Dead Runners society race report
Dead Runners Society World Conference VIII, New York City - 4th - 7th August 2000.
Shelley and I crossed the
pond again for another running holiday. First stop was the Big Apple for another
DRS world conference.
Last friday "the
beautiful Shelley" and I returned from another trip to Shelley's homeland. The
main purpose of this trip was to attend two very different running events, DRS
world conference 8 in New York City and the USA masters (veterans) track and
field championships in Eugene, Oregon.
Tuesday 1st
August, up at "O-dark-hundred" to get the airport bus from Cambridge, arrived at
Heathrow Airport in good time for our 10.00am flight only to find the flight was
cancelled. United Airlines took us off to a swish hotel airport and gave us a
phone number to call to try and get us another flight. Shelley managed to get us
a flight that evening on American Airlines so back to Heathrow, American
Airlines had other ideas so back to the hotel again. We had a nice day in London
with a run in Hyde Park in the afternoon and "The Witches of Eastwick" in the
West End in the evening. We can go to London whenever we want to and it would
have been SO much nicer to do Central Park and Broadway instead.
Wednesday 2nd
August, up early again, we ran on the treadmills in the hotel gym and then off
to Heathrow again for another go at the 10.00am flight to Newark. After another
visit to "lineland" we found out that our flight was delayed and they were
offering us $1000 vouchers for United flights if we were to wait another day but
we stood firm and were finally given boarding passes. The plane took off around
3.00pm, only 29 hours late!
After a
crash-free transatlantic crossing we arrived at Newark airport. As Shelley is a
US citizen and I am a loyal subject of Her Majesty we had to go on separate
trips to "lineland" to get through customs. I had to wait for an hour before
they finally let me in and Shelley had to wait for ages after getting our
luggage. It was so cold in the air-conditioned airport she had to put on her
coat, what is it with Americans and air-conditioners, are they only made with
one setting, ICE COLD? Onto the bus to the Big Apple, taxi to Shelley's
brother's apartment on and a family reunion for Shelley. Our first meeting with
brother Michael in 2.5 years :-) We were to stay chez Michael for the rest of
our trip to New York.
Thursday 3rd
August, we awoke to freezing cold temperatures. Yes, another air-conditioner. As
we were still on UK time we got up early and took the subway out to Central Park
to run around the reservoir running path. This is marked every 20 yards and
Shelley wanted to do some speedwork in preparation so we did a fast 1/2 mile and
after that we did a fast 1/4 mile before jogging back to the subway. In the
afternoon we shopped, I spoke to Paul/Pete Aloe on the phone and he told me
about the DRSWC packet stuffing party at the Belleclaire so in the evening we
took the subway again to meet some deads :-) Room 802 at the Belleclaire was
where it was all happening, loads of hugs and handshakes from the NYCEdeads and
other early arrivals :-) :-) :-) It was great to meet Neil the Grunt and all the
other local deads, it was particularly good for me to meet Steve "Englishman in
New York" Dragoni, Steve was pointed out to me as "that bloke over there who
looks like Tony Blair"! :-) Off to a local pizza/burger place for some food with
the deads before heading back to the apartment. When we were got back we were
pretty tired so we went to bed early. We had planned to go and watch Shelley's
brother Michael and his musician friends perform this evening, they have a group
that sing in restaurants but we didn't get back in time as we were busy having
fun with the deads instead. Michael and co arrives back after we went to bed so
we were serenaded in bed! a nice but rather strange way to the end the day, New
York City is a VERY STRANGE place!
Friday 4th
August, a bit more shopping in the morning and then in the afternoon back to the
Belleclaire for the official start of DRSWC8 :-))))) Back to 802, Sally hugged
me and Kevin took my picture, met up with loads more deads. Neil the Grunt took
a few of us to the aptly named "Super Runners Store" a couple of blocks from the
hotel for a run around Central Park with the store proprietor, a 2h16
marathoner. Neil gave us running commentary as we jogged around a loop of CP
stopping periodically to point out famous sights such as the NYC marathon finish
line. A nice easy run to prepare for the race next day, it was pretty warm and
humid by my standards then back to 802 to meet even more deads. It was great for
me to finally meet Herb Geller from New Jersey, Herb and I share the same
birthday and we usually correspond with each other around February 20th. We had
spoken on the phone together on my previous visit to New York and on Herb's last
visit to Cambridge but we had never been able to actually meet.
