For the third year in a row I have participated in one way or another with a relay on Memorial Day weekend that goes from Massachusetts to DC to raise money for college scholarships for children of fallen warriors. This year was even more special because we had such a large group running the Bronx leg and we had the star power of Buzunesh Deba, our local world-class runner who agreed to be there for the start of our leg. She and her husband Worku are so lovely and generous you would never know she competes at a global level, ranked internationally.
The weather did not cooperate this weekend with terrible heat, humidity and rain throughout all 500 miles of the relay. The weather slowed the effort but did not stop the flag and dog-tags that were carried continuously from the start in Concord MA all the way to Arlington VA. The relay started on Friday morning and ran continuously through day and night until it reached the iconic war memorial of the soldiers lifting the American flag in Arlington on Monday at about 6pm.
The Bronx leg started in Van Cortlandt Park at 12:40 (about 3 hours behind schedule), at the Memorial Grove, a very peaceful grove of evergreens with plaques for Bronxites who lost their lives in active combat. It is the perfect place for the handoff, there’s shade for those who are waiting, a perfect memorial and lots of room for the incoming and out going runners. We were there for about 2 hours waiting for the previous leg to finish. The heat really impacted a lot of the runners so we waited patiently.
The other reason this year was special was because my teammate and friend, Bobby Asher, used this opportunity to run his first ultramarathon, pledging to run all the NY legs of the relay totalling 33 miles. We were in touch with him while we waited for them to arrive in VCP so we knew how far behind they were. The excitement when we saw the runners coming with the flag waving was so great after having waited so long.
There were about a dozen of us, mostly from VCTC but a few other New York runners joined us for the trek from the Bronx into Manhattan, ending at Columbus Circle. The run itself was tough in the midday heat. But when it got really tough Karen and I reminded each other how blessed we were to be able to run, to be here celebrating the freedoms that our military has fought hard to preserve. To be able to use our hobby to help those who have sacrificed so much is truly a blessing.
We got a fair number of cars who honked in support of our run and people shouting words of encouragement but the most memorable part of the run was the guys hanging out behind General Grant’s tomb, smoking weed who spontaneously broke into the theme from Rocky as we ran up the back steps of the monument to take a picture around the front. It was priceless!
Because we started so late I wasn’t able to finish the leg since I had to be back at Van Cortlandt for a 4pm Kids Running Club practice I was leading so I made it as far as 79th street and then had to run to the subway and get back up to the Bronx.
It was all good, there was about $35,000 raised for one college bound child of a warrior lost in battle and while it’s not enough to cover all expenses it will certainly help. Hopefully this will grow each year and raise more money for those who really need and deserve it!
Even though I didn’t get to finish my leg, Bobby and I (and a few other teammates we picked up on the way) ran the last leg of the relay, #65, in Van Cortlandt at 4:45 when the last let began in Virginia. Even though we weren’t there in person, it felt awesome to be participating virtually as they were finishing!