New Year's 2009 was a night for me to remember. I spent it in New York City with some good friends, not with Dick Clark, but in Central Park for the Emerald Nuts Midnight Run. It was a quick trip, but incredibly fun and even more cold. Seriously, I have a new definition for chilled to the bone. Here's the trip in review.
Dec. 31, 2008
9:30 am - make sack lunches
10:00 am - depart Philly for a quick drive to NYC
12:13 - park on the Upper West Side, close to the start/finish of the race
12:15 - Bundle up, the wind is blowing hard and it's starting to snow
12:35 - Meet up with other car, forge through wind across Central Park to get to race registration
1:07 - Arrive at race registration, buy $10 socks to replace the wet ones on my feet
1:30 - Take the subway to Staten Island ferry
2:14 - Eat sack lunches while waiting for the ferry with the added benefit of free entertainment - a lively piece on the cello, and a passerby doing a lively jig
2:47 - Get on the WARM ferry and ride to Staten Island while finishing up lunches and basking in the warmth!
3:32 - Pass Lady Liberty on ferry ride back to Manhattan
3:45 - Rejuvinated and warm, happy to continue onto Soho
4:11 - Shopping in Soho, buy some Bacon and Cheese flavored crickets at Evolution
4:21 - Pose for picture on a very picturesque street
4:26 - Stop in darling boutique, opt to not purchase the $104 sweater that I'm still in love with
4:48- Very large Anthropologie store, very happy
5:30 - Purchase some extra leggings for the race as the wind continues to bite harder!
6:25 - Stop at Rockefellar Center, see the beautiful large Christmas tree, opt not to skate but to watch the skaters from a warm spot inside, Staci treats all to Starbucks hot chocolate and cider, relax and enjoy each other's company
8:36 - Increasingly biting wind as we walk to Swagat, a charming Indian restaurant on the Upper West Side
9:00 - Wait for food, warm but hungry
9:15 - Still waiting for food
9:32 - Stuffing self with very, very tasty Indian eats
10:10 - Stroke of luck, we stop for warmth at Carrie's friends house 3 blocks from the restaurant
10:55 - Walk very fast to the car, questioning the sanity of whoever decided this run would be a good idea
11:12 - Change into running clothes in the car, opt for 3 layers of pants, 4 layers of shirts plus sweatshirt, 2 pairs of socks, 1 muff, 1 scarf, 1 beanie, 1 pair of gloves, 1 pair of mittens, 1 ipod for needed motivation
11:45 - Arrive at Central Park, excitement in the air, pre-race dancing and screaming and New Year's celebrating
11:59 - Countdown begins
12:00 am - Lots of fireworks and race begins
12:07 am - Feeling energized, fireworks still going,
12:15 am - Thinking this is a pretty awesome race
12:20 am - Reach a water stop, grab a cup but it's frozen to the table. Grab another cup. Take a sip but the water is frozen solid. Continue running, a little thirsty.
12:22 am - Feeling that Indian food come back with a vengeance
12:32 am - Legs feeling like lead, wishing I didn't have 3 pairs of pants on, stripping off hat and gloves and for the first time that day, really thankful for the chill in the air
12:50 am - Cross the finish line hand in hand with Dallas and Matt
1:01 am - Meet up with friends that braved the wind to come support
1:12 am - Start drive back to Philadelphia
1: 23 am - Stop for gas and Dr. Pepper for Matt, learn that it is illegal to pump your own gas in New Jersey
3:32 am - Arrive in Philadelphia
3:37 am - Change into warm pajamas and brush teeth, late night talks around the kitchen island
4:06 am - Lay down in bed, very comfortable, another New Year has come
It's gonna be a good one folks!
Here's a video of the countdown to 2009!!!
*Sorry for the length of this post, but I like details!
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