samyn on the green
11-01-2009, 08:17 AM
Long Island Handicap ~The Real NYC Marathon (http://gregcalabrese.blogspot.com/2009/11/nyc-marathonplay-of-day.html)
Today they are going to run the NYC Marathon throughout the five boroughs of New York. Almost 40K runners are going to take on this course. While I am a firm believer in exercise I am also a firm believer in moderation. There is nothing moderate about 211+ furlongs of personal hell. I wouldn't make it past the first OTB on the course and would be credited with a big DNF if I ever attempted something like this. What is the point of running this far on concrete and asphalt? Just the damage to the knees alone negates any of the health benefits. If health is what you are after the road is through simplicity; eat like a peasant, think like a peasant and pray like a peasant. The founder of the NY road runners club and the NYC marathon was Fred Lebow. This man was an absolute health and running fanatic, but all of this running and focus on health did not ensure him a long life; he unfortunately died in his early sixties. My uncle Joe who smoked two packs of non-filtered Camels a day, never missed the daily double and whose only exercise was whacking himself with the DRF as he urged on the horses lived to the ripe age of 80. Clearly Uncle Joe did something right and the only running he did was to make sure he didn't get shut out at the windows. While these marathon fanatics are ignoring the modern benefits of transportation and discounting their own body crying out for a rest - we will be watching the real NYC marathon in Ozone Park.
The Marathon we will concern ourselves with is the Long Island Handicap, a more manageable 12 furlongs with 7 fillies and mares entered. Unlike punishing every part of the body by running 211+ furlongs; this marathon looks easy. If you look at races like how I look at races there really isn't any criticism for Criticism. Yes she is the favorite, but she is the alpha mare in here and holds all the trump cards; form, pace and class. There are worse things in life than betting on legitimate chalk, you could be out running 211+ furlongs for an ostentatious yet destructive show of self vanity. The race at Aqueduct will be over in two and half minutes. When the L.I. Cap is over you will have plenty of time to acquire true health of mind, body and spirit - it is surely not attained by self torture.
Today they are going to run the NYC Marathon throughout the five boroughs of New York. Almost 40K runners are going to take on this course. While I am a firm believer in exercise I am also a firm believer in moderation. There is nothing moderate about 211+ furlongs of personal hell. I wouldn't make it past the first OTB on the course and would be credited with a big DNF if I ever attempted something like this. What is the point of running this far on concrete and asphalt? Just the damage to the knees alone negates any of the health benefits. If health is what you are after the road is through simplicity; eat like a peasant, think like a peasant and pray like a peasant. The founder of the NY road runners club and the NYC marathon was Fred Lebow. This man was an absolute health and running fanatic, but all of this running and focus on health did not ensure him a long life; he unfortunately died in his early sixties. My uncle Joe who smoked two packs of non-filtered Camels a day, never missed the daily double and whose only exercise was whacking himself with the DRF as he urged on the horses lived to the ripe age of 80. Clearly Uncle Joe did something right and the only running he did was to make sure he didn't get shut out at the windows. While these marathon fanatics are ignoring the modern benefits of transportation and discounting their own body crying out for a rest - we will be watching the real NYC marathon in Ozone Park.
The Marathon we will concern ourselves with is the Long Island Handicap, a more manageable 12 furlongs with 7 fillies and mares entered. Unlike punishing every part of the body by running 211+ furlongs; this marathon looks easy. If you look at races like how I look at races there really isn't any criticism for Criticism. Yes she is the favorite, but she is the alpha mare in here and holds all the trump cards; form, pace and class. There are worse things in life than betting on legitimate chalk, you could be out running 211+ furlongs for an ostentatious yet destructive show of self vanity. The race at Aqueduct will be over in two and half minutes. When the L.I. Cap is over you will have plenty of time to acquire true health of mind, body and spirit - it is surely not attained by self torture.