I headed out for my midday run the other day not knowing where I was going to go. Usually I have a route planned in advance but I was really busy at work that morning and didn’t even think about it until I was descending the steps from the gym. I decided to head up Broadway, with no destination in mind. My Vibram KSOs and Injinji socks were plenty warm in the low 20′s weather as I weaved in and out of the pedestrian traffic. There was still some slush on the sidewalks so I had to be a little careful. I love my KSOs but they don’t do well when there is ice or slush.
Before long I reached City Hall Park. At that point I decided that since it was a beautiful day I would head over to the Brooklyn Bridge and see how crowded it was. The pedestrian walkway can get very crowded, particularly in the Spring and Summer. It didn’t look too bad so I headed toward Brooklyn.
The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. Completed in 1883, it connects the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn by spanning the East River. At 5,989 feet (1825 m), it was the longest suspension bridge in the world from its opening to 1903, the first steel-wire suspension bridge. (From Wikipedia)
There is just something about going across a 127 year old bridge. So much history. So many stories. Whenever I experience buildings or bridges or tunnels that are very old I think about how important they are and what an accomplishment they were back in the day they were designed. There were no calculators. Telephones (yeah, land lines) had only been invented five years earlier. So to be able to run across that structure now is incredibly impressive to me.
I stopped a couple times to take some photos because it was such a beautiful day. I got to Brooklyn wishing I had more time so I could go further.
But I had to get back to the office so I turned around just on the other side of the Bridge. I headed back up the incline to the middle section of the bridge, passing tourists speaking several different languages, and saying a passing hi to a few runners going in the opposite direction. It was a bit windy and cold on top but I barely noticed given the striking view of the Manhattan skyline.
It’s runs like this that make me glad to be a “downtown runner”. And of course they also help me get through afternoons when my stressful job starts to infringe on my peace of mind.
Downtown Runner
Your mileage may vary
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Nice.
Too bad I wasn’t a runner back when I lived in NYC. The views of the Brooklyn Bridge (which I have never crossed by foot!) surely beat those of the bridges in DC!
Thanks for visiting Carla. I can’t argue with the comment about the views. Incredible. But the few times I’ve run in DC I enjoyed thinking about the history as well.
This kind of thing really makes me want to visit NYC. If I ever make it there, it would be great to go for a run together, Bob!
It’s a deal Richard. I’ll start planning a route!
Sounds like a great run. I sometimes find the best runs to be those without a plan–you never know what you’ll find.