Jingling All the Way

For her fourth 5K race, Mandy chose to support a good cause, celebrate the Christmas holiday, and stay close(ish) to home. So this morning we took a brief PATH ride to Manhattan and a little stroll down to Battery Park (at the southern tip of the island) for the umpteenth-annual Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis. 

Just to clear the air: yes, we wore jingle-bells; no, I didn’t win; and yes, Santa was there—and, as Mandy will tell you, he was a very good one. 

At this point, I would normally let the pictures tell the story, but since I forgot to charge the batteries for my camera and only have a few snapshots from Tim’s phone, the burden of this post will fall on … the writing.

A Turkey(less) Trot at Coney Island

A month after our triumphs at the Bay Ridge 5K, we took the long train ride out to Coney Island to try our luck on the boardwalk for the 6^th Annual Turkey Trot 5K (the entry fee to which benefited no charity or benevolent cause.) Though closed for the season, Coney Island still offered surf, sand, and Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs. And, of course, the opportunity to punish ourselves for three miles along a windy wooden walkway populated by curious and obstructive onlookers. 

Run (sort of) Far, Run (sort of) Fast: The Story of a 5K in BK

A chilly Sunday morning, and in a few hours, a road race. None of this was new to me, but for my companions, this would be their first 5K run. Having broken in their running shoes with a few neighborhood jogs, they were ready to test their mettle along the Bay Ridge waterfront for the 13^th Annual Race Against Violence put on by the Women Against Violence, a non-profit organization that educates, lobbies, and raises awareness on domestic violence issues. We would be joined by my friend (and fellow runner) Helly. But first, we had our journey to far Brooklyn.