2.2 MANHATTAN: men to watch

Take The Bridge August 4, 2016

This years race over the Manhattan Bridge brings some new athletes, as well as some TTB veterans. Below are the athletes that we have our eyes on:

DANIEL MEDINA

WHY WE ARE WATCHING HIM: Daniel is a beast and a has a HUGE NIKE NRC following of supporters on FB! He took 4th place in his debut TTB over the Manhattan last year, and won 1st last March over the Williamsburg. He says that Manhattan is his least favorite bridge in the city so his tactic is simple - "crush it".

RUNNING BACKGROUND: "I started running in the 7th grade after I moved to Illinois. High school cross country was my most competitive in the sport where I led my team to back-to-back conference/regional champs and two years with perfect seasons."

CREW/TEAM: RASA and LSTC.

MILE PR: 4:31

5K PR: 15:27

TIM ROSSI

WHY WE ARE WATCHING HIM: Another strong runner stemming from NIKE NRC, Tim took 3rd place at TTB Manhattan last year, and 2nd at Williamsburg in March. He is just coming back from injury, but that didn't stop him in Williamsburg. We like his motto: "never run a race as if I’m not in PR shape.” (Nolan Hayes)

RUNNING BACKGROUND: "I started running recreationally my freshman year of college, but it was not until I graduated that I started taking it more seriously. I signed up for my first NYC marathon which kick-started my training, and since then I have been much more focused on running. Currently I am coming off of my second successive foot fracture (one on each foot yay!) but am working my way back to health."

CREW/CLUB: Lost Boys Track Club

Mile PR: 4:46 (2015)

5k PR: 16:57 (2014)

JEREMY MULVEY

WHY WE ARE WATCHING HIM: This is Jeremy's first time racing Take the Bridge, but with his fast mile and 5K times, we are sure we will see him in the top 3. He recently set his 5K PR indoors, with a last lap time of 71 seconds!

RUNNING BACKGROUND: "So, I started running for Port Richmond High school 9 years ago, and then ran DIII Cross Country for SUNY New Paltz. I continue to train in post college grad dystopia trying to make a name for myself in the world of running."

CREW/CLUB: Lost Boys Track Club

Mile PR: 4:26

5k PR: 16:15

MYLES FENNON

WHY WE ARE WATCHING HIM: Myles raced his first TTB over Williamsburg last March, and brought with him several of his NP female runners! He held his own, coming in 3rd place. He recently also took 3rd place at TNFECS at Blue Mountain, and in April joined Knox Robinson in a challenge to race the Bear Mountain 50K and the Red Hook Crit 5K in one day. Two weeks prior, he raced the Boston Marathon with a time of 2:49.37.! You're killing us Myles!

RUNNING BACKGROUND: "I like to think of myself as a rusted beat up swiss army knife of a runner. Will run anything from a stair run to a 100 miler, and everything in between. "

CREW/CLUB: November Project

MILE PR: 4:51

5K PR: 16:56

RYAN STARBUCK

WHY WE ARE WATCHING HIM: New to racing and Take the Bridge, we think Ryan is a big contender! He has a stellar STRAVA page, and a fast 5K. This past April he finished the Boston Marathon with a time of 2:51.

RUNNING BACKGROUND: "I started running/racing in 2011 and have since completed 9 marathons as well as a ton of other races. I've been running for CPTC since Fall 2014. My favorite distance is the marathon but I do everything from 5K to ultras."

CREW/CLUB: Central Park Track Club

MILE PR: 5:07 -Sept '14

5K PR: 17:32

2.2 MANHATTAN: women to watch

Take The Bridge August 4, 2016

This years race over the Manhattan Bridge brings some new athletes, as well as some TTB veterans. Below are the athletes that we have our eyes on:

LEIGHANNE SHAREK

WHY WE ARE WATCHING HER: Leighanne is a veteran to urban racing. She has run 3 of our past 4 races, placing 1st at Williamsburg and Manhattan last year, and 2nd at Williamsburg this past March. Just recently she took 2nd at OSR’s Women’s 10K with a time of 38:51.

