I ran to The Bronx

MapMyRun calls it 17.6, but I think it was closer to 20 miles. I wanted to see what the Willis Ave Bridge looks like. My running club is gonna run over it as part of our "Last 10 Miles Run" the week before the NYC Marathon.

Along the way I noticed lots of people on bikes. Today was the Bike MS. Thousands were riding around the perimeter of Manhattan. My wife and I did that about 15 years ago. We started in the Plaza of the World Trade Center. I always remember that we sat on the edge of the giant statue that was there. That statue has been moved. It is now in Battery Park. It is all dented up. Whenever I run there I slow to a walk and think of how nice is used to look. How nice that day was....

When I was running North from the Battery I stopped and talked to a marshal. I said, "I can't run with them can I, I am going all the way to the Bronx?" She took me seriously and said, "No, not here run uptown a little and the pack will thin, they will be going slower and you will be fine." Cool. I realized that if I did that I would not have to run around the UN. I could run under it.

So at 34th Street I looked over at the FDR. The bikes had thinned out. I would not get in the way. But then I saw the bad thing. Three school buses and 2 big FedEx trucks. The chase vehicles. It was the end of the pack. I merged onto the highway anyway. What the hell. Moments later I heard a police officer in his cars speaker. "Sir, please leave the highway, it is about to be opened up to traffic." I did. It was. When I passed the UN, traffic was in full force.

So I got back on the recreation path and decided to run over to Randall's Island. Over that really steep foot bridge. I remember there being a nice water fountain on the other side. It was busted and the new one had no plumbing yet.

I got up to 125 Street and saw the mess that is the Willis Ave Bridge. It will be fine on Marathon Sunday. But now my club will know what to do on Oct 25.

And yea, I took the subway home.