NY Flyer Profile -- Steve K

Steve K

Runners, as a breed, look ahead, not behind, especially when in a race (unless of course you count the erstwhile NYRR Backwards Mile). There is always the next mile marker, the top of the hill you are climbing, and the Finish Line. For me, that philosophy was never truer than after one of the shortest, but sweetest walks of my entire life, an out-and-back, between one end of a hospital room and the other.

Six days earlier, on February. 17, 2009, I had somehow fallen down a flight of stairs at a bar. (For those asking, no, I wasn't drunk; I simply was not looking where I was going.) I incurred various injuries, including one to my pelvis that, at first, made it impossible for me to walk, even with assistance...and that issue was actually minor compared to the damage I had done to my right elbow and shoulder, necessitating two surgeries.

So, on this particular Monday, I surprised myself, when, with the aid of my therapist, and a walker, I somehow managed to walk a bit, which, to me, felt like somewhat of a miracle. Filled with emotion, I scratched out a page in my journal about my little triumph, closing by writing:

"I will remember this day as I run my first race back."

There I was, my body broken, but I was looking ahead. I knew I had a very long, and likely arduous road to recovery, but, for me, it was natural to think ahead to returning to the races....whenever that might be.

Thinking of such times reminds me how much running is a part of me, and my love for the sport extends far beyond the numerous races I've run, whether non-competitively, or against a time goal. Some of my most enjoyable runs have been just runs. Late last year, when starting my offseason, I took a short, slow, 2.1-mile run along the woodland trails of Mohonk Mountain House. I climbed a gradual hill, eventually taking me up over 100 feet. My reward for my efforts was beholding the beautiful sight of the distant Catskill Mountains, followed by a dramatic view of the lake far below me. I returned to the inn feeling so happy and relaxed, and rewarded myself with a tuna salad sandwich for lunch. It was one of my best runs of a year that had included four half marathons.

2011 Awards Party -
Frequent Flyer Award

Being a member of the Flyers has enhanced my running, and my life, for 10 years. I count people I have met through the Flyers as some of my best friends. I will never forget how my teammates supported me during my recovery from my accident, and eventual return to running. There have been the group runs, speedwork, etc, but it's much more than that. I've enjoyed numerous social events, including the recent Flyers Annual Awards Gala, as well as often being a Flyers pace-leader in the twice-yearly NYRR Long Training Runs. In addition, I'm proud to say that I have volunteered at the Flyers' PowerGel station at the last nine NYC Marathons.

Now, don't take this personally, but it is my hope this year, that I will not be able to fulfill my customary position because I hope to be running by the station during my first-ever marathon. Even this early in the year, I find myself afflicted with a serious case of NYC Marathon fever, and have often been visualizing my splits for what I hope will be the race of my dreams. Should all go well, I can only imagine how it will feel to run into Central Park during Mile 24...

                                                       

                NYC Marathon Mile 24

I was never much of an athlete when in school. I did have my "one shining moment" scoring something like 20 points in a 3-on-3 basketball game in Phys. Ed, but I was hardly athletic. I can't say for sure what exactly sparked my interest in running outdoors, well into adulthood, in 1998; however, once I started, I was hooked. For a while, I was content to run one or two miles, usually along the esplanade in Carl Shurz Park, but, in 2000, I heard about a race that, as a longtime Mets fan, I could not pass up: the NYRR Run to Home Plate, a 5K that would finish on the playing field at good old Shea Stadium. I would complete this race (unofficially) in 29:17, beating my goal of under-30:00, giving me one my most memorable moments at the Mets' former home.

Little did I realize at the time that I was embarking on a career that has now seen me cross the Finish Line more than 300 times. I fell in love with competing against myself, and the clock, and, in my younger days, enjoyed the thrill of striving for, and maybe even attaining a PR. Early on, as I extended my longest race distance ever from 5 miles to 10K; from 7 miles to 15K and then to the Half-Marathon, I found that, when trained properly, I had the endurance to perform well in these long distance races. I also discovered that I possessed some element of speed, and, raced a mile in 6:32.5 at a track meet, the NYRR Thursday Night at the Races at Van Cortlandt Park on July 3, 2003. That was the good news...the bad news was that I finished last!

I have had good races, bad races, and ones for the blooper reel. I've missed goals by a little (once falling 13 seconds short of a PR in my final race of 2002, the Holiday 4-mile Run), and resoundingly, including the 2007 NYC Half. Thankfully, enjoying a belated birthday dinner that night, which included some vino and banana flambé, that helped soothe my disappointment!

As to my version of the Football Follies...one fine summer morning in 2012, in a 5K, in Riverside Park, I missed the turnaround point, and ended up adding maybe 3/4 mile, giving me a blazing time of 21:59 for "Mile Two." It's a good thing I was not taking this race seriously! Speaking of which, while I love to race, I run many races without a serious goal. Along those lines, I have even been known to go for a run without timing it at all.

2014: Running Just to Run
Along Bridle Path During Joe Klienerman 10K

Now, if I were making a compilation for ESPN'sSportsCenter of my top 10 races, which would be #1? I'll actually nominate not my best performance athletically, but my most thrilling finish: the 2006 Joe Kleinerman 10K, my next-to-last race of the season. In order to achieve my season-long competitive goal, I needed to attain my goal in this race, and then return six days later and do the same in the season finale, the Hot Chocolate 10-miler.

Racing against a goal of under 9:00/mi, I started poorly, and while I gained back some time, found myself maybe 1:06 behind with 1.2 miles to go. My race was in serious trouble, and I felt that my season, even after all the great races I had enjoyed that year, was hanging in the balance.

So, I went for it, and my legs responded. I was, to pardon the pun, flying. When I hit Mile Six (around East 100th Street), I checked my watch, and found that somehow, I had nailed an 8:00 split, and just like that vaulted to within a mere 7 seconds off pace.

Seeing how close I was galvanized me, and I felt perhaps the biggest rush of adrenaline that I've ever experienced in a race. I surged into my finishing kick, throwing caution to the winds. Nothing was going to stop me now. By the time I made the final turn, I knew I had it. Caught up in the moment, I actually yelled out, "Do you believe in miracles...YES!!!"  Exuberant, I crossed the Finish Line in a time of 55:30, 8:57/mi, achieving my goal after all had seemed lost.

I will never be able to win a race, set a world record (unless it's for napping after a race), or qualify for the Olympics. Thinking back to that incredible morning, however, I can't imagine that the rush I experienced is much different from that of our elite athletes. I am grateful that organizations such as NYRR, NYCRUNS, et al, give all of us the opportunity to compete at whatever level matches our capabilities. I still think back to that race, including when I'm on a run, and pass through the homestretch of that 10K.

Fifth Avenue Mile 2011

For the record, in less dramatic fashion, I would nail my goal in the 10-mile season finale (finishing in 9:06/mi), but that race would not have meant as much without my comeback six days earlier. I would celebrate the culmination of this great season with steak at Hacienda de Argentina, making all my efforts even more worthwhile.

Now, what of my first race back from my 2009 tumble down the stairs? It would take me almost a year to actually return to the starting line. It was the 2010 Gridiron 4-miler, and while my time was modest, well over 11:00/mi, nothing was going to wipe the smile off my face.

As I ran on that glorious February morning, I did indeed think back to that first walk in the hospital, and savored the return to the sport that I love.

-Steve K.