How can a Volcano in Iceland can reroute a 5K in Queens?

Today I ran the "JFK Runway Run".  This is a fun race the course takes you out and back on the tarmac at Kennedy Airport.

As a Race Director I can appreciate the logistics of this event.  1,000 runners show up at the assigned spot and they have to be bused to another place because the course can not be determined until hours before the race because the wind direction will dictate which runway can be closed.  Also, all the buses have to enter the starting area together because of FAA or Homeland Security regulations.  (who knows?)   When the race starts you can't CAN'T  let a runner leave the course.  It is an active airport.  That was last year.

This year we could not run on the runways.  Why, you ask?  Because all the flights that are grounded because of the volcano that is spewing all the ash into the North Atlantic.  What does grounded flights have to do with the runway at JFK?  Well they are on the ground.  Sitting on the Runway at JFK.


We had fun anyway.  The Race Directory kept announcing that they had "complementary bag check".  I thought that meant that they would take your bag and tell you it looked nice.  (a little funny).  But these are airline people.  For most of them bag check cost about $25.

Anyway,  Tara Costa was there.  I saw her on TV.  The Biggest Loser did not inspire me to lose weight, but Tara did inspire me to compete.  She was one fierce competitor on that show I was gonna get her autograph, but I preferred to stay with my teammates.  We took a lot of awards.  Including the first 2 women!

Hills are my Friends,  One Runner and Sarah actually ran back to Brooklyn too.