Sunday, May 6 was a big day for many New Yorkers. Thousands of athletes, sports spectators and drivers within the New York metro area were affected. Whether picking from among the 35th annual Long Island Marathon, the 30th annual Five Boro Bike Tour, or the Yankees-Mariners Major League Baseball game to participate in or watch, or plotting a path of least resistance among the traffic-jammed down-state arteries, countless people were caught between a run and some round places.
The run, specifically the Long Island Marathon, started near and ended at one of my favorite sites in Nassau County (Eisenhower Park , formerly known as Salisbury Park). According to Wikipedia, the annual, 26.2-mile foot-race "was first run in 1970 as the "Earth Day Marathon" and was "renamed the Long Island Marathon in 1978." A half marathon (13.1 miles) was added in 1984 and a 10K run was added this year "to encourage greater participation in the event by providing a less vigorous run and one in which families can take part.""2007 RexCorp Long Island Marathon Date Set for May 6" reports:
For the first time in its history, the marathon weekend will also incorporate a family-friendly "Kids’ Fun Run" at the Mitchel Athletic Complex as well as a "Museum Row Family Festival." Both activities are in the "Hub" area by the Nassau Coliseum.
Despite my fondness for Eisenhower Park, if I hadn't had to teach a course, and then go to bed to nurse a bug, I'd have made the rounds in the Five Boro Bike Tour. Bike New York says it's "the largest recreational cycling event in America." The proof is in the pedaling: 30,000 registered riders geared up to cyle around the 42-mile, traffic-free circuit around Manhattan, da Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island.
I didn't watch any of the events live, but was affected nonetheless - all the way up in Westchester County - by the resulting traffic tie-ups along the New York State Thruway System and its tributaries. I let radio traffic reports guide me and tried to be cool
, calm and collected.
Traffic was not all that was congested. . Fortunately, my trusty tissue box and I reached our destination promptly and I kept my cool - and my voice - until class ended. Ironically, though, when I shut the books and doused the lights, my voice shut off, too.
Never fear, I'll lick the laryngitis by any means necessary; certainly no later than high noon on my next big day (Wednesday, May 9). That's when I'll interview dancer-teaching artist Tanya Calamoneri, Co-Director and Manager, Sponsored Artist Program and Co-Director of (Performance Zone, dba) The Field. Join us on the Lisa Tolliver Show on New York Radio WVOX 1460 AM and wvox.com.
PHOTO CREDITS:
, calm and collected.Traffic was not all that was congested. . Fortunately, my trusty tissue box
and I reached our destination promptly and I kept my cool - and my voice - until class ended. Ironically, though, when I shut the books and doused the lights, my voice shut off, too.Never fear, I'll lick the laryngitis by any means necessary; certainly no later than high noon on my next big day (Wednesday, May 9). That's when I'll interview dancer-teaching artist Tanya Calamoneri, Co-Director and Manager, Sponsored Artist Program and Co-Director of (Performance Zone, dba) The Field. Join us on the Lisa Tolliver Show on New York Radio WVOX 1460 AM and wvox.com.PHOTO CREDITS:
