The Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridge run was going to be one of the unforgettable highlights of my little holiday here in the United States. Here’s how it went.
Hot. Sweaty. Humid. Hard going. A painful foot. A tad uncertain of the route. So thankful!
Quite a lot to tell you about.
My friend and former colleague, Mary, had completed a similar run earlier this year with her husband (which I had spotted on Strava) and so I had a good idea of the distance and it was probably do-able.
On Sunday afternoon I returned to New York feeling tired. I had travelled by train from New Brunswick into Penn Station. Just as I was about to leave the train I noticed a youngish man on crutches. He was well groomed and certainly well dressed but looked very uneasy with crutches. I asked if he’d like me to help getting his bag getting off the train. Immediately he appreciated that and I followed him while wheeling his bag, along with mine and my little rucksack off the train, upstairs, escalators and along corridors to emerge out into Madison Square and a riot of noisy music, chaos and exuberant life.
I asked him about his crutches, since he was obviously unaccustomed to using them. He explained he got drunk, had a mishap, fell over and ended up at the “emergency room” who issued the crutches. Okay I thought, I’ve helped him on his journey just a little and then I decided to ask him what happened.
He told me his father had unexpectedly died and he dealt with the sudden shock by getting drunk, hence having a mishap. He had just been to the funeral and was travelling to his home in Manhattan. I wished him well, we shook hands and he waved a taxi down.
It took me ages to get from Manhattan to my hotel in Brooklyn, across the water. I knew I could always flag a taxi down but I decided to “ride the subway” again. It was quite confusing and it took me some time to find the right platform, or “track” as they say here. Trouble is, it was closed for the weekend. So the solution was to take another track, going in the opposite direction for two stops, where I could switch to the right train.
Now I didn’t know exactly where the hotel was in relation to a subway station, just an approximate area. Once I emerged, I couldn’t easily get my bearings, so I gave in and requested an Uber. This turned up in a few minutes and this time it was a huge brand new Toyota SUV with blacked out windows and cool blue lighting inside. It was so fast and super cool, in the temperature sense. I got to the hotel, checked in and collapsed on the enormous bed. I have never had one this big before.
Back to the young man with crutches. Although I didn’t catch his name, he was on my mind as I walked the proposed route for my two bridge run, by now it was evening and “golden hour” when everything starts to look much nicer. I weaved my way through busy streets, going from my hotel in Brooklyn towards the Manhattan Bridge. As I strolled over the bridge, I realised I had been in a clattering subway train heading over the bridge earlier on. Now strolling over was so much, much nicer.
Photographs, I took many as I progressed over the bridge, smiling at the chainlink fence which had been rolled back by many a frustrated photographer seeking to get the perfect view. I smiled at the graffiti almost covering some of the buildings which you could almost reach out and touch. I wondered where the dividing line between art, graffiti, cool architecture and the expressive urban environment should be. Perhaps the line had been crossed with some of those buildings, but no, they look good and are a statement for everyone to clock.
I slept peacefully, knowing I had made my plan for the next morning.
The alarm clock woke me, just as well I’d set it! Brewed a coffee while I got ready and before I knew it, I was off. Well that sounds good, doesn’t it? I was limping a bit on account of my foot injury once again but thankfully it soon loosened up.
I got overtaken by many other runners. All looking very American, whatever that might be. In this case it was about being young, slim and good looking, not exactly a description of me feeling so creaky, heavy as I hobbled along. Most of the runners coming towards me nodded or said “hi”, although this tended to be the men as recaps women have more reason here to be on their guard.
The air seemed cleaner this morning, a little fresher with and a welcome change from the oppressive heat and humidity over the weekend.
For most of the run it seemed such and effort. Was it the caffeine had failed to kick in? Perhaps but probably a case of my expectations being way off. I reminded myself that I have only done a few runs this year, good fitness takes a while to build up and that was exactly what I was doing. I consoled myself, reminding me that I was 60 and I shouldn’t be too hard on myself. After all, how many other 60 year olds can run nonstop for 4 miles? Not me today, on the Brooklyn Bridge climb, I had to stop and walk a few yards – not enough oxygen getting through to my legs. I took the opportunity of asking a passerby couple if they could photograph me. They cheerfully obliged, probably knowing they had provided the means for me to have a rest.
Once back over the Brooklyn bridge, where the wooden boards change and become concrete I was trying to go a little faster but I just didn’t have the energy. Besides, I was giving some thought to the way back to the hotel. I knew the general direction but as I was amongst tall buildings, I couldn’t latch onto any landmarks, particularly the skyscraper across the road from my hotel. I went with my best efforts and more-or-less went directly.
Never has a lovely warm, soapy shower been so welcome to refresh me after such a demanding run. I had previously decided to have breakfast here in the hotel since it was available but why do so few American hotels offer breakfast? I was determined to enjoy it, even though it was a bit mediocre.
All in all it was a fantastic run. I had run across to two iconic bridges, the Manhattan and the Brooklyn. I think of how their design and financing was done with such ambition and foresight. I felt privileged to be here, privileged to be able to do a run like this.
Above all, thankful.
Both bridges are over a hundred years old with Brooklyn opening in 1883. Astonishingly it has three lanes traffic flowing in each direction. The Manhattan bridge carries pedestrians, two train tracks, cars, bicycles and runners.
My run in numbers:
- Distance 4.57 miles
- Average pace 10:08 mins/mile (a tad slow)
- Moving time 46 minutes
- Calories 649
- Elevation gain 275 feet
Well done Doug! Not only is New York a photographer’s paradise but it’s a runners one too with so many iconic sights to take in. If you get a chance, I recommend catching the Roosevelt Island tramway around sunset, especially if you have an unlimited Metro Card as you can ride before, during and after sunset for no extra cost. Have a great time in NYC and keep blogging!