Running With the New Year

Dermot H

As each day passes, we all go through the natural motions. We can only function actively for so much time in a day.

We're eventually placed into an idle position. Our heart rates drop to a delayed lull, our breathing is dragged but heavy, our eyelids are fluttering in line with a hummingbirds wings but the eyes are not collecting any images.

We are on rare moments forced to extend our active hours to complete some crucial task(s) with time constraints or being able to catch up with others in those rare opportunities.

But there is one day encountered every 365 days when a massive percentage of the population will stay awake (willingly or via heavy caffeine ingestion) to witness a major change. Every 365 days, we shed out of one year and begin into a new year. This transition is marked by celebration of this change with the biggest mark being change for the better. This transition is typically celebrated by excessive ethanol consumption amongst friends (frequenters + those not often seen), capturing immense fireworks displays from each major city, moments to remember (proposals) and engaging in reflection of the past year (did I succeed in a planned resolution? how did I fair out?).

A few people throughout the globe, however look into this night from a different perspective. In various parts of the world, a few people will go out of their way and take on a run when the timer chimes in to midnight. These people are running into the night towards a new day and more importantly, into the new year. These people are hitting the ground running into the new year.

Going Nuts

The NYRR for the past few years has been hosting such a run known to the public as the Emerald Nuts Midnight Run. It makes perfect sense as these people can be considered just plain nuts to take on this run. It is not so much the distance (4M); it is the timing of the run and the conditions to be encountered (very low temperatures, low lighting / visibility).


Now That's What Low Lighting Conditions Looks Like!

Last year, my craziest thing to do was to take on an ultra marathon while still within my first year of running. This year, I really did not contemplate anything ridiculous /talk worthy.
The idea of doing a New Years related run came to mind awfully late in the year. Unfortunately, NYC government has gone about screwing around some more against the holiday marathoners (permits denied for 3rd holiday marathon in succession). I then looked at this Midnight Run. I have a hard time staying up late, plain and simple. I have done late evening/early night runs, but never was forced to do a late night run. This run got me intrigued. Not only the run itself, but I was also interested on this pre-festival taking place. I signed up awfully late, but was still able to snag a bib and start planning out the night.

There were other Flyers also out having some midnight fun in Central Park.  Joyce S, Diane Z, Bob C, Karen H and Andreas W were among the intrepid Flyers.  And maybe there were some other Flyers mixed within the darkness and the midnight mayhem.

Pre-Race Festivities

Walking my way down to the starting grounds, the faint sounds of a BIG speaker system and some multi-colored lights gleaming ever so greatly through the growth. It was sure signs that a party was kicking. The closer I made it, the more the ground was shaking before my feet and my gear bag was rattling within. Looked like 1/4 of the crowd got hold of those lighted glasses and the rest had some kinda 2012 knickknack. EVERYONE got hold of a emerald sponsored 2012 headband - I kept on thinking of the Toy Story scene with Buzz Lightyear in the vat of toy Martians when trying to look out beyond the crowd. A few people took some daring moves to improvise some kind of costume; predominantly holiday-themed outfits (best one I saw from afar was a group of stockings).


Runners Lined Up in Their 2012 Headbands

The Warm-Up

I decided to kill some time, warm up against the progressively cooling temperatures and get myself ready by taking on a steady run through Central Park (away from boundary markers). Got hold of my water bottle, popped the inhaler and dropped the bag - I was ready to get moving. I cannot remember a time I ever stepped through the park with so few people to be spotted along the paths. Reminiscent of a small park feel for such a well known plot of the earth. It wasn't nerve wracking, it really was a soothing feel literally going out in an open path in the dark and silence (it felt like being awake with the world asleep). Making my way back to the starting grounds, the crowds already were making moves into the massive corral awaiting the final remaining moments of 2011.

The Race

One corral, everyone bunched together. The timer kicked in -- a full shouting of last 10 secs before midnight. Once 12:00 hit, the starting line was transformed into two over-sized sparklers. To the right, a mass of fireworks went off lighting up the sky above lower half of Manhattan in laser red flashes. The earth shook to a synced scream of joy with blinding cameras going off.

The crowd of runners was initially bottlenecked, but something mysterious happened. All participants actually were running from the starting line; I couldn't believe what I witnessed. The gridlock was lost quickly and all were able to get into a desired pace early on. I was already deep in running -- my legs were on itch to move quicker this time. A lot of darting and watching my back for other runners coming on full blown speed.

The last mile came before me unexpected and I had one fella to pace the bulk of it with me. A MASSIVE crowd of people was in the mist cheering runners on the last 500yds of the race. I was gone; my flats felt like spikes tearing into the asphalt and couldn't be stopped. A louder wave of cheering came on with the sight of runners on the final sprint towards the finish line (Look at him go!!!). The race may have ended; but 2012 is just beginning.

I was told to consider taking things easy as a New Year's resolution.

I already failed that resolution from the first moments of the new year (and will fail it throughout the year).

Thank goodness I didn't go about taking that advice seriously.

 

-Dermot H