. I was here. I belonged here. I was going to be happy with the day.

    A big blast of confetti and we were off! For such a large field of runners, the race as a whole felt very uncongested, even through the first few miles. I was reminded at dinner the night before the race to be aware of the downhill over the first five kilometers of the race. Although I had it in my mind to take it easy at the start of the race, I could feel the pull of gravity driving me toward a more aggressive pace than planned. That said, my effort level felt right and I decided to ride my luck a bit. What’s the worst that could happen?

    The ten and fifteen kilometer marks came and went without any issues. There is a lot more new architecture than old to be found in central Tokyo due to most of it being built after World War II, but running into the Asakusa neighborhood gave an opportunity to see some of the oldest buildings in the city. At twenty kilometers, as I was nearing the halfway point, I still felt pretty strong. At the same time, I wondered how long I could hold the pace. Just because I felt good doesn’t mean that I wasn’t still pushing my luck. In the fifteenth mile, I knew I’d have to slow down a bit or else suffer for the remainder of the race. This tactic paid off: after slowing down, I was able to pick up the pace to something more in line with my goal pace for the next five miles. I was cruising and everything was awesome. Awesome until it came time to grind it out for the last ten kilometers.

    Going into this last stretch, or true second half of the race, my legs still felt ready to go all day. Opting for a pair of VaporFly 4% racers over some of the more firm shoes I’d worn in prior races turned out to be a good decision. 4% improvement or not, the construction of the shoes did help me to keep pushing forward as my energy level dipped below where I would have liked it to be.

    My gels weren’t quite up to the task, but I squeezed every last calorie out of the next to last one I consumed. I say next to last because I dropped my last one on the course and would have to rely on the aid station offerings to hopefully give me a boost. I didn’t try the majority of what was available — bread, oranges, salted plum, adzuki bean paste, salty candy, and chocolate(!) — but did get my hands on what would feel like my saving grace: cherry tomatoes! I was only able to get a couple of handfuls as I ran through the latter refreshment stations, but enjoyed popping each sweet burst of goodness into my mouth. Well, as much as I could when I really wanted to be on the other side of the finish line.

    Much of the race’s final ten kilometers takes place on one of three out and back sections of the course. On an early one, I was able to see the elite competitors heading the other direction. Going into the final one, I felt like the turnaround was always another kilometer ahead; so close, yet just out of reach. Eventually, I made it to the last turnaround and even though you’re never done until you cross the finish, I knew that I’d happily be across the finish line shortly. Despite looking rough (as witnessed by a friend who spotted me on the course), I was going to make it through on cherry tomatoes and will power.

    About 800 meters from the finish, I saw another runner speed past me. Although there was no way that I’d be able to latch onto him to carry me through, I knew that it was time to pick things up and make a strong push toward the finish line. One last turn and the finish line was in sight! Above the cheering spectators, I could hear the PA announcer acknowledging different runners as they closed in on the finish line. Knowing that an international runner yelling in Japanese would get some attention, I screamed out something about the power of nature (credit: DJ Towa Tein and the Jungle Brothers). The reciprocal shout-out from the PA and love from the crowd was a great boost to have over the final 100 meters. And done.

    POST RACE

    It wasn’t too long before the joy of finishing a marathon was joined by the physical discomfort of having run a marathon. Although a few other runners and numerous volunteers noticed how labored my walking was, the soreness in my hips and legs was secondary to the effect the weather was having on me. 40° F is an excellent temperature while running, but walking nearly a mile to bag check in the same conditions while wearing a singlet and shorts isn’t as much fun. In the moment, my heat sheet became almost as important as my medal. Eventually I made it around the Imperial Palace grounds to Hibiya Park, where my checked bag was located. Soon enough, I was reunited with my wife and a crew of great friends from Chicago and Osaka who waited out in the cold to see me finish and to make sure that I made it out of the post-race area under my own power.

