Mixing It Up!

Things haven't changed since the Bryn Mawr gym, fellow classmates chatting nervously while glances skittered like cockroaches in a South Baltimore walk-up.

The mixer.

At least this time I wasn't wearing bilious green front-pleated corduroy pants. With cuffs.

And when I ventured to speak to the ultra-hip North Brooklyn runners, I didn't get a sneer and behind-the-hand snickers dismissing me, making my granny glasses fog up.

They were actually quite nice! Though I maintain that it's the uniforms, and not the extreme beauty and youth, that creates such an allure to North Brooklyn.

Actually, it was an unusual running day. I spontaneously decided to run from work to the National Running Day event in Prospect Park. Being spontaneous is unusual, made more unusual by what often happens when I am spontaneous. It can be disaster.

I neglected the weather, and it being day 4 in a row of running, when I'm not used to that, and general weeniness.

So, extremely unusually, I found myself sweating in splendid isolation on the 2 train tirades Grand Army. I made it only to the courthouse before my legs cut out on me.

Given the conditions, it shouldn't have been surprising. But I still have mixed feelings. Was I smart or was I being a whiny quitter?

Off to Grand Rmy where, after much waiting around, we started a loop of the park with other teams.

"Is this a race?" "Is this a race?"

So many singlets in one place! And I got to run with Baltimore again.

Unsurprisingly, most people ran with others on their team. Not much mingling there.

I forgot my inhaler in my backpack, which I nervously left with a member of nyrr at GAP. Given the smog, I didn't want to push too hard. My legs still felt heavy and stiff, though.

So we didn't try to pass other teams, though some of our team-mates tried.

Off to a bar on 5th in Park Slope. Just like middle school, teams separated off.

But I started a conversation with North Brooklyn. With that ice breaker, and additional free beer, some of us PPTC-ers found ourselves fraternizing with another team! Gasp.

Especially the men. Heh. No more defectors to North Brooklyn, please!

A slow run back to home. About 5 plus 3.4 plus about 2.......10 miles, maybe.