• JulCee • WHOZ • CONGRATS • RUNNIN’ • ELSEWHERE • THEMZ •
RUMINATIONS
Summer Streets – by JulCee
Every summer, the Department of Transportation in New York City hosts the wonderful tradition of “Summer Streets.” On designated weekends, the DOT opens a stretch of streets to pedestrians and cyclists in a “celebration of New York City’s most valuable public space – our streets” (according to the NYC DOT website). Manhattan [where JulCee of NYCee resides] had 3 Saturdays in August of 14.8 glorious miles of open streets from 7am-3pm, starting at City Hall down at the bottom of the island, stretching all the way up to the tippy top, just shy of the Bronx.
As I pounded the pavement (with sneakers or Citibike tires) for the past 3 Saturdays, I was in awe of the amount of people who were out & about, all doing the same thing as me. The majority of my fellow Summer Street-goers were running, but many others were walking, roller blading, biking, learning how to bike, recumbent biking, and even urban hiking (defined by a getup of walking poles, zip-off pants, and hiking boots). The range of point-A-to-point-B activities matched the range of fitness levels – from runners like JHCee doing low 7min/miles with their speedy run clubs, to the flip-flop wearers, bikers going the wrong way, groups walking 8 across holding their $9 lattes, and regular 20-something marathon hopefuls like myself; there was no shortage of variety. Despite the gamut of humanity & movement, everyone on the 14.8-mile stretch of road had at least one thing in common – they all made the choice to exercise in some fashion during Summer Streets.
I came to this realization as I worked my way through a crowded Lower Manhattan to get to the start of Lafayette Avenue. At first, I was a bit annoyed – “Did everyone have the same idea??” I wondered. And the answer, to my ruminating’s delight, was yes! As I got into the zone running up Lafayette through Chinatown, my annoyance transformed into awe. Thousands of people made the decision to participate in Summer Streets, all with a unique reason why. They could have been anywhere else, but they decided to spend their Saturday exercising on these designated streets in one way or another. As I looked around at the sea of individuals around me, collectively moving uptown towards Grand Central Station, it made me wonder further – What was the impetus of each person’s decision to be here? What were their alternative plans? (Mine: Eating a breakfast burrito in my PJs.) Would they have participated if their friend hadn’t sent a text asking if they wanted to go together? Are they working towards a specific fitness goal? Have they been looking forward to Summer Streets, or did they just happen upon this open parade of exercise and decide to join in on a whim?
So many questions, with no answer behind them being identical, but all united in the fact that thousands of people chose to move in some way on the same day in the same place. We all have our reasons for movement, and there’s truly nothing like the magic and humanity of group exercise.
–JulCee
FINE PRINT ¶Julianna Corino, © All rights to duplicate are reserved with owner and require permission (Wikipedia). ¶Cross-published: Facebook Shawmont Running Club, Shawmont Running Club website.
WHOZ DOIN WHAT IN 2025
Through October…
- 10/18: THE HAUNTED HUSTLE ½M (Middleton, WI)
- All That Jaz (AKA James, JC)
- 10/26: MARINE CORPS MARATHON (Arlington, VA)
- Bryce
CONGRATS-A-MUNDO TO ALL!
Nuthin’ to report
SEND YOUR RACE RESULTS TO: TEDMILLER01@GMAIL.COM
RUNNIN’ OFF AT THE MOUTH
“Don’t be a jogger, they’re the ones who find dead bodies.” –Amanda Brooks
“I’ve got 99 problems, so I went on a run to ignore them all.” –Unknown
“It’s not bragging when I tell you how many miles I ran today. It’s so you don’t judge when I devour the whole bag of chips.” –Unknown
Source: 77 Funny Running Quotes: Don’t Take Training so Seriously, Brooks, 2023 (Run to the Finish)
ELSEWHERE ON THE WEB – by Teddio
Are Marathons and Extreme Running Linked to Colon Cancer?
A small, preliminary study found that marathoners were much more likely to have precancerous growths. Experts aren’t sure why.
- The rate of advanced adenomas was much higher than that seen among adults in their late 40s in the general population, which ranges from 4.5 percent to 6 percent, according to recent studies…
- The research was presented at an American Society of Clinical Oncology conference but has not yet been published in a medical journal.
- “If you have symptoms, say something, even if people look up to you as a picture of health…”
(https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/19/health/running-colon-cancer.html?unlocked_article_code=1.f08.OTar.YuEyjfAQUVJS&smid=url-share [Courtesy of CtCloser])
THEMZ WHO WUZ THERE (except those forgotten or missed 😊)
Stats – We track attendance and Shawmont. Loggin’ the miles is just for fun.
Records: Attendance – 39 on 6/23/18. Shawmonts – 26 on 2/10/18.
This Week: Attendance – 18. Shawmont – 8.
- Trail Name: Distance (Route)
- All That Jaz (FKA: JC, James): 10
- Betty: 2. Welcome to the madness!
- CtCloser: 17 (SHAWMONT + 3)
- Dutch (AKA Presley, FKA Lisa Marie): 10
- Jamie: 8
- Jimmy Dee: 14 (SHAWMONT)
- John NTT (No Trail Tag. FKA JR): 10
- KayCee: 14 (SHAWMONT)
- Lakshmi: 18 (on the drive and trails)
- Mango Marjo: 8
- My-Oh Maya: 14 (SHAWMONT)
- OKhen: 10.6
- Quietman Tom: 14 (SHAWMONT) [Plus same, retroactive to last week]
- Rob Ray: 17 (SHAWMONT + 3)
- Tall Dave: 14 (SHAWMONT)
- Teddio: 10
- Terminator Tony: 8
- Thaddeus: 17 (SHAWMONT + 3)
Thanks for reading. Let’s have a great week!
To read this Newsletter on email, send request to TEDMILLER01@GMAIL.COM
Email Newsletter Editor: Teddio
Facebook and Website Newsletter Editor: CtCloser
Shawmont Running Club 