    A COUPLE OF THOUGHTS…

    • The high level of organization and local cooperation helped support an amazing experience for me. Being one of the Abbott World Marathon Majors doesn’t just mean that the Tokyo Marathon is a large race in a big city that people run in order to complete the series of six races for a special medal. It means that organizationally, there is an expectation that the needs of the runners, from refreshments to security, will be fulfilled in a massive way. On this, Tokyo did not disappoint. As someone who has run the NYC Marathon a number of times, I also appreciated running in a city where the public transportation system worked with the race organization in a major way to ensure that runners made it to and from the race as efficiently as possible. Trains running on time and not on a weekend schedule before an event where you have to move thousands of people? Free one-day metrocards for all runners? Is this runner heaven? No, this is Tokyo.
    • Running internationally helps illustrate how much of a unique position we’re in as runners in the US in regards to gender equity. While many marathons in the States have participant fields that are around half female, with even greater numbers in half marathons, the same cannot be said around the globe. Of nearly 35,000 total finishers at the 2018 Tokyo Marathon, less than 8,000 were female. Shows that the great work of women like Kathrine Switzer and Joan Benoit is far from done. I didn’t sense any animosity toward female runners at the Tokyo Marathon, but would love to see more women participate worldwide and feel that American women can offer a lot by just showing up. (Charity spots for 2019 are scheduled to open this July with the lottery coming in August.)
  • Royal Race Report: Guillermo Jimenez on the NYC Half Marathon

    It was a great day for CHRC! Congrats to all of our 23 finishers!! Andrew, Guillermo, Michael, Walt, Leslie, Gideon, Nicole, Sonya, Amanda, Kay, Aliza, Sebastian, John, Ethan, Emily, Sophie, Rachael, Elizabeth, Shelley, Madeline, Erin, Priti, AND Zoe!

    Photo: Jaimie Lee

    What was your race experience like?

    The 2018 NYC Half was an awesome experience! I was really excited about the new course. The fact that it started right in our neighborhood added to the excitement. There is a proverb in Spanish that says,  “El hombre propone, pero dios dispone”. It roughly translates to “A man can plan and prepare all he likes, but God has his destiny preordained.  I had done lots of meticulous planning and everything seemed to be aligning, but you can’t control two things: getting sick and the weather.

    On race day, I was recovering from a bad cold that earlier in the week made me contemplate not racing. The temperature was 28 degrees and windy. Needless to say, it was cold! Luckily, I drew from Gideon’s wisdom and prepared by bringing a hat, an old jacket, old jeans, and a heat sheet to keep warm and toss at the beginning of the race. That plus two sets of hand-warmers and the thousands of people around made the weather more manageable.

    Last year, I had the pleasure to chase after our very own Kay and start at the corrals with Jimmy and Akil. This year Kay was injured and taking it easy. Gideon was running this year, but not racing either. He had a 20 miler scheduled as part of his NJ Marathon training. As I was waiting in the corral, I met someone from the Queens Distance Runners Club. After awhile, you start seeing the same people in your corrals. Though we’d seen each other, we’d never had a conversation. He was unprepared for the cold, and since I wasn’t using the heat sheet, I offered it to him. He gladly took it. We shared our goals and before we knew it, it was game time!

    As people began to move to the starting line, I noticed that my right shoe lace was loose! I almost panicked! I had flashbacks from last year’s Staten Island Half Marathon, where my shoelace came untied three times. I got a hold of myself, moved to the right side, and made sure both laces were secured! I was planning on running according to effort and not looking at my watch. Last year, I kept looking at my watch and in Times Square someone yelled, “Hey banana, just run! Stop looking at your watch!” Ever since then, I don’t look at my watch until the end of the race.

    The excitement made me forget about my sore throat. I usually keep to the left during races because it tends to be less congested, but I knew that the cheer squad would be on the right. I thought that being on the right side would help with pacing since it would be congested. I was wrong! It was as if someone was playing a joke on me. The path was clear and then before mile 2, I passed the 1:25 pace group! I felt good. My breathing was constant and I felt I could keep up that pace for 11 more miles, so I figured maybe I could do something close to that time. Shortly after that, I passed the royal banana CHRC Cheer Squad. It is always nice to see your fellow teammates braving the temperatures to cheer you on. That was adrenaline boosting!

