911 from Tokyo

By Michael R

The phone display showed a strange caller-ID.  I assumed it was just another marketing pitch so I picked up primed to demand being taken off their calling list.  

Instead, there was a familiar “Hi Michael” from friend and teammate, Pei A. (also Flyers treasurer).

I was surprised.  “I thought you were in Japan, Pei, for the Tokyo Marathon in five days?”  

She replied, “I am, but I don’t have one of those cool new Flyers caps for the race!”  

I understood, immediately, that this was a Flyers gear 911 call.  Sizing up Pei’s predicament and perceiving the urgency I leapt into action: “Hang tight.  I’ll grab one and be in Tokyo tomorrow.  See you soon.”  

Three hours later I was boarding at JFK and heading for Narita.  I packed my running shoes, just in case.

We met soon after I landed and the cap handoff took place with the same precision of a baton hand-off in an ekiden relay race.  Pei and I had practiced this last December at the NYCRUNS Ekiden in Central Park.  She was now ready for any weather eventuality.  Mission accomplished.  

Special Delivery: Flyers Hat

Then Pei surprised me and told me there were still some marathon slots available.  Was I interested?  Without hesitating I said “Sure.”  I still had two days to train.

 

Trying to Recruit Training Partners in Tokyo

That night I developed my own RUN S.M.A.R.M. marathon training program (with the help of coach Johnny Walker).  The schedule was intense.  I had one day to build mileage and one day to taper. I stuck to the rigorous plan and felt ready on race day.

Looking for Pei at the Start Corral.
Pei? Pei?? Anyone See A Petit Woman Wearing a Flyers Hat?

Even though Pei and I were assigned to the same start corral, the crowd was thick and we didn’t see each other.  The race started and I assumed we’d just meet that night for dinner, as planned.  It was a perfect marathon day with a temperature of about 4 degrees Celsius and an overcast sky (actually a bit too warm for the Flyer cap!).  

The event was flawlessly organized and friendly, enthusiastic crowds lined every meter of this 42.2-kilometer foot-tour of Tokyo.  That was another thing they do differently in Japan, by the way.  Instead of a normal 26.2-mile marathon, this one was 42.2 kilometers.  Go figure.

I was sticking rigorously to my RUN S.M.A.R.M. race plan and stopped at kilometer 22.5 (mile 14) to grab some fluids.  Then I heard someone calling “Michael!”  I turned and there was Pei, with a huge smile, coming toward me.  

It felt like a miracle that she found me among the 37,000 runners.  We resolved to toss the race plans and that the rest of the marathon was going to be nothing but fun and we’d cross the finish line together without missing one photo opportunity along the way.

One additional pleasure of running with Pei was that her husband, Zoltan, had planned to be at many spots along the course to cheer her on.  So, we had a personal, mobile cheering squad!  

With Zoltan As He Recovered from a Long Day of Cheering

It seemed like he was there at every turn and even though I’d never met him before, we were on a first-name basis by mile 20.  Pei and I stopped frequently to take pictures at every landmark and even to mingle with the spectators along the way.

When we met at that fluids station we each reset our race goals and were determined to have fun and cross the finish line with our arms held high, together.  

This turned out to be a huge lesson in running, resetting priorities, friendship and life, in general.  The Tokyo marathon was a great, world-class event made even greater by the experience of running it with a friend.  

Finish Line Hug

Heavy Medal

We met all of our goals and had a fun marathon, together, even if it was only 42.2 kilometers. And now, we're enjoying these pictures of an amazing experience!

-Michael R

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The Race Buddy Training Method

Michael R

I was sitting on pins and needles, eagerly awaiting the launch of the Flyers’ new Marathon Training Program.  The program would be unveiled soon and I was watching for news.  I also knew it would be a special program this year and very different from the previous program we offered.  Then, late one night our president, Alan G., posted an announcement that we would be partnering with the New York Road Runners (NYRR) in their Race Buddy program.  I thought, “This must be it!  The new Marathoin Training Program!!”  With space limited to only ten participants, I signed up immediately without even reading the details.  I got in and I knew it would be great!

Flyer Race Buddies and Course Marshalls included:
Joanna C, Dave K, Noirin L, Lara K, Wendy B, Michael R, Maribeth C (Course Marshall), Josefine I (Course Marshall), John McC,  plus Lizabeth R (blue cap), Meredith J (pink socks), and Amy S (Course Marshall but not pictured here)

The program launched on June 2nd at the annual NYRR Celebrate Israel Run 4-Mile Race.  Program participants were instructed to arrive at 6AM for introductions.  This all seemed a bit unusual to me.  I’m not normally an early morning runner but I had high expectations and trusted that the program would be worth it.   It seemed particularly odd to be kicking off the program in conjunction with a major race.  However, I decided to “go with the flow” and implicitly trust my new guru coaches, whoever they would be.

On that morning the coaches arrived at their own rhythm and seemed to be a somewhat ragtag group.  As we were assigned to our coaches I sensed that this would definitely not be a typical marathon training program.  Plus I soon felt self-conscious and ill-equipped, noticing that one of my Flyer friends came armed with a walkie-talkie in case she got lost running along the course.

Flyers Course Marshall Maribeth C

One feature of the program that immediately struck me was that the ratio of participants to coaches was completely reversed.  I had six coaches assigned just to me!  They called themselves the Tappan Tigers.  They seemed to be a bit short and on the youngish side, but I was determined to simply let go and trust.  It was time for the program and the race to start.

I had thought they were simply late in arriving but there was method to their madness.  The first lesson my new coaches taught me was:  rather than jostling for a corral position near the front of the race pack, enter the corrals at the rear after two-thirds of the runners have already crossed the start line.  This was simply brilliant.  We were able to start running immediately and there was no half-stepping toward the start line or pesky runners behind us!

My six coaches immediately scattered in as many different directions and left me wondering what I was supposed to do next.  This was a great lesson in race stress management and a testament to their coaching wisdom.  I was forced to let go of my anxiety and just let things unfold.  I kept running toward the start line trusting that they would find me when I needed them.  This, in fact, did happen.  Soon after I crossed the start line my two principal coaches, Shankea and Elijah, were waiting for me as they strolled along the course.  Thus the real training began as I adjusted my pace to match my coaches’.   The other four coaches had vanished mysteriously and I wondered what they had in store for me.

With Two of My Coaches

Shankea and Elijah had devised for me a very unorthodox training protocol.  The primary strategy was a radical run/walk method but much less focused on the run part.  I learned much from them as the day progressed.  This is the core of what they taught me: 

• Pace yourself.  A very hot and humid day might not be the best day to push your limits or to run four miles if you’ve never run more than three before.  In fact, on a day like that it might be enough to just run through the corrals to the start line.
• Enjoy the course.  Look around, particularly if you don’t spend much time in Central Park.  Who knows what that squirrel might be up to?
• Hydrate.  Stop and take a cup of water whenever one is offered.  In fact, stop and take five.  
• Listen to your body.  Potty stops can offer an unexpected opportunity to relax and unwind.
• Know your priorities.  It can be very comforting to stop and hug a tree, as Elijah showed me.
• Improvise.  When your legs are tired, anything makes a good seat.
• Mix it up.  Sometimes skipping can make the time pass more quickly.
• Perception is reality.  Believing there is a pebble in your shoe is the same as there actually being one in there.  You might as well take your shoe(s) off to make sure.
• Let go of your ego.  Every once in a while it’s OK to remind yourself that you’ve entered a race by running for a few yards.  But there’s no shame in just walking if that’s all your legs have in them.
• Motivation matters.  Knowing that there’s a lottery at the end of the race might be very exciting but may not necessarily provide enough motivation to reach the finish line any sooner than you’re ready to.  An Xbox might have done it, though.
• Know your reserves.  No matter how tired you are, you always have enough energy to sprint the final 50 yards of your race.
• Learn.  An hour-and-a-half is all it takes to make friends from perfect strangers.  Everyone has a great story to tell, irrespective of his or her age, and time passes much more enjoyably when you’re sharing stories.

If you haven’t caught on yet, this was not the launch of the new Flyers Marathon Training Program.  Rather, the Flyers were invited by New York Road Runners to participate in their Race Buddy program at the Celebrate Israel run.  It’s a nice program in which experienced runners are paired with kids during a race to help them appreciate running and motivate them to the finish.

Getting Instructions from NYRR Before the Race

Nine other Flyers also participated and were assigned to different kids.  Our experiences varied widely.  I was assigned a group of city kids from PS 46 (The Arthur Tappan School) between 10-13 years old who were thrilled to simply reach the end of a 4-mile course and sprint across the finish line.  I shared the thrill.

Flyer Race Buddies Lara K, Dave K, Michael R and Wendy B

Dave K's Young Runner
Katherine from the NEST School
Finishes Her First Ever Race

Mysteriously my other four “coaches” somehow found me within half a mile of the finish.  Some were ahead and some were behind but, in the end, we all came together and found the finish line.  This last lesson was “Trust.”  It didn’t matter that the main race was over, the mats pulled, and the lottery already called… these guys had a great time and were proud of their efforts.  I was proud of them, too.  I’d recommend the experience to anyone.

-Michael R.

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Revived Thursday Night Run Commemorates Early Flyer History

Michael R

When Frederick Law Olmsted founded the New York Flyers in 1854 he recognized that there were few suitable places for the growing team to run in the rapidly developing city.  The club first started running the open fields of Brooklyn but there were too many stone walls to hop over and often Frederick’s troubled left knee would give out as he landed.  He was frequently injured as a result.  That’s him, on the far left, with the original Flyers in the image below.

Go Freddie, Go!

Olmsted, being a visionary, knew that the Flyers needed more suitable running terrain.  When New York City announced a design competition in 1857 for the newly created Central Park, Olmsted and Flyer teammate Calvert Vaux jumped on the opportunity.  They crafted a plan for a runners’ paradise but positioned it as an, ahem, “cultural resource.”  For example, Olmsted needed a soft running surface for his knee but cleverly labeled it “Equestrian Path” (now the Bridle Path) in the design submission.  Seen any horses on it lately?

Fortunately, Olmsted and Vaux won the competition and we now have our stunning Flyers’ playground.  In fact, the park entrance at what is now West 106^th Street was originally named Flyers’ Gate (the name was changed to Strangers’ Gate by Mayor Koch in 1979 after a freak collision with a group of Flyers doing speed work on Harlem Hill).  To celebrate the win Olmsted designed the first Flyer uniform pictured below and modeled by his son Frederick, Jr.  Occasionally you can see some of our senior members sporting the original design as they run through the park on a weekend morning.  

Flyers Have Always Been Fashion Conscious

Why the history lesson? Because our newly revitalized Thursday Night Group Run through Central Park commemorates those celebrated early days of Flyer history.  It was well known that the Thursday night run was Olmsted’s favorite run.  Even back then, Thursday night was the new Friday night and he loved to throw back a few ales after the run with ye olde gang.  Below is a picture of a typical Thursday night out with the Flyers in the 1860s.  They were a bit more formal back then and there were no women.  That’s Vaux dancing.

Karaoke Was Not Until Later in the Evening

The Thursday night run has come and gone over the years but our Flyers Executive Committee, led by Siggy T, decided it was time to bring it back in style after a period of hibernation.  Flyer Claudia O ("O" for Olmsted?) suggested we add extra historical significance to the run by holding it on the Bridle Path to commemorate Olmsted’s soft spot for that soft surface.  Siggy and I coordinate this run and planning began in June.  We channeled Olmsted’s spirit to guide us (channel 262 on Time Warner).

Our inaugural run was on August 2.  It was a beautiful 5-mile jaunt along the Bridle Path, through the park, on a gorgeous summer day.  The present-day Flyers showed up in force.  We’ve met every Thursday since then and, as the daylight recedes, gradually moved the run onto the park drive.  There have been enough of us to spread out comfortably into a range of pace packs but we convene midway for water and again at Columbus Circle where the run begins and ends.  It’s a well attended, fun, casual, friendly run and a fitting tribute to Flyers founder Olmsted.

Thursday Evening Flyer Runners Strike a Pose

We also re-instituted Olmsted’s favorite night out- Flyers Third Thursday.  We held the first event after the group run on September 20 at the On-Tap bar in the Time-Warner Center.  The beer was flowing, the food was good and the company extraordinary! This will become a regular social event following the run on the third Thursday of each month. 

Flyers Doing What Flyers Do Best...

Enjoying Each Other's Company is What Flyers Do Best
(You Didn't Think I Meant Drinking, Right?)

Join us!  If you’re lucky, you might spot Olmsted’s ghost as he runs silently alongside us on the Bridle Path.  There have been one or two sightings already!

RUN DETAILS

• Meet every Thursday at Columbus Circle, 7PM (Merchants' Gate under the Maine Monument).  59th St and Broadway, 1, A, B, C, D trains
• Stow your stuff at The NY Running Company store in Time Warner Center (10 Columbus Circle, 2nd floor).

See you there!

-Michael R

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Running Central Park: A Design Concept

Michael R

I found the Flyers in a roundabout way while teaching a design course at Parsons The New School for Design.  The emphasis of the course is to base a design project on a careful understanding of human needs.  A group of students chose to work on improving the running experience in Central Park.  Their project piqued my curiosity about running clubs and ultimately led me to join the Flyers.  That was lucky for me!

The students who developed this project were Maria Dontas, Sophie Elliot, Jacob Stein and Helen Weselcouch.  They started with the basic observation that different types of runners use Central Park and that its 843 acres can be overwhelming for those unfamiliar with the park and lacking in some desirable features for more experienced runners.  They called the project Running Central Park (RCP).

The students spent time on different days and at different hours observing and interviewing Central Park runners.  Some were locals only a short walk from home and all the conveniences a home provides.  Some traveled from other parts of the city to enjoy the park’s beauty but they were away from their home amenities.  Others were tourists wanting to run through one of the most famous parks on the planet but not sure where to start (or finish!).  Runners varied in experience level, home proximity, frequency of use and familiarity with the park.  The students also uncovered a variety of running goals including weight loss, fitness, fun, socializing, de-stressing and of course, training for specific performance objectives like distance or time.

The students analyzed these runners’ needs and came up with a list of amenities and services for RCP that would improve the overall running experience through the park:

The students incorporated these key features into the overall RCP concept design.  The major components of the concept are the “main hub” and “mini hub” buildings.  A “main hub” offers a lounge/rest area, staffed information desk, trainer’s office, basic first aid, lockers, restrooms, showers, towels, beverages, snacks and basic toiletries.

A “mini hub” is similar but with fewer amenities and services.  It includes a lounge, basic first aid, restrooms, beverages and snacks.

The hubs are strategically located throughout the park at convenient access points and within easy reach of public transportation.  Entry to the hubs is restricted to RCP members. The students proposed four locations for the main hubs and three locations for the mini hubs (see map, below):

The students also created a web site to support the concept.  It highlights the services and social activities available through RCP.  The site is actually similar to the Flyers’ web site although it relates more directly to RCP’s focus on Central Park and its hub facilities within the park.

Finally, the students created a pricing /membership model for RCP that is designed to accommodate anyone from one-time tourists to regular park runners.

The Running Central Park concept represents one model for enhancing the running experience in Central Park.  It transforms the park into a huge health club for runners.   The ideas are based on a researched understanding of the needs of runners who actually use the park.  As a frequent park runner I would find a service like this very appealing.

Even though I live only a few blocks from Central Park, I’ve often been in need of a Band-Aid, working water fountain, storage space, cool-down or advice while using the park.  It also is easy to see how the concept would be useful to other runners with different needs be they regular or infrequent park users and whether they live nearby, one borough over or a continent away. It would be interesting to hear how other Flyers respond to the RCP concept.

-Michael R

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New Flyer Profile: Michael Rabin

Michael R

How did I find the Flyers? I’m a professor at Parsons design school and a group of my students is doing a project on making Central Park more runner-friendly. As a frequent park runner I was very curious about their work and learned, though them, about various running clubs in NYC. I became interested in joining one myself and after some of my own research discovered the Flyers. The club seemed like the right mix of fun and running passion. The Flyers web site was the cincher, though. Great content! I joined a month or so ago and have been really enjoying the people, activities and attitude.

What’s my relationship with running? I began running in my early 20’s, was mostly dormant in my 30’s (childrearing fatigue) and resumed running in my 40’s. I ran my first marathon four years ago; the year I turned 50. I saw it as a one-time adventure (to cross off the list) and met my goal of running the whole course and crossing the finish line in one piece. Though I broke no records, I was pleased with the outcome. A few months later I went for a routine annual physical expecting nothing significant. My doctor ran an EKG and noted that it had changed a bit from the previous year's. With no cardiac symptoms (no dizziness, no shortness of breath, no chest pains) or risk factors (no high blood pressure, no high cholesterol, no diabetes, no smoking, no obesity - and I’m fit) she said it was probably nothing, but would feel more comfortable if I ran it by a cardiologist. The cardiologist was not concerned though she followed up. After successive tests and within days she told me, in a new urgent tone, that I needed to be in the hospital NOW. The next day the surgeon discovered coronary blockage and inserted four stents. He said, "You were the guy who was going to go out running one day, drop dead, and no one would understand why."

After digesting it all, and with the doctor’s blessing, I resolved to run the New York City Marathon again for two reasons: 1) to test the new plumbing, and 2) as an act of defiance and affirmation. The hardware worked well and I shaved 1 hour and 14 minutes off of my previous year's time.

Since then I’ve run four more marathons for a total of six: four in NYC and two in San Francisco. Each successive year I knock off a minute or two and each marathon represents a celebration of life for me. In fact, every time I run any distance I end it with an appreciation for all of life’s moments and a special appreciation for NYRR’s motto “Run for Life.”

What’s next? I’m training for the NYC and SF marathons again this year. I’m also leaving Parsons after this semester to pursue my new passion as a Life Coach. I’ll be preparing a Flyers blog entry about the student project mentioned above. Look for it in a few weeks!

- Michael R.

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