PRE-RACE ACTIVITIES

• Photo 01:  Gangster-style hand signs are in.  Here is Toby Tanser, decked in the Fila uniform, giving the thumbs up sign.  The finger pointing to him belongs to Craig Plummer.
• Photo 02:  Craig Chilton puts his hands out and proclaims innocence.  "I'm not racing today, because that is not in my 12 week program."
• Photo 03:  Paul Stuart-Smith says, "I'm definitely a gang leader.  You will always find me standing out in front."
• Photo 04:  The rest of the gang appears in this photo --- Peter Allen, Isaya Okwiya and Alan Ruben.
• Photo 05:  These two think that they won't be recognized.  Bola Awofeso said, "Everyone thinks that I am not running now, so they won't be looking for me."  Rich Hollander said, "I'll wear dark glasses."
• Photo 06:  Jerome O'Shaughnessy said, "These guys promised that they will start the race promptly at 730am.  It is now exactly 730am and nothing is happening yet.  I could have stayed in bed a little bit longer?"
• Photo 07:  Our gang was squeezed out of the front row, but they still (Paul Stuart-Smith, Peter Allen, Alan Ruben and especially Isaya Okwiya) remain highly visible.
• Photo 08:  Sarah Gross asks, "Are you looking for me?"
• Photo 09:  Actually, we were looking for everybody --- Bola Awofeso, David Birchfield, Alex Peterhansl, Sarah Gross, Yves-Marc Courtines, J.R. Mojica, Jose LaSalle, Audrey Kingsley, Dan Sack and Rich Holland, all squeezed into one small area.
• Photo 10:  Meanwhile, Shelley Farmer has a race number but will not race today because she has a triathlon tomorrow.
• Photo 11:  This race was advertised to have as many as 5,000 entrants.  In past years, the large number of entrants has always caused delays due to the long lines for late registration, number pick-up, baggage check and bathrooms.  Today, the race was moved up to 730am with the promise of an on-time start.  According to the watch of the official Central Park Track Club chronicler, which is known to offer two minutes of grace for the workouts, the race was started at 738am.  The portosans also did not appear until near starting time.
• Photo 12:  While we are at the Complaints Department, we note that the sound system malfunctioned by emitting a continuous high-pitched noise.  This is Toby Tanser plugging his ears with his fingers.  Having whined so much here, we think that we can expect another surprise inspection of our workouts next week, so please be on your best behavior!!!

THREE MILE MARK (WEST 88th STREET)

• Photo 21:  Toby Tanser opened the race with a 5:04 mile and reached the three mile mark in about 15:20.  At this point, he was already clear of any visible pursuers.
• Photo 22:  Alan Ruben runs down the westside in a lushly green park overlooked by the Central Park West buildings.
• Photo 23:  Peter Allen with someone in hot pursuit, but he obviously doesn't care because he has this big smile.
• Photo 24:  Jose LaSalle runs by with the background in a blur.
• Photo 25:  David Birchfield looks like as if he is playing music in his head.
• Photo 26:  Roger Liberman ran another personal best today.  He is having one of those magical periods in which he gets a personal best in every race.
• Photo 27:  What is J.R. Mojica doing?  Trying to swat a West Nile-virus-carrying mosquito?  By the way, did you realize that this park was sprayed in the early morning hours right before the race?

EIGHT MILE MARK (TOP OF HARLEM HILL)

• Photo 31:  Toby Tanser continues to crank it out, with no one else in sight behind him.
• Photo 32:  Going airborne up the hill is Alan Ruben.
• Photo 33:  Richie Borrero said, "I felt good during the race.  It was only after the race that I remembered that my knee was supposed to hurt, and then it started to hurt."
• Photo 34:  Isaya Okwiya was doing 800m/1500m/mile just a couple of weeks ago, and steps up to a much longer distance and up a much higher hill than the one on the backstretch at the East River Park track.
• Photo 35:  With her experience, Gordon Bakoulis has moved up to first place after handing someone else a sizeable lead at first.  Wait a minute!  Dad just went by a few minutes ago, and Mom is running by right now.  So who is minding the kids?  The answer will be provided shortly ...
• Photo 36:  Harry Morales said, "I told a friend to check out our website.  She did and she found all those pictures of me."  She'll have to come back to look at this one ...
• Photo 37:  Rick Shaver in one of those photos that would definitely discourage potential runners.  Who wants to go through this sort of pain?
• Photo 38:  Jose LaSalle is almost to the top of the hill.
• Photo 39:  Jerome O'Shaughnessy sees the welcome sight of the traffic light at the top of the hill.
• Photo 40:  Yumi Ogita goes up the hill lightly.
• Photo 41:  This photo was taken right at the top of the hill.  Now that the hill has been virtually conquered, Alex Peterhansl could afford to put in a little spurt to gather some momentum for the downhill roll.
• Photo 42:  Bola Awofeso looks a lot better in this photo than the others, no doubt helped by the fact that he is running downhill instead of uphill.

FINISH LINE

• Photo 51:  Plowing through the finish 'tape' is Toby Tanser in a time of 1:08:14.  To be more precise, he reached the clock in 1:08:14; this picture was taken just a half step past the clock but still on the first mat, and the clock read 1:08:15; his official time was 1:08:16.  Yes, this is an empirical confirmation of the 'second mat' theory.
• Photo 52: What do winners do after they finish?  (1) Get your chip clipped or be docked $30; (2) Get interviewed by Eddie Coyle, who must be tired of talking to this same person (Toby Tanser) every week.  Oh, you can do both things at the same time.
• Photo 53:  Our marathon man Alan Ruben has a surprisingly strong kick (4:36 at the Fifth Avenue Mile).
• Photo 54:  Richie Borrero is just two steps behind someone.  Will there be enough room left?  Regardless, there is still time enough to break 1:15 and to improve on last year's 1:15:10.  And, don't forget that you can finish behind someone at the 'line' but still outlean them to the second mat where it really counts!
• Photo 55:  This is the 800m sprint kick for Isaya Okwiya.
• Photo 56:  Paul Stuart-Smith uses his miler's kick to try to reach the cutoff time (sub-1:18).
• Photo 57:  Rick Shaver reaches the end of his pain.  Mind you, this is how he always looks.

AFTER THE RACE

• Photo 71:  When dad and mom are both racing, it is time to call Super Nathan's Babysitting Service (1-888-NATHANK).  Here are Nathan Klejman, with Sammy Ruben in hand and Joey Ruben on foot.
• Photo 72:  There are photographers and then there are photographers of photographers.  This is G'mo Rojas pictured as the assistant to the official Polaroid photographer.
• Photo 73:  Sarah Gross complained, "You were leaving your post before I got there.  You're not supposed to do that!!!"
• Photo 74:  For this family, mom (Yumi Ogita) raced while dad (Casey Yamazaki) minded the child (Erika Maple Ogita-Yamazaki).
• Photo 75:  This was a great morning in New York City, running, photography or otherwise.  The weather was just beautiful --- cloudless, warm and free of humidity.  So even Audrey Kingsley did not land in the medical tent like she did last year, although she begs to differ on the reason --- "It is difficult to get into trouble when you are just walking ..." (note: her time was 1:32:44)