Running is such an outlet

By | September 13, 2020

and I really wish someone would invent a brain/typed words app because I wrote most of this on the run, but sitting down to type it…especially as WordPress is glitchy today

This shirt might happen

This ad keeps popping up on Facebook. I love my ghost puns and have a fun 26.Boo one, but this might also need to happen. It is just so perfect. This week marked six months of working from home. I can’t wrap my head around that. Who knew we’d still be in the middle of this on March 12?

This week was so up and down. Personally, I’m OK but 9/11 came out of nowhere this year and hit hard. I think it was the late Labor Day Weekend that was why it snuck up. I realized there are adults – 18 and 19 year olds – who weren’t alive when this happened. WOW. Rewinding to Labor Day Weekend before I get into this week’s runs.

 

a bridge I still need to tackle

public art and summer hair

For a long time I had a thing for bridges. Basically trying to walk them all. That fell off as I’d done most of the interesting ones, but after last Saturday’s Queens run, I decided it was time to have fun with bridges again in the name of a five borough staycation. Yeah, Sunday’s “rest day” wasn’t. I did take the ferry, but ended up wandering around DUMBO and generally reframing my “I’m stuck here on a long weekend because can’t get a rental car” into “I have the opportunity to explore in a way I haven’t in a couple of years”. That was something I’d mentioned as “cost” of marathon training, I’d missed walking. So it was really a lot of fun to “rediscover” my city including an amazing sunset ferry ride.

Weekly Run Down with Deborah and Kim:

never gets old

this either

  • never miss a Monday: since I’d done Brooklyn and Queens over the weekend, I decided this was going to be a five borough weekend. I have been trying to find the bridge from Randalls Island to the Bronx, and I finally did! Not the one above though as my Achilles was still feeling Saturday’s bridge, but the flat Randalls Island Connector for a nice six miles. After freshening up, I head back to the ferry and took it to Lower Manhattan where I walked to the Staten Island Ferry for some Dairy Queen. Yes, I will borough hop for ice cream. It was a pleasant surprise to find the outlet mall open, and I did enjoy some “back to school” shopping at the GAP outlet. Just like school days. A stunning sunset brought be back home and refreshed to start the work week.

has anyone read this?

  • Tuesday: planned off day. A walk to Target but nothing exciting aside from this Little Free Library find and hauling a new chair up the stairs.
  • Wednesday: “office run group”, which is currently just two of us. A nice five mile loop for each of us from our respective starting points and a nice, hard speed workout.

new chair!

  • Thursday: “off” steps wise, but most definitely not off. Part of the living room project I’ve talked about over the last few weeks is replacing the futon with a sleeper chair.  My living room is too small for the futon, and it hasn’t opened into a full size bed in years, so this was no loss guest space wise. A neighbor helped me take out the futon mattress, but we forgot about the rule that requires a mattress disposal bag, so it was a rain dash to Home Depot to get one before it closed. The chair was easy to assemble, although it hasn’t yet landed in its TV-watching space.

Tribute in Light from 26 Broadway

  • Friday: September 11th. Oof. I knew I’d run to the Memorial as has become my tradition, but I didn’t have firm plans. I live on the east side, but it felt right to run down the Hudson, which was a nice way of re-visiting some marathon training routes.  I followed a beautiful sunset down the Hudson River and arrived at the Memorial just as dusk hit and immediately felt tears creeping in. Usually it’s an easy entrance to the Memorial from the West Side, but with COVID rules, there’s one entrance and exit, so I didn’t actually get to the memorial itself. I was OK with this, as I really didn’t like the idea of being penned in on the anniversary. I looked at my mileage, did the math to the ferry terminal and knew what was coming. I took a slight detour, which also resulted in the photo above (for those of you who know the city – I dipped south to Battery Park instead of going east on Wall) and 8.9 miles on the watch when I got to the ferry. I did a couple laps of the pier before boarding and the run ended up as 9.11 miles. The first I’ve done that and I spent the ferry ride home just thinking about the last 19 years. It was also weird to be out after dark, which hasn’t happened much in the last six months.

