Winter (Finally!) Arrives in Brooklyn

Monday 12/4, Run #93: Sunset Park, Borough Park

Distance: 9.34 miles
Time: 1:10
Pace: 7:30
Temp: 38
Dewpoint: 23
Weather: sunny & windy

click on image for interactive map


Unique Miles Today: 8.55
Total Unique Miles: 726.88
Percent of Brooklyn Run: 41.72

For the complete route, click here

Notes: On my last post I'd asked where winter had been hiding out, and today I received the answer -- it wasn't avoiding Brooklyn at all, apparently, but merely waiting to make a more dramatic entrance. True, it was a not-unusual-for-December 38 degrees when I headed out this morning, but a strong northwestern wind in the wake of a cold front that moved through last night is making it feel a whole lot colder. Now, given how crabby I've been about the unseasonably warm November we've had out here I suppose I should keep my mouth shut and enjoy it, but it was pretty chilly out there. I even wore long sleeves.

Today's run was a productive one, netting over eight unique miles and taking me through the neighborhoods of Sunset Park and Borough Park, which boast not only quite a bit to see and sidewalks crowded with people busily going about their morning routines, but a delightfully symmetrical street grid (and with consistently numbered streets). Without having to worry as much about where I am or whether I'm still following my route, I can relax just a bit more -- and spend more time looking around at the streetscape than scanning street signs to make sure I'm on course. Both neighborhoods exhibit a particularly strong sense of place, with the influences of the predominant ethnic communities ("Brooklyn's Chinatown" in this corner of Sunset Park, Orthodox Jews in Borough Park) being similarly pronounced, especially along the main thoroughfares like 8th Avenue and 13th Avenue, respectively. The residential streets in both areas are pleasant enough, with some especially nice rowhouses and brownstones in Sunset Park between 4th and 6th Avenues. Altogether a pretty nice run, though I've really got to invest in some gloves -- I could barely operate my (already simple-to-operate) camera by the end because my fingers were so numb.

In the world beyond running and Brooklyn, I attended the memorial service for my younger sister Tara in Augusta, Georgia, this past Saturday. All of my immediate family and most of my extended family was there, and it was great to see them all, even if the reason for our gathering was less than festive. Special thanks again to Linda, Kristen, Jen, Ron, Renee, Nel, Susan, Spike, Gardy, and everyone else who took the time out to offer support through comments and emails. It sounds a little odd -- since I barely know most of you -- but these messages were very much appreciated and helped me quite a bit during the last few weeks.

And speaking of comments, I've begun using the "word verification" feature that requires you to type in a series of letters and/or numbers before posting. This is not to make it more difficult to post comments (actually, I really enjoy reading them), but because in the last week or so I've started receiving more comment spam, which bugs me to no end. So I apologize if this makes leaving comments just a bit more of a pain, but please keep them coming anyway! Thanks.

A few of the pictures I managed to take despite shivering hands:


58th Street


56th Street


8th Avenue


Synagogue on 15th Avenue


Restaurant on 7th Avenue