    Photo: NYRR

    Climbing up the Manhattan Bridge was tough, not physically but mentally. It was there that the 1:25 group passed me and the 1:30 caught up and I knew I had overreached. From there, the headwinds picked up and at times I felt like a kite! By mile 6, my legs felt extremely heavy. I felt that familiar and unwelcome burning sensation of lactic acid building up. On the other hand, my breathing was fine! It was as if I didn’t even have a cold!

    Times Square gave me a boost. The crowds were very supportive. It was there that I met up with our former teammate Nigel McGregor. We had planned to start and run together but we missed each other at the start. He told me, “Wait ’til the park and we’ll let it rip!” I smiled, but I was struggling. Somehow, when we entered Central Park, I saw Michael Oria and Andrew Karp! They helped me pull through and my pace picked up.

    By mile 10 or so, I saw Dan cheering. He called my name but I couldn’t shout back because I literally had no voice! In those last two miles, I kept my eyes on Michael and at the last mile I made my move. My competitive nature took over and we battled in the last 800 meters. I don’t remember who crossed the finish line first, but it was fun and before I knew it, it was over!

    Photo: Cheereverywhere.com

    I saw Nigel and Andrew at the finish line, but it became really crowded and when I looked around, I couldn’t find Michael, Nigel, or Andrew. It was at this time that my body reminded me that I was recuperating from a cold. I began to cough uncontrollably. The usual “Good job, man! I was chasing the banana the whole time!” and high fives from strangers were abundant. The coughing became a bit more manageable. I took a heat blanket from a Volunteer and thanked her. I noticed she was trying to warm up her hands and since I had two sets of hand warmers, I offered her one set. She gladly took them. I was glad to have packed a bag with warm clothes. The temperatures were still below freezing. Overwhelmed with that classic runners’ high, I went to the Running Center to warm up and had my medal engraved.

    Did you train for this race ?  If so, how?

    Yes! This race was my main motivator for the winter and I put lots of work into it. When I started running in 2015, I came across a training app from the shoe company Asics. It is called RUN My Asics and I have been using it ever since.  Before I joined CHRC, I used to follow the plan the app provided almost religiously. But I love to run with the CHRC crew, so I transitioned and began to use the app’s training plan as a guideline and sort of come up with my own training plans. The cool and bad thing about the app, depending on how you see it, is that it remembers whether you’ve achieved your previous goals. This meant that aside from the usual runs with CHRC, I had to incorporate more workouts. It was during one of those grueling workouts that I met my friend Gabriel. We had been “friends” in Strava for awhile, but had never met in person. Then one day I heard some stranger call my name. Shocked, I picked up the pace but he was able to keep up! He introduced himself and that’s how I met my Tempo Thursdays partner.

    Did you have any goals for this race? If so what were they?

    Yes! One of the books I enjoyed in the winter was Meb For Mortals: How to Run, Think and Eat like a Champion Marathoner. In one of the chapters, he talks about goal setting and how to achieve your goals. My take on his philosophy is to just let the timing be right. Don’t rush your development and if the time seems right, go for it. He advises runners not to be too ambitious. For example, if your PR is 2 hrs on the half marathon, it wouldn’t be realistic to set your next goal to beat 1 hour and 30 minutes. On the other hand, he warns about setting goals that are too loose and don’t  challenge your abilities. So I was inspired and decided that trying to break 1 hour and 30 minutes for the half marathon would be a realistic yet challenging enough goal.

    Meb also advises the reader to have a backup plan just in case things don’t go according to plan. A week before the race, it seemed like things would be perfect. I had completed all of my challenging workouts at the planned pace. The weather was predicted at 45 degrees and the plantar fasciitis I had been dealing with was almost gone. Then on Sunday night I began to develop that familiar and unwelcomed throat soreness accompanied by an intense burning sensation in the nose that signals the beginning of a cold! As the days went by, I felt worse and worse. Then the forecast changed from a balmy 45 degrees to 27 degrees at the start!

    When I try to beat a PR, I don’t wear the banana, because it makes it extra challenging. Worst case scenario plan went into effect. I would wear the banana and try to beat last year’s time while in banana regalia, but if things were really bad, I would just have fun!

    Did CHRC help you train for/run/celebrate this race? If so, how?

