Last Saturday morning, hundreds of people met at the South Street Seaport. Around 7:15 am, a sizable crowd started to build. They came from uptown neighborhoods, the outer boroughs, and some even made the trip from Mexico, Canada, and Thailand. Everyone had the same goal: walk 32 miles around Manhattan's rim in one day.
The Great Saunter has been going on for 26 years and was started by the Shorewalkers, a non-profit group of NYC hikers.
Here's the crazy route (with details), starting at the Southern tip of Manhattan:
Surprisingly, a third of the group was older. They sported their fanny packs and overly sensible shoes, while maintaining confident strolls that stuck it to the youngsters sleeping off hangovers from the night before.
For most of it you're on a leisurely stroll, making your way through unexpected sights and parks you never knew existed. For the latter part of it, you're fighting off weak knees and ankles. You'd also do unspeakable things for a beer and the finish line.
There are different reasons for doing stunts like this: 1) I'm bored 2) It's a bonding experience 3) I get off on physically draining activities with no clear point.
Whatever people are after, sometimes it just feels good to accomplish something.
My final time was 32 miles in 12.5 hours, which included a fruit salad stop at an East Side diner to prevent collapse. Despite blisters and a full day of recuperation, the completion certificate hangs proudly on my fridge.
I've always wanted to do this! And I'm very impressed that you only stopped for a fruit salad. I would need to recruit a medical team to walk with me if I did this!
ReplyDeleteWe thought of you Rosa. Towards the end as we passed by your old apartment, I knew this would be something that if you were in the area, you would join us in walking. A great experience indeed. Once in a lifetime experience :)
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