Manhattan Marathon

We had another great New York weekend, this time with our New Hampshire friends. It was a combination birthday celebration and a chance to watch the NYC marathon. Our apartment may be small, but it's conveniently located, has a cozy futon and kitchen priviledges.

On Saturday, we did a walking tour of lower Manhattan that included Ground Zero and the Financial district. Our friends had already done a self-guided running tour of Battery Park City. Mariel took the train in from New Haven and subwayed down to our apartment later in the day. That evening, we had a delicious meal at a small restaurant in the West Village. We went there by limo because it was the cheapest way to go with 5 passengers. We waited for the cash cab, to no avail.

Four lucky theater-goers had tickets to see Mamma Mia! I was not one of them. I came back to the apartment to keep Turbo company and try to snooze away my exhaustion. The Abba fans returned around 11, singing and dancing their way through the door. Mariel had the option of sleeping here but wisely chose a bed in Brooklyn, where the bruch would be held.

Sunday was a beautiful day for a 26.2-mile run. We were co-hosting the 25th Annual Marathon Brunch, a tradition that dates back to our Brooklyn days. Neighborhood friends carried on the concept after we left for greener pastures. Our New Hampshire friends are avid runners, so they were psyched to see it. One of them had even run it years ago.

We cheered the elite women runners, after which I went inside my friends' house to grab a bite. Mark had arrived by then and various other friends and relatives. I went back outside to catch the elite men pumping up the long hill that Fort Greene uses to test your mettle. Many runners decide to take a granny break here (walk), get food and/or water, and use the long row of porta potties that line the street behind our old house. What a sight that is, to watch doors open and close, spitting out runners in varying degree of wobbliness.

Before I took in the waves of "regular" runners, I had the chance to catch up with some old friends from the neighborhood. This was priceless. A number of college and post-college kids showed up, and it was great to see them and chat for a bit. This is the next generation of marathoners and brunch hosters.

No trip to Fort Greene is complete without visitng our old block. Strangers (to us) went up and down the stoops of the old brownstones. Our house looks fairly similar to what it did in 1998, save that the paint has been blasted off and the natural wood doors have been painted. The garden has many of the old plants in it, ones I put in. The biggest shock was the traffic light at the end of the block. Of course, the crack house has been renovated and is probably worth a fortune.

We took the subway back to Manhattan, where we had a brief birthday celebration for the former marathoner who doesn't look a day over 43. Once they were gone, Marty and I collapsed with glasses of seltzer and watched a truly dreadful Bruce Willis movie. We pulled out some stuffed cabbage from the freezer (thanks Frances!) and watched TV, resembling zombies who inexpicably eat food. I crashed early, after learning Mariel had returned home safely and knowing that the Marathon brunch would be held again in one year's time.