    Yes!  I did about 75% of my total  training with the Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday crews. Ever since joining CHRC, I try to make it out to those days. Tuesdays have really helped me develop my stamina and speed. The Friday crew makes sure to have a chill pace perfect for recovery after my Tempo Thursdays and the Saturday crew makes the long miles fly! During the race, the CHRC crew braved the low temperatures and came out to cheer. They are my heroes, but after all, bananas come in bunches. After the race, some of the crew came together at the Dekalb Food Hall, where we shared our war stories (mostly about the cold, wind, and hills), and then headed home to warm up.

    What was your favorite thing about the race?

    My favorite part about the race was that the start was literally a block away from my apartment.

    What was the biggest challenge about the race?

    Holding back and not going out too fast and the low temperatures at the start. And the headwind that turned me into a banana kite!

    Would you run it again?

    You bet I would!

    What advice/tips would you give to Royals wanting to run this race?

    It’s easier said than done, but don’t start too fast. The downhill on Flatbush towards the Manhattan Bridge will batter your legs. Do your tempo runs by starting downhill at Battle Hill and finish them by going uphill. That way you mimic the start and the end. Most of us got too psyched by the uphill finish to mimic the start during training, and we paid for it.

  • The Best Camping Trip Yet!

    Louie has been a CHRC member for two years, and give us this report of “the best camping trip” yet!

    After a popular and successful spring 2017 camping trip, Sunny organized yet another camping trip in the fall. The group was smaller, but still cool, and we decided to go camping in Harriman State Park, NY, about a 1.5 hour drive from Crown Heights.

    We were all set to meet at Sunny’s place early Saturday morning, October 14th, and head out but it was a delayed start for us. The Brooklyn Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon was happening and roads were temporarily closed. We would’ve gotten away with camping, if it weren’t for the meddling runners!

    While waiting for the runners to pass, we packed a trowel and toilet paper. We ran across Berlin and Chicago marathon finisher Akil, who was training for the NYC Marathon. Convincing him to run a fourth marathon, the Philadelphia Marathon, wasn’t working, so we decided to let Akil finish his run. After the last few RnR runners passed, we got into Shelley’s car and began our outer-Brooklyn adventure!

    Heading up north, we passed the Manhattan Bridge (part of the new NYC Half course), The High Bridge (more bridge than park), and the Tappan Zee Bridge (I think? Someone fact check this!). Shelley found a Stop & Shop on Route 202 to purchase food and water. This is when we encountered our first [world] problem for the weekend: what kind of chips should we get?

    After we resolved our food problem, we continued driving into the park region following 3 Porsches on part of their lunch trek to Goshen, NY. Unable to pass ourselves off as Porsche owners, we eventually veered off and found the parking lot to the start of the trail head. Our first trip had no slips and we engaged our quads on the incline up Tom Jones Mountain. The foliage was vividly colored in red and green! Although we did see a sign for a shelter (H/T Spencer), we did not see the lean-to, which was also marked on our maps. We found a different spot to set up camp, then returned to the car to get the remaining gear and food. Each one of us slipped gracefully on the second trip.

    Back at camp, we set up our tents. Sunny and I both purchased new tents from Campsaver.com, which has great deals on camp gear! (Please send sponsorship money to runningroyalty01@gmail.com). With our camp set up, it was time for lunch:

    • Multigrain loaf
    • Triple-creme brie
    • Sustainably packaged Munster cheese
    • Spicy, non-GMO hummus with imported Mediterranean herbs and spices
    • Gluten-free certified, non-GMO, potato chips cooked in high monounsaturated oil with salt and fresh ground pepper
    Sunny the Jester of Many Hats

    With our bellies full, we were ready for a hike. We decided to go counterclockwise in the shape of South America. It was a rough decline and we knew we had to go back up at the end. But we came across an intersection: the trail was marked with a “V”, but the map showed it was a blue trail. After closer review, we discovered that “V” was for Victory, which would be the final trail of our hike. We continued on the red trail until we reached Parker Cabin Mountain, which had yellow triangle trail markers. We passed hikers going up the yellow trail who warned us to “be  careful going back up”. The yellow trail was steep and technical! We were relieved we were not returning back. Instead, we were heading to the blue Victory trail.