RUNNING BACKGROUND: "I have been running since middle school- where I ran the mile. I ran XC is high school, but took a break from running the first two years of college. I wasn't competitive until recently, probably 2.5 years ago. Since then I've competed in everything from the mile to the marathon."

CREW/CLUB: Brooklyn Navy Track Crew

MILE PR: 5:17

5K PR: 18:34

JENNIE COHEN

WHY WE ARE WATCHING HER: Jennie comes from a traditional NYRR club, and just recently made her way in the urban racing scene. She took 2nd place at the Manhattan Bridge last year, and won 1st at the Williamsburg Bridge. She is a smart racer, letting others take the lead, but watch out for her kick! At the Red Hook Crit, in April, she went from 5th in the 1st lap, to 2nd overall, breaking 18 minutes for the 5K.

RUNNING BACKGROUND: "I started running when I was 12 because I went to an Orthodox Jewish middle school that didn't have organized sports, and my parents weren't going to drive me anywhere for practice."

CREW/CLUB: The Dashing Whippets

MILE PR: 5:22

5K PR: 17:59

CARLY GILL

WHY WE ARE WATCHING HER: A newby to the urban running scene, this will be Carly's first time racing Take The Bridge. Recently she placed 2nd at OSR's Midnight Half (1:25.12) and 4th at OSR's Women's 10K (38:59).

RUNNING BACKGROUND: "And even though I've been running for over 20 years, it wasn't until recently that something clicked. Last year, I trained for and ran my first marathon and fell in love with the process and the distance. After that, my PR's in almost every distance have gotten faster. I still have a lot to learn and work on, but I am loving every minute of it. And--surrounding myself with badass and inspirational runners/mentors/friends has definitely helped."

CREW/CLUB: Brooklyn Navy Track Crew

MILE PR: N/A

5K PR: 19:16

JESSICA SNIDER-RODRIGUEZ

WHY WE ARE WATCHING HER: Jessica took 5th place in her first TTB over the Williamsburg Bridge last March. She has a fast mile time, and was top November Project female for last week's NYRR Team Champs. I hear the NP now does weekly hill repeats over the city bridges, which means she knows her bridges!

RUNNING BACKGROUND: "I was never a runner or athletic in any way until my adult life. Once I qualified for Boston, I realized that I was a decent runner and have been on an ongoing quest to find my breaking point, in speed and endurance, ever since."

CREW/CLUB: November Project

MILE PR: 5:39

5K PR: 20:00

MACON LOWMAN

WHY WE ARE WATCHING HER: Macon has an impressive STRAVA page, and a fast mile PR. This will be her first race with Take The Bridge, and we have high hopes for her!

RUNNING BACKGROUND: "I ran my first race at 6 years old while rocking jorts and keds, all because my older brother dared me to. It's been love ever since - I competed on my high school XC state champs winning team and for a small division I school in college. I took a hiatus from running for awhile and got back into racing recently."

CREW/CLUB: November Project

MILE PR: 5:18

5K PR: 18:57

MANHATTAN BRIDGE HOST: BROOKLYN NAVY TRACK CREW

Take The Bridge July 24, 2016

This year, we are partnering with crews around the city, to give a true look into the neighborhood of each our bridges we are running. In doing so, we will connect with the local runners in our community and get an insider's look into the areas they run in. For our first bridge of the series, Manhattan, we have Brooklyn Navy Track Crew as our hosts. The group was formed in the past year, by Leighanne Sharek, Agustin Lastra, and Steven Finley. Taking top places in OSR's Midnight Half and Women's 10K, and previous TTB races, they are quickly making a mark on local urban races and becoming known for their speed. We sat down with the leaders, to learn a little more about their "tribe" and the neighborhood they run in:

Tell us about the inspiration for BNTC and what motivated you in forming this crew. How would you say the vibe of your group differs from some of the other crews in NYC and how are they the same?