After the run off
to Wilson's Bar and Grill for the dinner, met up with loads more deads including
friends from the St. Louis WC including Dennis from Texas, SidCilla also from
Texas, Dave and Toni Braun not from Texas, Peter "Puckett lookalike" Dellafemina
from the backwoods of Vermont amongst many others. We got to meet the
soontobemarried Kathy and Karl. I had met Karl on earlier trips across the pond
but it was my first encounter with Kathy. As members of the Dead Romantics
Society is always good for Shelley and I to meet up with new members :-) So who
will be the couple from this WC???? Who will get married at DRSWC9? :-))) At the
dinner we were sat with Virginia "dead diva" Cowen, nice to meet the DRS opera
singer. You just can't get away from musicians in this city :-) Shelley thought
we should introduce her to Shelley's brother. After the dinner we reluctantly
headed back to the apartment to get some sleep before the Manhattan
half-marathon in the morning.
Saturday 5th
August. Up early again as it was race day, a quick bite to eat for breakfast and
then off on the subway to Central Park for the Manhattan half-marathon. Shelley
sensibly stayed behind, as she wasn't going to run the half-marathon. I just
followed some runners across CP from the subway, in the middle of the park you
wouldn't think you were in the middle of such a crowded city! I found the start
with hordes of runners around already, quite a few deads there. I was there for
the experience of racing in CP, I planned to set off slowly and work my way
through. Before the race started I met another runner from England (complete
with genuine British Fastrax club vest) and a runner wearing a t-shirt
emblazened "Oxford and Cambridge". It turned out that he hadn't been to my alma
mater (number 1 university) or my employers (number 2 university) but was a
Harvard man who had swapped shirts after an Oxford/Cambridge vs. Harvard/Yale
track meet. I did 1/2 mile easy jog before the race to warm up and to see if
there were any bathrooms around (there weren't :-(). So much for the famous New
York Road Runners Club's superb race organisation. I lined up in the hordes of
runners and waited, there was a bike race finishing and we had to wait for them
to finish before the 5000+ runners set off. I was hoping to set off with Dennis
from Texas but I lost him in the crowds, I was standing near Dan Freedman when
the race finally started 10 minutes late at 7.40am.
Bang and not a
lot happened, shuffle shuffle jog jog and the great mass of runners finally got
started. It took 1m50s to cross the start line and the first mile was pretty
hairy trying to pass runners and being passed by others. R.L.Bynum came past
after the start line but I couldn't go with him. First mile from the start line
in 8.23 and mile 2 in 8.25, Rita Cognion zoomed past around then I couldn't keep
up with her, then I passed Neil and Sweet Julie Cook running together, very nice
to finally meet the famous SJ :-) On with the race and suddenly we were going up
a serious hill :-( This was the infamous Harlem Hill and on the way up I was
rather worried, 2 miles into a half-marathon and it pretty hot and humid and I
was hurting, half-marathons aren't supposed to hurt this early :-( Slogged up
the hill and picked up pace down the other side, mile 3 in 7.47 and mile 4 in
8.01, I started to feel a bit better now as the pack thinned out and I
recognised things from Neil's CP run the day before, crossing the NYCM finish
line gave me a lift. I was moving more easily and working my way through, mile 5
in 7.50. 5 mile split 42.16(gun)/40.26(chip), I passed R.L. and Cilla around
here. Hard work up Cat Hill as we approached the start line but I could see some
deads in the distance, mile 6 in 7.38. Down the hill towards the finish line
(next time round) and at 7 miles there was the beautiful Shelley :-)))) She had
run down to watch me do the race, what a great moment, soon after that I caught
up with Dennis, Rita and Ultra Doug, 3 deads in a row. I had a brief chat and
then picked up the pace, mile 8 in 7.40 up Harlem Hill but it didn't seem as bad
as last time and now I was entering the back straight of the 6-mile lap. Mile 9