<3

  • Saturday: a dear running friend marked one year since cancer surgery with eighteen miles. I couldn’t run with her, but I walked a loop of the Great Lawn and saw this on my way home. We then met back up for dinner at Pier I, my first time there for dinner in almost a year. COVID really has done a number on “normal”, but this was a wonderful day to celebrate life.
  • Sunday Runday: this run was hard, but pretty with some fall flowers. I was thirstier than normal and my legs were dead. It’s definitely time for a down week.  Finishing trying to set up my living room and enjoying some football.

31 thoughts on “Running is such an outlet

  1. Kim G

    I think I might need that Boo shirt because it it SO on brand for 2020, and super cute too.

    I had a similar type of week – some ups and downs – related to work and that state of the country. 9/11 did seem to pop up this year and I was annoyed at myself for not realizing the date sooner.

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      I was talking to a friend today and I think it snuck up on most of us. Such a weird world that there’s so much wrong that one horrible doesn’t stand out as it would in a normal year. Hope you have a better week! *HUGS*
      If you don’t have the ad in your feed for the shirt, let me know and I’ll share it.

      Reply
  2. Beckett @ Birchwood Pie

    My two “musts” anytime that I go to NY are the Staten Island ferry and the Brooklyn Bridge. On my most recent visit (a few years ago now) I stayed in Brooklyn and walked over on the Brooklyn Bridge and then came back via the Manhattan Bridge. Quite a trek.

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      I do love that “loop”. The approaches are flatter than Williamsburg, which is deceptively long. Glad you’ve been able to experience some of my favorite views

      Reply
  3. Deborah Brooks

    that is a nice tradition and fitting way to honor 9-11; Well done on the mileage too. That boo shirt is fantastic-I say go for it. Happy to hear that you friend is doing better 🙂

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      I think the shirt is going to happen. We all need more silliness
      Love my tradition. It doesn’t bring anyone back or undo any of the ugliness, but it makes me feel like I’m doing something positive

      Reply
  4. Marcia

    9/11 is frozen in time for me. I was watching TV and Thing 1 was a 2 month old baby next to me in her bouncy chair. It’s hard to believe 19 years have passed and still it seems like yesterday. That was a nice run you did in tribute.
    I feel the same way about COVID. At first I thought Maddie’s spring break “might” be extended a week. Then I thought “for sure” we’d all be back to normal by summer. And now here we are. It’s a lot to get one’s head around.
    Love the new chair!

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      Same. I changed my closet because it would be warm weather before we went back to work… I shouldn’t have bothered switching it. I remember also worrying about sweaty runs to or from work, but summer run commutes were never a thing.
      Me too! Finally got it to where I think it’s going to live, but we’ll see

      Reply
  5. Coco

    I was thinking of you on Friday. I’m glad you got to run down to the memorial and really glad you shared that photo. I listened to an NPR story of a mother who lost her daughter, and she said she was really glad they had a service she could attend, because she didn’t know how else she could spend the day. That really hit me. Some of us make an effort to remember, but some truly will never forget.

    Your Lady Liberty sunset photo is amazing.

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      Thanks!
      The politics that got in the way of the service, name reading, and for a while Tribute in Lights were ridiculous. This needs to happen, especially now. There was no reason they couldn’t make it work and I’m glad to see ~ two weeks later that there’s no uptick related to gatherings. We’ve gone up slightly but for other reasons.

      Reply
  6. Kimberly Hatting

    I love that you did a 9.11 tribute run. As you know, I did a 9.11-mile bike ride (since that was my only “stress fracture” option this year). In 2001, I was talking to a friend (on the phone) when the hubby beeped in and told me to turn on the tv. A few minutes later, I saw the second plane hit and nearly dropped the phone. I stood there for a good 45 minutes, still talking with my friend, and couldn’t move. That’s a day that will never be forgotten…Anyways, great job on your mileage! YOU’ve earned some valuable down-time 😉

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      “Beeped in”! I was just talking to a friend about the days of call waiting and a call beeping in. Glad you were able to find a way to mark the anniversary. I don’t think any of us will forget where we were when we heard

      Reply
  7. Darlene S. Cardillo

    Love that shirt.

    Awesomeness to run 9.11 on 9.11.

    It’s funny how you are walking more without marathon training. Same with hiking for me. Never would have happened last year.

    I’m drooling over your NYC pics. Can’t wait to get there.

    But no end in sight for this wfh situation. Maybe until spring.

