• Home
  • Coaching
    • Coach Baker
    • Pricing
    • Testimonials
  • Articles
    • Race Reports
    • Running
    • Swimming
    • Tips and Tactics
    • Triathlon

Monthly Archives: February 2014

Save the Heidelberg

Posted on February 27, 2014 by admin Posted in All Leave a comment

The 2nd Avenue Subway line has been under construction (in modern times) for the last 4 years now. Any of you who have wandered 2nd Avenue or live up there as I do, know it has crippled or closed many businesses from 96th Street to 63rd Street. Unfortunately, there is not much we can do about the construction and we have to endure it another 2-4 years. What we can do however, is support some of the businesses, (and I don’t mean 16 Handles.)

heidelbergPhoto Credit: Kevin Walsh

Save the Heidelberg!

Most of you know I am a huge follower of history, especially New York City history. Mix that with my love of the ‘Mom and Pop’ shop or small businesses that New York is known for and I can get fired up.

The Upper East Side area of Yorkville was a huge German enclave, and therefore many German businesses and restaurants flourished. The Heidelberg is one of the last remaining remnants of this German past. It has been around since 1936 and serves traditional German fare along with a great selection of German beers.

Jeremiah Moss (who has a historic blog I follow) has some excerpts on his site:

“Business has been down 40% since the construction started,” said a waiter. “If we didn’t own the building, we’d be gone by now. People drive by and they can’t see us. They call all the time and ask if we’re closed. We just have to hold out a few more years. I hope we can make it.”

Heidelberg is really special. I will be heading there every Sunday for some of there amazing Camembert (along with a few Warsteiners or Dinkelacker). The atmosphere is really fun and the staff could not be more welcoming.

So please Upper East Siders, New Yorkers and out-of-towners, go to the Heidelberg. Save the Heidelberg, all it takes is a few of us with some hungry appetites.

Heidelberg UES

The 2014 New York City Hot Dog Challenge

Posted on February 21, 2014 by admin Posted in All, Race Reports, Running 4 Comments

How do you celebrate your birthday? I like to have a bunch of my crazy friends run 3 miles while eating hot dogs.

I started my day with an 18 mile run withe the team (Gotham City Runners). It was cold, but manageable. We had a pretty good turn out, most of whom were just in for a 10-12 mile jaunt. I needed to get some more miles in due to my upcoming early spring marathon.

Coming up the west side and entering the Park, snow started to fall. It was actually quite beautiful and I happen to love running while it’s snowing out as long as I’m not trudging through 2 feet of the stuff. Guess who we passed a few times? Ryan Hall.

I finished my 18 miles then booked it over to the apartment to get cleaned up for the New York Hot Dog Challenge.

Abbe went to do recon on the hot dog carts as we were worried the snow was going to deter a few from coming out. She called me later on as I was enroute, and just like snails after a rain storm, all the hot dog carts had come out to play! Game on.

We had a small turnout this year based on weather, but there was still $360 bucks to be won.

1958041_10152027497677815_375832279_n

I explained the rules to a few newcomers and then the ‘start dog’ was saluted and they began eating.

1891376_585475398209123_846099669_o

1557301_585475844875745_668217383_o1779058_585472261542770_658016069_n

First done and off running was Neal! Kevin, Juan and Matt6 followed shortly after. Cat, the only female competitor to show, had all the time in the world so she relished the moment. Ha, get it.

As I chased after the leaders ( I was to be lead ref) I realized that running 18 miles then chasing seasoned runners and Ironmen at breakneck pace was maybe a bad idea.

1796783_585476131542383_1268056002_o

AT cart 2, on 59th and 5th Avenue it was anyone’s game. Juan finished slightly ahead and took off to cart 3, a block away. I was with him. As soon as he got his dog KB and Matt6 sprinted up, ordering their dogs. Juan seemed to know that this was his moment to make a move and he did.

1599500_585476768208986_51387906_o

He finished as they were maybe half way through and took off at a sub 6 pace down 5th. It looked like something out of a crime movie with the 2 of us running after each other, especially since I was wearing jeans and a black jacket.