in 7.28 and mile 10 in 7.25. 10 mile split 1h19.44(gun)/1h17.54(chip), moving
well but feeling pretty tired as I got to the bottom of the park after the NYCM
finish line. Still working my way through and also lapping runners by now, mile
11 in 7.25 and mile 12 in 7.29. Tough going up Cat Hill and I was very tired at
the top, still my pre-race target was 1h45 and I was ahead of that. Really tough
last mile, a few more came back at me but I just wanted to finish, mile 13 in
7.22 and into the finish straight crossing the line in 1h42.46, chip time
1h40.56. There was the beautiful Shelley waiting for me at the end, *sweaty hug*
:-)
Neil was there at
finish having bailed out early on lap 2, Alan Rube was there with Susan getting
their picture taken, I joined the queue for the finishers picture and then time
for some drinks and goomies. We eventually found my bag in the pile for my race
number and then off to the brunch with Dan and R.L. I was pretty tired after all
that even though it wasn't an all out effort for the race. After the race I
heard that the locals considered the conditions to be "pretty cool" and "good
for running". Well it was pretty hot and humid for this English boy; I am not
sure what I would have done if it had been a really hot day! Shelley and I
stopped off at the hotel before the brunch to get showered in 802, as I was
getting dressed in the bathroom I could hear Shelley talking to a very familiar
DRS voice, I emerged from the bathroom to see my beloved with the one and only
Scott "spiderman" Larcher. The three of us went off to Dan's for the brunch.
Wow what a great
apartment, thanks for the hospitality Dan. Lots of bagels and orange juice to
refuel after the race, Dan even had hot tea :-) We all told our "war stories"
from the race, pictures were taken, a very nice way to recover from 2 laps of
CP. I really liked the race shirt for the Manhattan half marathon as it had Mn
on the front in large letters, as a chemist currently working on Manganese
compounds it made me smile, I shall have to return to New York to get the rest
of the elements :-) Thanks to Jane Cates for organising the shirt/chip/number
pickup for the deads. Loads of pictures taken including the "official" DRS
picture on the steps of the apartment building, in spite of the cars parked in
the way Ted still managed to get horizontal and in the shot for the picture :-)
Neil made the announcement that DRSWC9 would be out in the Wild West in
Albuquerque.
Back to Michael's
apartment only to find that our bedroom was being used as a recording studio,
more music from Shelley's brother so we had to sit in the courtyard of Michael's
apartment block until the music stopped! We picked up Shelley's dress for next
day's KathyKarl wedding from the dry cleaner and then off to Ernie's for another
DRS dinner :-) More fun, food and frivolity with the deads, loads more pictures
taken including Connie Chan's attempt to teach Hawaiian dancing to Kevin :-)
What the other customers in the restaurant were thinking about us I can only
imagine :-))) We went briefly back to the Belleclaire and signed a few postcards
before returning to the recording studio. We were missing out on a lot more fun
by not being in the conference hotel :-( There was a big day in the morning, a
race and a wedding awaited!
Sunday 6th
August.
Up early again,
feeling a bit sore from yesterday's run in Central Park. Time to leave the state
and head to New Jersey for the Steven's Tech 5km. Subway and PATH trains out to
Hoboken, on arrival we were met by my compatriot Steve Dragoni. We waited for
the next train to arrive with a few more deads and then off we walked to the ST
campus. It was another warm sunny day, it was a good job that it was only 5km
today. I filled in the entry forms for Shelley and myself and got our race
packets. I had a chat with the few deads that were present, with the previous
day's race and the impending wedding in the afternoon the turnout of deads was
not as large as I imagine the organisers were expecting. I did a bit of
stretching and then did about 10 minutes jog pre-race with Shelley and Ted
Glenn. It looked an interesting course with an uphill start and finish, Lou
Nunez had told me all about the course the night before at Ernie's.