    The relatively flat gravel roads on the blue Victory trail were much appreciated after the yellow triangle. The trees and views of Lake Skenonto also made the path scenic! But suddenly Shelley stopped. She spotted a deer that seemed to welcome us with the expression, “S’up, bro?” As we took pictures, we were reminded of the beautiful nature surrounding us despite the asphalt road, 2 Porta Potties, and random metal pipes. Later on, the blue Victory trail was much more scenic with trees and fall foliage, so scenic that we missed our turn, backtracked, then bushwhacked part of the way to the red trail back to camp. After hiking South America, we built a fire and enjoyed a rustic dinner:

    • American-style chili with non-growth-promoted turkey
    • Kosher black beans
    • Gluten-free tortilla chips with organic sea salt

    We ate huge portions of dinner and no dessert. The starry night sky was clear and we exchanged deep, dark secrets around the campfire that we would all take to the grave. It was time for clean up, then off to bed.

    We woke up the next morning contemplating cooking a hearty egg breakfast or tasting the local flavor at the Mount Ivy All American Diner on Route 202. Trying to avoid further trips and slips to the car, we packed it all up in one trip and headed to the diner! Most of the diner tables had jukeboxes, except ours. But it was here that we learned which of us had a fondness for ketchup! We ended our dining experience with scratch-off lottery cards, which is apparently a tradition, and drove back to Crown Heights.

    While the trail markers in Harriman State Park definitely needed a new coat of paint, you can’t beat a getaway from NYC with some wonderful runners not running!

  • CHRC Goes Camping – Again!

    Curious what a CHRC camping trip is like? Heather Strickland tells all.

    I love camping. Something about the fresh air, the campfire, and the mild danger of being eaten by bears really makes my heart sing. So when our fearless camp captain Sunny started gathering the names of people who might be interested in a weekend in the woods, I eagerly put my name on the list. And at 7am on July 8, nine CHRC campers and a bag of Tostitos Scoops packed more than should be humanly possible into two cars and made our way to the Catskills.

    First on the agenda: hiking. On the way to the campground, we stopped for a morning hike up to Boulder Rock and Inspiration Point. The ground was a little damp but our spirits certainly weren’t. We passed lakes, climbed rocks (Gideon and Anna hoisted themselves onto Boulder Rock itself), jumped over crevasses, and tried to convince a group of kids that there were polar bears in the mountains.

    After hours in the woods and some beautiful sights, we were famished. Fortunately, we’d passed a general store/ice cream shop on our way to the trailhead, so we drove a half mile up the road and grabbed two picnic tables to enjoy lunch, with an appetizer of soft serve. Aliza and Sunny did a KILLER job grocery shopping, and I had what I’m going to call the best sandwich of my life.

    …and that’s when the rain set in.

    We huddled under the picnic umbrellas to stay dry, and passed our bread between tables under towels to preserve the integrity of the loaves. Spencer protected (and ate) the Tostitos. We waited for the rain to pass, and hoped that our campsite would be dry.

    We arrived at our home for the evening, Magic Forest Farm, a few hours later. Our site had a fantastic view.

    Though it was a little muddy, we were able to get a nice fire going in our elevated fire pit. Chef Sunny, assisted by his sous chefs (aka everyone…we had some amazing team work!), started marinating chicken and chopping up veggies, and we set our tents up in shifts. Louie’s tent looked like a weird little space pod. Sunny and I both brought hammocks and set those up near the fire.

    A well-known fact about runners is that our appetites are…very, very good. Even after our giant lunch, we managed to devour our chicken, veggie, corn, and potato dinner. After dinner, Sunny had us play a game where we shared something we admired about each other and our wishes for each other for the future. Considering that I walked into the trip near strangers with some of the group, it was wonderful to go to sleep that night having made real friendships.

    Danielle broke out the s’mores and we all swapped stories. Some people went for a late night walk, and others turned in early. It was such a beautiful night, if a bit chilly, and the crickets were calling, so I abandoned my tent mate Shelley and dragged my sleeping bag out to my hammock to sleep under the expansive night sky.