At cart 4 Elizabeth caught up to us. She then sped ahead to the next area, ‘Dead Man’s Corner’ notorious for stopping competitors. As Juan and I followed I saw no sign of the others.

While at cart 5 and 6, it was amazing to watch Juan in action. He wasn’t talking and very focused. He also had a very interesting technique, which I will not share as that would be giving away trade secrets.

1016567_10152027498917815_476238150_n

Once again, as we took off I saw no sign of any competitors.

Down at 6th Avenue and 46th Street he was about to enter ‘The Gauntlet.’ It was a straight shot to the finish from 6th Ave to 8th Ave that included 4 hot dogs, no easy feat.

1956801_585476804875649_1012735869_o

When we hit 7th Ave (cart 8) Abbe caught up and so did Matt6! I got really excited at the thought of a photo finish, a first in New York Hot Dog Challenge races.

1556312_585477018208961_1402308119_o

Juan wasn’t having it though and he set off to cart 9 with a fury. All the competitors were slowing down now.

Just as Juan was finishing dog 9 Matt6 came running up. It was going to depend on that 10th dog for sure. We took off to the final cart.

Once again, as Juan was finishing Matt6 arrived and began to eat.

9938_10152027499957815_179667196_n

Juan finished and we blasted down 46th Street towards Rudy’s.

As we arrived Juan high-fived the pig and felt the sting of Hot Dog Challenger glory. Matt6 came up around 2 minutes behind taking second place. Both had course PR’s with Juan’s breaking the course record by 3 minutes! KB came up shortly after noting that he had DNFd at dog 5.

1622420_585477121542284_704846708_o1939751_585477158208947_821741884_o

We hung out for awhile outside, then poured into Rudy’s to celebrate and await Neal and Cat.

Neal, with his blue wig and Hawaiian shirt popped in about ten minutes or so after we had been in the bar. We were now following Cat’s progress and she had just finished the 10th dog and was on the homestretch. We went out to power arch her, but she came in and said in dismay, “I puked!” She still gets an A in my book, but rules are rules and she did not qualify for the female finisher prize, meaning Juan took home all $360!

1795846_585477214875608_789588561_o

Juan, being the good sportsman he is, did give Cat an undisclosed amount of the prize money.

1926882_10152027500342815_993129989_n

We all stayed at Rudy’s until 5PM celebrating as the snow came down.

1904167_10152027500512815_1957774408_n

Thanks for everyone who came out to compete AND our volunteer refs AND all of our sponsors, especially Gotham City Runners! This is no easy race.

 

 

 

 

New York Hot Dog Challenge New York Rogue Runners

Recent Posts

  • VIRTUAL RACE REPORT: 156 #TCSNYCMarathon – 3:13:44
  • VIRTUAL RACE REPORT: 155 NYC Duathlon – 2:06:13
  • 154: Grete’s Great Gallop 10k – 37:51
  • 153: Mightyman Montauk Half Ironman – 5:25:08
  • RACE REPORT 147: Gothenburg Half Marathon – 1:26:40

Recent Comments

  • The 2018 Boston Marathon: 3:10:33 - on RACE REPORT: 133 – NJ Marathon: 3:05:38
  • nelsonaspen on RACE REPORT: 138 The Chicago Marathon – 3:02:36
  • Mike on RACE REPORT: 138 The Chicago Marathon – 3:02:36
  • Escape from Ireland | beyond defeat on London Relocation
  • Mike on Escape from Ireland

Archives

  • November 2020
  • July 2020
  • October 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • November 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • February 2018
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • March 2017
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010
  • November 2009
  • October 2009
  • September 2009
  • August 2009
  • July 2009
  • June 2009
  • May 2009
  • April 2009
  • March 2009
  • November 2008

Categories

  • All
  • Biathlon
  • Fitness
  • Race Reports
  • Recipes
  • Running
  • Swimming
  • Tips and Tactics
  • Training: Cycling
  • Training: Running
  • Training: Swimming
  • Triathlon
  • Uncategorized

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org
CyberChimps ©2021