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      it’s nice to enjoy the city at a photographic and s;ightly more chill pace. I don’t regret marathon or training, but it’s nice to be back to “normal” although I’m still running way more than I typically would have since there’s no commute
      Come for a race?

      Reply
  8. Debbie @ Deb Runs

    That Boo Sheet shirt is so appropriate for 2020 and very cute. You need it!

    It sounds like you had a good running week and I love that you were able to run 9.11 miles on Friday. Your Statue of Liberty picture is gorgeous!

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      Thank you. Hadn’t been downtown in a really long time and it was nice to enjoy the harbor

      Reply
  9. Chocolaterunsjudy

    Love the new chair! Can’t imagine having to haul it up, though.

    I do love to walk, but feel so guilty going out on my own without at least Bandit (after her morning walk Lola’s pretty content to snooze away the rest of the day).

    I’m not sure I’d really like walking over #allthebridges though. There’s just something about a bridge — ok, don’t ask me why I’ve always wanted to run across the Golden Gate then!

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      I was supposed to run across the Golden Gate if I’d been in San Francisco for a conference in May. I’m enjoying bridges as a means of getting around, but it also makes for a fun scavenger hunt.
      Dogs don’t let you go out alone?
      Hauling up the chair was not fun. Luckily a neighbor helped

      Reply
  10. Jessie

    You covered a lot of ground, what a week! So many important and meaningful runs/events. Glad you could celebrate with your friend.

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      yes, I think we both needed that.
      9 miles twice in one week isn’t going to happen often, but glad I could do it

      Reply
  11. Jenn

    9/11 is such a hard day. I woke up to so many rainbows, and i think that made it slightly more tolerable.

    I love your plan to take on all the bridges. I think that sounds really awesome, and a fun way to explore. I am all about bridges and wish I could join you!

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      We’ll have to have a bridge adventure one day.
      Glad you got rainbows. We need those little things to make 911 just a little bit easier

      Reply
  12. Michelle D.

    I do feel like somehow I lost track of 9/11 and then all of a sudden it was Friday. I was living in NYC on that day and have so many emotions. I love that you ran 9.11 miles.

    That Boo shirt is too cute – it must happen!

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      Boo shirt is on order.
      Although I grew up just outside the city, somehow I can’t imagine being here for it.

      Reply
  13. Liz Dexter

    I was really knocked by 9/11 this year, too. The point that there are adults who were born after then is a bit of a shocker, isn’t it.

    I can’t believe it’s 6 months of working from home, either. Matthew is the same as although we officially went into lockdown on 24 March he had to isolate after our holiday.

    Here’s to a more restful week this week. I don’t think I’ll be running a marathon over this week, either, although you never quite know …

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      You never know.. true for the fun and the not so fun of the current world. I forgot you two were on holiday when this all went upside down. Glad we were both able to get away

      Reply
  14. Lisa @ Mile by Mile

    I also can’t believe we’ve been working from home for 6 months. I don’t think anyone could have imagined what this year would bring! Thats such a nice tradition for 9/11.

    Reply
  15. Zenaida Arroyo

    I want that shirt too! So perfect for this year.

    I am not familiar with NY though I’ve been there a few times. A friend of mine used to live in Staten Island so I remember taking the ferry to get to the city. I love reading the places you go to though I have no idea where it is. 🙂

    On Monday I met a friend for dinner and realized that I had not seen her in person (she is also a teacher and we’ve been in meetings via Google Meet) in 6 months. March 14th was the last day we saw each other. It was so weird.

    I too thought about these past 19 years. I thought about where I was that day and what I did. I was at work and couldn’t understand what had just happened. What do you mean an airplane hit one of the towers? And then another one? We were told to go home and I watched nonstop the news-simply horrible. Of course it does not compare to what those that were affected were feeling that day.

    Reply
  16. Shathiso

    A friend of mine wrote a Facebook post on 9/11 (she’s our age) and she said something like, “Can’t believe it’s been 11 years”. So I had to say, “It’s been 19 years!” But even as I corrected her, it was just so hard to believe it’s been that long and as you say there are 18 year olds who were not there at the time.

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      Time is funny, isn’t it? One of my last big meetings before everything shut down was a kickoff for the 20th. Still hoping we’ll be able to make something big even with budget cuts.

      Reply
  17. Pingback: 20 years – travellingcari.com

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