    In the morning, a group of us went for a trail run. We got a little turned around by the muddy trails and giant hills, and we intended to go for 5 miles, but only ended up going 3. But at the end of the trail we found goats, ducks, chickens, and cows, and hanging out with our new farm friends made the missed miles totally worth it.

    Back at camp, Anna was making pancakes. We cooked up some eggs, fried potatoes, and tortillas, and had an incredible breakfast feast. Gideon slept through most of it.

    As we piled back into the car to head back to the city, I was so thankful to Sunny for arranging this trip, so happy to have met my CHRC crew, and so excited to do this all over again.

  • NYRR Team Champs

    Dave Gibbons reports back from the NYRR Team Champs, August 5th 2017.

    In early August, 11 CHRC men and 14 CHRC women set out for the Team Championships 5 mile race. Team champs isn’t like most NYRR races; the men and women run at separate times which gives the team the opportunity to cheer for the other group before or after their race. This year, the men’s race was scheduled for 7:30am. However, the weather threw a wrench in NYRR’s exceptionally meticulous plans as rain and lighting delayed the start to 8:30 am. Despite the heat, humidity, and early rain, both the men and women’s teams came out strong to cheer and run hard.

    Starting at the 102nd street traverse, the men’s team gathered in the corrals and the women’s team was just ahead to cheer on the start. James B, Spencer, and Guillermo led the men’s team with sub-34 finishes. The course was well supported with cheering stations set up by all of the local clubs. Although the heat and humidity got to some of the runners, our men’s team ran tough and all 11 finished.

    After the men’s race, the men gathered at the start to cheer on the CHRC women. All 14 CHRC women finished the race. Shivani, Jess, and Carol led the women with sub-40 minute finishes.

    We had three bananas race this year, celebrating our one-year anniversary of debuting the CHRC banana suits in a NYRR race. Spencer, Guillermo, and Gideon toughed it out in the heat to represent our club in full banana flair.

    Given the heat and humidity, this race wasn’t ideal for a lot of PRs, but some runners were able to set a new personal best for the 5 mile distance. Other runners, who were in the middle of marathon training and taking it easy or battling injuries, still put their best foot forward to represent CHRC.

    It’s exciting to see our club getting bigger and more people training hard for the upcoming fall marathon season. We’re looking forward to seeing the results.

  • Running Bananas: The 1st Person Experience

    This week, a special race report from Gideon Bautista aka Captain Potassium, describing his journey running bananas.

    Whenever another Crown Heights Runner wants to race in a banana suit for the first time, I always say, don’t fret the aerodynamics, but steel yourself for a psychological gauntlet.

    Take my first race: Team Champs, 2016. There were two of us then. I often wonder if Spencer spent as much time worried what the other clubs must have thought. After all, being a permanent fixture in the corral preceding me, he could always peel away from me and be done with it. But was Spencer immune to such great doubts? That we were showing everyone up? Or that we were a bunch of clowns, not taking the 5 miles seriously enough? I’m always happy to be silly, but to think I was disrespecting the race, that made my skin crawl.

    If he thought any of these thoughts, his buoyant demeanor betrayed none of it. Ultimately, when it came down to that hot July morning, our reception was swell, with every spectator’s and fellow runner’s cheers a shot of adrenaline for us along the way. All this adrenaline, of course, exhausted me; I PRed, but doled out splits far beyond what I was ripe and ready for. Hence my advice to CHRC runners who’d join me in the NYC Marathon and Ted Corbitt later that fall: such head games a banana suit plays with us.

    I’ve not a regret. However, if I could produce one change, I’d ask the ever effervescent announcers on the PA: might you opt for puns of a less slippery sort. I’m sure they could find more tasteful low hanging fruit.

    — Gideon Bautista

  • Brooklyn Half Marathon Race Recap

    In spite of training derailments, injuries, and other unexpected obstacles (which we runners have no shortage of experience with), almost fifty #CHRC team members crossed the finish line among tens of thousands on the boardwalk at Coney Island this spring.

      

    The results of the day consisted of majority Personal Bests (PBs or PRs), at least 3 first time half-marathon finishes, a flurry of confetti for newly wed friends, no DNFs, zero banana peels left on the course. Our top runner came in at 1:24; our back-of-the-packer swept in at 3:14. Twenty-four members came in #Breaking2 and one member who missed the 2 hour finish by just 31 seconds… but then again, he did take an extra 2 minutes on the course to double back on Ocean Parkway to give kisses to his cheering family.