Then it was time
to race, I was still feeling sluggish, I did a few strides before lining up.
Someone said go and off we went. I didn't try to go off too hard, lots of fast
starters who I gradually reeled in running through the Tech campus, as I left
the campus there was a bunch of 3 ahead approaching the top of the hill
including Paul/Pete Aloe and by the top I had caught and passed them,
encouraging words from Mr. Aloe as I went past. Down to Sinatra drive, 1 mile in
6.32. I could see a few runners ahead but they looked uncatchable already, after
5 minutes my race was over and I just had to run to the finish. Up the hill
again to complete lap 1, Lou and Ted were on the course marshalling, Ted told me
I was the first dead. End of lap 1 in 9.57 and back into the campus, up the hill
and down the other side. I was pretty tired by now, working hard to make sure
the runners behind didn't catch up and to try and reel in the runner ahead. 2
miles in 13.28, 6.56 last mile and onto Sinatra drive again. On the long
straight I could see that I was slowly closing on a runner but he was still
along way ahead. Up the hill now back to the campus, 3 miles in 20.29, last mile
in 7.01 and I kicked with all I had left but I wasn't going to get under 21.
Crossed the line in 21.09, very tired and a bit warm on finishing, that was hard
work for a temperate climate resident. I watched some other deads come in;
Paul/Pete came in just ahead of Sweet Julie (first lady). Steve was 2nd
Englishman in just over 23 minutes and just over a minute after that "the
beautiful Shelley" crossed the line in 24.09 in 28th place to be second lady, 12
deads finished in total out of 55. Yesterday's race was 100 times bigger but in
a way I enjoyed today's race more.
I was glad to get
a drink and a bite to eat after all that, Neil Cook had thoughtfully provided
some food just for the deads, fruit juice, bananas and bagels :-) "War stories"
were told; in the conditions I was pretty pleased with my race, especially after
yesterdays half marathon. The slowest 5km of the year for me but still pretty
good with the hills and heat. We hung around for the awards as Shelley had won
hardware, when I saw the results I found out that I had won hardware as well!
:-) 10th position was good for 2nd in 30-39! When they announced the results for
the ladies 40-49 first was Sweet Julie but they didn't announce Shelley as 2nd
:-( Whoever filled in the entry form for Shelley had accidentally put her down
as a man and that person was me, oops :-(( Everything was sorted out and Shelley
got her trophy. Straight after the presentation it was time to go as we had a
wedding to attend.
PATH and subway
back to Manhattan and we ran from the subway to Shelley's brother's apartment.
Out of our running clothes, into the shower and then into our smart clothes. In
spite of the cab driver taking a wrong turn we made it to the Essex house in
time at 1.00pm to find a bunch of very smartly dressed dead runners, "didn't
recognise you there with your clothes on" :-) Kathy and Karl got hitched and we
all blew bubbles. After the wedding party had left the wedding room we all went
to the room next door for the party :-) This was the first American wedding that
I had ever attended; the only weddings that I had attended at home all had the
same format. Wedding at the church followed by a wedding reception with a sit
down meal and speeches, in the evening a party with food and music and dancing.
K and K combined the reception with the party, fun fun :-) My memory of the
wedding party is when all the deads were together for a picture and Ted Glenn
took his "traditional position" at the front :-) All of the non-dead wedding
guests must have wondered what on earth was going on? :-))) We said our goodbyes
to some of the deads at the wedding, as they weren't going to be around for the
Monday.
Back to the
apartment where our entertainment for the day hadn't finished, we were soon off
to a restaurant to see Michael and his musical friends perform. We watched them
do the first hour of their three-hour performance before we left, as we had to
be up early the next day for the last bit of DRSWC8, the trip to Coney
Island.
Monday 7th
August. Up early yet again, I was feeling pretty tired by now. New York City was
getting to me; it is a very tiring place to visit. We were looking forward to
the last bit of the conference but we were also looking forward to leaving New
York the next day.