AL: BNTC was born out of day drinking. Truth be told, what's better after an early run on a hot morning than a well earned beer or perhaps many, science does support this. Anyhow, Steve, Leighanne and myself found each-other in this state after a hot morning run. We all agreed, we liked running with each-other and felt left out by what was being offered in the running community. The running community in NYC is mostly composed of primitive organizations, we wanted our own tribe in the community and hence started to think carefully about who and what we wanted to do. We remain to be a very loose structured crew, and attempt to stay small, fast and chill as factors that characterize our crew.

Smaller running crews have been steadily growing in the NYC running community and in many major cities world wide. How do you compare "crews" to the more traditional "club"? How do you see these crews informing how people view the sport of running?

AL: Crews are like Tribes, like minded people associate as they seem fit. Most crews are loosely structured yet strive from the internal energy and connection among their members. Clubs have rules and guidelines, are associated to official running organization that impose rules on them and their member's behaviors. Clubs are legacy structures of the running community, they orbit around the NYRR and the NYC Marathon. In a crew, each member has their goals, their own races and schedule. We attempt to come together when possible to train, help and inspire each other. Clubs attempt to grow and become large, they become political and fragmented. Crews are small tight knit groups. I think Crews are growing today as people are eager to join groups where they have deeper connection and more in common in smaller groups of people. Yet, a network of crews can suddenly become a powerful movement.

Leighanne, you have run our race in the past, taking 1st place at Williamsburg and Manhattan last year, and 2nd place at Williamsburg this year. Do you plan on running Manhattan this year? What draws you to these urban races, and what has your experience been of our TTB races in the past?

LS: I plan on running all of the TTB races! They are so much fun - super low key yet competitive. I think what draws me to the urban races is the feeling of being included in these 'unsanctioned elite' events. It sounds cliche, but just like an exclusive night club or the Soho House, you almost need to know someone to get in. For the typical NYC runner, by the time you hear about an unsanctioned race, it's probably too late to sign up. That's changing, but the small exclusive feel is still there. They are all street races; we don't shut any roads down or clear the pathways on the bridges- you just go with it. It's exciting. The TTB races, as well as the other urban races I've done, have a small start list. So each competitor is known, each one a very important part of the race. Also, the community of runners who plug into these types of races is still on the small side. You get to know people, runners and supporters- it's awesome. That's been my experience at the TTB races: it's a very intimate group of runners and supporters that create this special, comfortable environment that is truly one of the most enjoyable and satisfying events I've been to

Tell us more about the area in Brooklyn you run in (Dumbo/navy yard):

SF: the Brooklyn naval yard is a 200 acre facility located on the east river that opened in 1806. Adjacent to the naval yard are the neighborhoods of dumbo and vinegar hill. dumbo is an old warehouse district where ships used to come in and drop cargo off. Vinegar hill is the neighborhood where the civilians who worked in the naval yard lived. There is so much history there- which makes for a really quiet, interesting place to live and run in. The cobblestone streets and old town feel are so unique to that part of Brooklyn, there really is nothing like it. The whole area was basically abandoned after the naval yard closed in 1966 and has just recently been restored. Part of the revitalization includes Brooklyn bridge park, which has a great path accessible to bikes and runners and goes all the way to red hook. The BNTC runners utilize this often on our runs, as well as flushing ave and prospect park, which is a short run away.

Favorite running routes in your hood:

01 Running from Dumbo to Greenpoint around the Yard and down Kent street bordering the Williamsburg waterfront.
02 Running thru the crowded Dumbo Waterfront thru the industrial waterfront to IKEA, thru it's gardens and finally arriving to the under-utilized Red Hook Track which is awesome.
03 Runner up is running to Prospect Park, but running on Flaaaaatbuusshhhh (French Accent, don't ask), can be tedious though running around Prospect Park is amazing and much less crowded than Central Park unless it's Sunday and Carribean Night is on then it's a party.

Favorite workout:

AL: Any workout in which you encounter race pace, whether it be a track workout of many repeats or a long workout with tempo pace towards the end