     

     

    Congratulations to our top scorers!

    #CHRCWomen:  Aliza, Elly, Nicole, Leslie and Desiree
    #CHRCMen:  Spencer, Andrew K., Walt, Guillermo and Robert

     

    As a member on the sidelines, ready to cheer, I (Kay) had the pleasure of seeing the mental and physical strength of my running buddies. Coming through the 11 mile mark nearing the end of that dreaded Ocean Parkway stretch, #CHRCWomen and #CHRCMen were ever-cheery, smiling and waving, spotting our cheer team’s jumping bananas sooner than we could spot them as they zoomed by.

      

     

    It wasn’t the best race day for some and a struggle to the finish for many (no one said a half marathon is easy). After time to rest and raise the legs, some beer and all the delicious foods (thank you L&B Spumoni Gardens!), the #RunningRoyalty is bounding back into summer training as I knew they would. Congratulations Crown Heights! See you back on the roads very soon!

    **Thank you to all the runners who shared photographs of their best and worst moments. Thank you Yael for all your photos taken from the cheer spot

  • Volunteer with CHRC @Girls On The Run 5K

    It’s not too late to sign up for our semi-annual volunteer activity: the Girls on the Run 5K on Sunday, June 4! Sign up by this Friday to secure your spot with the team. 
    DETAILS:
    • When: Sunday, June 4 @ 9am-12ish (volunteer shifts start earlier); with team brunch together after for folks who want to join! 
    • Where: Roosevelt Island (via F train or tram; we’ll travel together from Crown Heights!)
    • What: 600+ 3rd-8th grade NYC girls have spent the season building their confidence and having a blast through running. Their curriculum culminates with huge accomplishment: a 5K! We can help GOTR make this as much fun and run as smoothly as possible, while having fun ourselves!
    What is GOTR?

    Girls On The Run is a national youth development program that uses running to help 3rd-8th grade girls build confidence and other amazing attributes and skills through running. The season culminates in a 5K, which relies on a lot of community support! We need volunteers to help with all aspects of managing the event and to run with the girls.

    SPECIAL INFO: Our very own Allison Hauser is the Executive Director of Girls On the Run: NYC and Aliza Gazek is coaching a team this season! Aliza’s team members and many of the other girls in the program need buddies to help power them through the 5K and volunteers to set up the course and hand out snacks– this can be you!

    SIGN UP: 
    • Sign up by Friday, May 26 to get your volunteer assignment as part of the CHRC Team!
    • General Volunteer: Click “Click here to register to volunteer”. Then click “Join an Existing Team” and at the bottom under “Registered Teams,” select “Crown Heights Running Club” from the dropdown. You will join other CHRC volunteers in helping with registration / course marshaling / water stations / etc. A $10 fee covers a background check and volunteer goodies.
    • Want to Run/Walk? Click “Click here to register to run/walk” and register to be a Sparkle Runner (ladies only) to be matched with a team to help inspire and support them along the course. Or sign up as a General 5K runner (all genders, all ages)! Select CHRC from the dropdown for your team. Donation $30-35.
    Please contact Aliza (community@crownheightsrunningclub.nyc) if you have any questions!
    She is coaching a team of girls this season and they would all love love love to see you out there!
    Banana suits welcome!
  • AirBnB Brooklyn Half: 9 DAYS OUT

    The AirBnB Brooklyn Half is just over a week away!

    Over 60 members of #CHRC will be running this year’s race so you’ll be in great company! As you get tapered for the big day, we want to help you celebrate all that you have accomplished to this point in training and the important day. 13.1 miles will be over before you know it so let us help you make the most of it! This is our 3rd Club Points race of the year so for all those #CHRCWomen and #CHRCMen vying to make our standings count (top 5 CHRC finishers in each category), there’s plenty of motivation to power through! Let’s go #RunningRoyalty!