Subway out to the
Belleclaire, the DRS hospitality suite was being cleaned up as we arrived. Matt
Sissman led the survivors of DRSWC8 out on the subway to Coney Island. Sally and
Kevin, Ted, Connie, Jeff Marker, Mike "not Dennis" Sheldon, Ken and Judy from
Maine, Martyn the lurker (come on post something) and Jane (sorry if I have
missed anyone out) joined us in Matt's merry band. After an hour on the subway
we arrived at CI and the seaside complete with rollercoaster, boardwalk, fun
fair, shops full of tacky seaside things and lots of shops with signs in
Russian! Had we taken a wrong turn somewhere on the subway, no this is where the
Russian community of New York City live. Every other nationality under the sun
lives in NYC so why not Russians? Allan and Susan and Josh and MaryAnne joined
us at CI having driven there.
Pictures were
taken on the boardwalk, and then Shelley and I got ready for a run. A run along
the boardwalk was one of the activities on the conference program for this
morning but only Mainiac Dead Ken Cotton came with us. We did a couple of miles
on the boardwalk to get in the days run, nice and easy apart from when Shelley
did 1/4 mile of running at race pace to remind her legs of what she intended to
do in Oregon later in the week. Then we joined the deads that were lying about
on the beach whilst Matt and co were playing stickball. It was really hot today,
the hottest day of the conference, and a good day for lying on the beach. I got
to use my French factor 30 sunscreen for the first time since I left France last
summer. Some of the deads had fun swimming in the sea but I just paddled out up
to my ankles and decided that was enough. Then back to the boardwalk for some
food at the "world famous Nathan's" hotdog stand, I had never heard of the place
myself but Matt assured us that this was part of the Coney Island experience,
who am I to doubt Matt's encyclopaedic knowledge of the Big Apple? After lunch
some of the braver deads went on the cyclone roller coaster, I joined the not so
brave deads on the sidelines watching and photographing, needless to say Kevin
was able to do the cyclone and take photographs at the same time :-)
Eventually after
some more pictures in front of the cyclone it was time to head back to Manhattan
on the subway. Back to the Belleclaire and then we went to the Rockefeller
centre to meet Paul/Pete Aloe and Tania Danielson who work there. More NYC cows
to admire and then we all met up by "the puppy". A huge bush had been sculpted
into the shape of a puppy outside the entrance to the RC, one last photo
opportunity for the deads. Then the moment we hadn't been waiting for, time to
say our goodbyes, lots of hugs and handshakes, Paul/Pete said he wanted a
rematch with me over 5km. DRSWC8 was over but it was great while it lasted
:-)
My third and
Shelley's second DRSWC, it was very well organised by Neil and his merry men and
women. It was a shame that we couldn't have had a track meeting as part of the
WC like we had in St. Louis, if it had been possible to find a track on the
Saturday and we had been able to run on the track instead of running the
Manhattan half-marathon it would have been great. The half-marathon was so big
the deads were lost in the crowds; a smaller event would have been better for
dead encounters IMHO.
Back to Michael's
apartment, it had been great (and cheap) for us to stay with Michael and for
Shelley to get to meet up with her brother again but by not staying in the main
hotel we think that we missed out on half of the fun of the WC. In some ways we
weren't doing the WC properly or visiting Michael properly. I think next time we
got to a WC we will try and stay in the "official" DRS hotel no matter who else
we know in the WC city. On our last night in New York we took Michael and his
girlfriend out to dinner as a way of saying thank you for letting us stay with
him, needless to say our meal had a musical accompaniment. And that was New York
City, early next morning we say our goodbyes to Michael and took the bus to
Newark airport to head west on the next part of our trip.
bye tony....
Dr Tony Bell Tony@shells.demon.co.uk tony.bell@chemistry.oxford.ac.uk
Weekends - Milton, Cambridgeshire. Midweek, Dept of Inorganic Chemistry, Oxford
University. http://www.shells.demon.co.uk/tonyweb.html
<http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u=227580>
previous race report next race report