The Runners' Station was big part of RUN NYC programming for years, even before I came on board. Many people in our office had managed or been involved with the Station, and the beloved track house had even been picked up and moved to different locations on the West Side Highway several times. It was a staple for many NYC runners during the summer and was even home to our 26.2 Training Program last year.
Early January of this year marked the end of the beloved Station. It was slated to be razed early in the morning on a Friday. Several of us in the office decided we needed to go say our "goodbyes" to the little shack before it destroyed. We made plans to meet on the Lower East Side in the morning and run to the Station on the west side to watch it be torn down. In typical fashion, a simple run turned into a whirlwind of ideas. Soon, "Station Ovation" shirts were constructed, race bibs were located, and outfits were discussed.
I showed up at our predetermined meeting place on Friday morning, to only find Shaun waiting. No one else had showed, despite several people living in the neighborhood.
Shaun and I left from the Lower East Side and made our way south. It was a very cold morning. As we ran in our matching shirts and race bibs, we started asking people where Central Park was. We acted confused and said we were trying to find the start of "the race." Eventually Shaun began stopping people to ask for directions. One lady even mapped out directions on her iPhone for us. Who said New Yorkers aren't helpful? People looked even more confused after they directed us north and then we said "thanks" and headed south.
Eventually, we reached the Station, where destruction had already begun. Ross and Christina were waiting there. We took a few pictures, grabbed some souvenirs from the Station, and made a quick champagne toast. I said my final goodbye to the Station and then we went to a restaurant to grab breakfast before going in to work.
As we were finishing breakfast, Paul Leone (you might remember him from the Honorable Mention post) made his grand entrance. It was below freezing outside and Paul entered wearing very, very short running shorts and his sleeveless "Station Ovation" shirt. But what really put an exclamation on his wardrobe was the full-size American flag he was carrying. Paul also brought along our Derek-head-on-a-stick.
I need to explain a couple things before moving on. We have a love for America around our office. GBA (God Bless America) is a common phrase, we once had a column in the office adorned with patriotic pictures that we dubbed "The Pillar of Patriotism," and we pretty much try to bring America into anything and everything. Mebmerica, anyone? And look out if the US is playing any country in any sport. We'll be decked out in red, white, and blue. There might even be face paint involved. Its infectious. My non-work friends are on the America bandwagon. How can you not love this country? GBA! The other thing to explain is that Derek was around and involved with the Runners' Station since its inception. However, Derek was in LA for work, so we printed his head out (a photoshopped picture, of course) and mounted it on a stick.
Now, back to the morning of January 8th. Paul finished off all the leftover food on our plates and we ventured outside. It was now snowing. With our matching shirts and bibs, Derek-on-a-stick, and the American flag, Paul, Shaun, and I set out to run from downtown Manhattan back to the office in Chelsea. With the flag waving, passing cars honked, motorists yelled encouragement, and passersby cheered. The three of us fed off the energy and started yelling "we set the record!" When people inevitably asked, "what record?" we told them "the RECORD!" This developed into a story of running cross-country from LA to New York, saying we lost Derek in Missouri to injury, but kept him with us in spirit with the head-on-a-stick. The tale got taller and taller as people bought each incremental piece of story one of us would fabricate. We started posing for pictures and even ran through a movie set. By the end of the run, I could hardly run because I was laughing so hard at times.
This run planted the seed for some future runs, which incorporated the American Flag, snow, and being under-dressed. And Derek-on-a-stick made a few more appearances at social events until he was lost one night. Leone posted a craigslist ad asking for his return, but we never recovered him. Luckily, the read Derek returned from LA safe and sound.
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