runs brooklyn/brooklyn runs: Only 999 Miles Left!

Wednesday 12/06, Run #95: Midwood, Flatlands, East Flatbush, Flatbush

Distance: 9.88 miles
Time: 1:15
Pace: 7:36
Temp: 33
Wind Chill: 26
Weather: sunny & breezy

click on image for interactive map

Unique Miles Today: 8.44
Total Unique Miles: 743.27
Percent of Brooklyn Run: 42.66

For the complete route, click here

Notes: Yes, the day has finally come. Since the beginning of this whole project, I've been using a figure of exactly 1742 miles as my estimate of the total mileage of all Brooklyn streets. This is essentially a guess, though, since I don't think anyone knows what the exact distance is. I got this number from the Department of Transportation's website, where it was reported in a study about the bumpiness of the borough's roads. Yet other folks at the same bureau apparently offer the number of 1599 miles, and it's this number that tends to show up when newspapers or other media do a little story on me. I'm not sure why that is, but whatever.

Anyway, I've been going with the more conservative figure of 1742 when I provide statistics like "percent of brooklyn run." My operating theory is that if it ends up being close to that, I'll be prepared, and if it's the lower number, well, all the better for me. The truth is, I won't have an accurate number until I'm actually finished with all this. Now, what does this all have to do with anything? I'll tell you. You see, today my unique mile total reached 743. And that means that if I'm using the 1742 number as my best guess (which I am, of course), the number representing the number of miles I've got yet to go has dropped from the four-digit into the three-digit range. Simply put, as of right now I've got only 999 more miles to go! Yeah, I know, it's still a lot. But believe me, it sounds a lot better than a thousand-something.

The run itself was a solid one, filling in some holes on the "big map," especially in Midwood and Flatlands, but moving through a couple of other neighborhoods as well. I like this area, and so it made things that much more enjoyable. And while I still don't yet have gloves, I was otherwise prepared for the chilly morning, and wasn't too uncomfortable either while on the road or sitting on the subway for the ride home. After three runs in the past three days totalling almost 30 miles, however, I'm taking tomorrow off.

For whatever reason it was another lackluster outing from a photographic perspective, I'm afraid, but here's the best of what I came up with: