Ow.
November 28th is the 15k Van Cortland Park cross-country race. This race and Hot Chocolate tie for my favorites of the year. The mini 10k was my very first NYRR race and still holds a special spot in my heart, and of course the marathon! The marathon.
Van Cortland Park starts at the turtle and the hare statue, and unlike the Central Park races, there aren't t-shirts, gatorade cups or bagels. No bananas, no shoe chips (hand-scored) and no immediate results on the website. No glory but tons of sweat! It starts on the "flats" with teenage boys from local high school track teams stripped down to nothing and running like crazy. It's a different crowd than the Central Park races. The course takes runners up to the hills almost immediately and stays there most of each 5k loop. The downhills make you forget the uphills, until the last loop, when even the downhills start feeling like uphills.
But don't just listen to me! This is one of the best reasons to visit the Bronx. Come uptown and run!