     


    PRE-RACE PARTY and PREP

    SATURDAY MAY 13, 2017 @8:00am

    Final Long One: Led by Spencer. Meet at Franklin and Eastern Parkway! Whether you are running next week’s event or just need a long run, join us for an easy 8 miles through Brooklyn’s finest park 😀

    @10:00am (GEAR DISTRIBUTION) at***BREKUKELEN COFFEE (FRANKLIN and St JOHN)***

    Join your fellow royals as we talk about what to expect on race day. From pre and post race tips to strategies for the course itself, let’s get all prepped for a great day in Brooklyn!

    Get your pre-ordered new and fresh running club gear so you can be fully ready for the main event! You can test them out in the coming week, and get ready to wear your #CHRC gear on race day — much easier for cheer team to spot you on the course!


    WEDNESDAY MAY 17, 2017 @7:30pm

    Meet Kay at the Brooklyn Museum steps for a jog down to Brooklyn Bridge Park to pickup your pre-race packets, check out gear, go through a coaching of the course, drink a beer and watch the sunset over Manhattan. Kay will have any CHRC gear that was not picked up over the weekend.

    This is your last chance for gear pick-up!

    Not able to make the run but stopping by the Pre-Race Party? Let us know! We’ll meet you there!

    BIB PICK-UP: **YOU MUST HAVE A PHOTO ID and QR CODE IN ORDER TO PICK UP YOUR BIB AND RACE MATERIALS**.  By now, you should have received an email from NYRR with details about getting your race number from the Brooklyn Half Pre-party  from 12p-10p on 5/17 Wednesday, 5/18 Thursday, and 5/19 Friday at Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 2

    ***Please note: there is NO race day pickup.*** Don’t forget your ID! Your QR Code is available on your MyNYRR Page, or from any other NYRR race you’ve run.


    RACE DAY: SATURDAY MAY 20, 2017 
    Start location: Washington Ave & Eastern Parkway near the Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn
    Race start: 7:00 a.m. Wave 1, 7:45 a.m. Wave 2
    Weather:  64 degrees F, mostly cloudy at 7a, with light 7mph winds.

    DETAILS: http://www.nyrr.org/races-and-events/2017/airbnb-brooklyn-half

    BAG CHECK: Wave 1: Eastern Parkway at Bedford Ave — CLOSES AT 6:10 AM

    Wave 2: Grand Army Plaza at Eastern Parkway — CLOSES AT 7:00 AM

    PACING: Why run alone? Record your goals and collaborate with Team CHRC with this wonderful spreadsheet!  

    PHOTO, RESTROOM, WARM-UP: Please meet us at 6:20AM by the Botanical Gardens for a team photo, and then a warm up job!  Restrooms are available beside the Botanical Gardens, and on Eastern Parkway just east of Underhill Ave.


    #CHRC CHEER STATION @7:30AM

    For those of you NOT racing but want to participate in this all Brooklyn event and cheer on your teammates or clubmates, we will have a CHEER STATION!

    We’ll be stationed on the southwest corner of Ocean parkway and Avenue U with the CHRC banner and signs. We expect to start seeing runners a little after 8am. Racers, with about 5K to go, don’t forget to look for us for your personalized high-five and super #CHRC boost!

    Please feel free to bring snacks & drinks for the cheerers (donuts, coffee, margaritas…etc) and the runners (bananas, oranges, gu…..). We’ll pack up around 11:00am and join the Post Race Celebration at L&B Spumoni Gardens!

     


     POST-RACE CELEBRATION

    HUZZAH!! YOU DID IT! Let us help you enjoy the rest of your day and your recovery! Look for #CHRC at baggage claim in MCU Park! Please check in with Gideon (check your email for his cell number), even if just to say you finished, but we hope to see you at baggage claim or Breakfast!  ***Note: Cellular service is usually spotty at the park and finish!

    ***Breakfast/Food/Celebration***: The Finish area is quite a zoo and it may be hard to find each other. Once you’ve stretched out, gotten your things and enjoyed a beer in the park, Join us a little bit away for a slice of Sicilian at Spumoni’s! Walk yourself over (you can do it!) to the D train at Coney Island/Stillwell Ave, ride 2 stops to 25 Ave, and walk on in!

    If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact Gideon.