@ShadiNYC
I licked my arm and shuddered at what I tasted. My body, drenched in sweat after running 10 kilometers in a hot, humid summer evening, tasted saltier than the handful of pretzel crisps I had earlier. Though I immediately wanted to hop in a cold shower,something about the energy in the air at the finish line made me stick around longer. As I stood on the corner of Hester and Ludlow St. - chatting with photographers, volunteers, and spectators, and fellow runners of the OSR W10K - I realized the very bond and friendship created at events like this is what makes New York City’s vibrant urban running community so special.
@GrahamMacindoe
I became hooked on urban running after participating in Midnight Half, an unsanctioned half marathon designed for those who are not afraid to race on open city streets without a designated route or course marshals. When I found out that Joe DiNoto, the brainchild behind Midnight Half and founder of Orchard Street Runners, was organizing a similar running race, I signed up without hesitation for another exciting date night with NYC’s streets.
@OrchardStreetRunners
OSR W10K is a women’s 10K race (the men’s 10K will take place in August). Like Midnight Half, the race took place on the open streets with traffic. While there was a set route that involved crossing the Williamsburg and the Manhattan Bridges, the course was not marked so the runners were responsible for knowing the route prior to race day.
@OrchardStreetRunners
This year’s field, which was capped at ~15 people, featured some of the fastest female runners in NYC, including Olympics Trials qualifier and 2016 Midnight Half champ Caitlin Philips, OSR W10K defending champion Leighanne Sharek, and winner of 2015 Midnight Half Jennie Cohen.
@GrahamMacindoe
Precisely at 8PM, the OSR W10K commenced with a rolling start to the entrance of the Williamsburg Bridge. There were cash prizes at stake, both to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd overall finisher of the race, as well as a $50 bonus to the first runner to reach the pedestrian threshold on the Brooklyn side of the Williamsburg Bridge.
@ShadiNYC
Due to the humidity, my body quickly heat up and I could feel the sweat trickling down my back within the first mile. As I ran along what felt like an endless straightaway of Kent Ave. in Brooklyn, I closed my eyes and imagined myself in an air-conditioned room with a pint of chocolate chip ice cream cradled in my arm. Then I heard a loud honk at the stoplight and realized I was running on open streets with traffic. “Keep your eyes open, Jane,” I told myself. Back to reality.
@DaPingLuo
The toughest part of the race for me was the climb on the Manhattan Bridge. Not only were my legs fatigued and my throat dry, but there were a couple cyclists who yelled at me, “Pedestrian path is on the other side!” Great, thanks for cheering.
@DaPingLuo
As I made my descent into Manhattan, I made a wrong turn and ran in the opposite direction. Luckily, I recovered from the mistake, quickly turned around, and pushed to the final stretch. There was a sizable crowd gathered at the finish line, all cheering loudly as the OSR W10K runners carved their way through traffic to the finish line.
Once the results were tallied, I realized I placed 4th place overall - just shy of the podium finish. Sure, I could have ran a bit faster, made the right turn at the bridge, and maybe eaten a little less before the race, but honestly, I had no regrets about my performance or the experience. Call me a masochist, but I can’t think of a better way to spend those 40 minutes - with the cars honking, cyclists yelling, sweats dripping, and heart pounding - than on the vibrant streets of New York City with other urban running enthusiasts.
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