By: Kirstyn Brendlen
Brooklynpaper.com
More than 28,000 people participated in 44th. Edition of the Media Marathon of Brooklyn, developed on Saturday, May 17, a 13.1 mile race (approximately 21 kilometers) full of strenuous conditions that claimed the life of a corridor.
When the first wave began the race in Prospect Park at 7 am, the temperature was already 66 degrees Fahrenheit (18 degrees Celsius) with a humidity of 90 %, according to Weather Underground, and the temperature did nothing more to climb as the day progressed.
Charles Rogers, resident of Manhattan, 31, suffered a cardiac arrest and collapsed in Ocean Parkway, near Mile 8. He was urgently transferred to Maimonides Medical Center, but could not save him. In 2022, another Manhattan resident, David Reichman, 32, collapsed and died after crossing the goal of the Brooklyn Half Marathon.
“After the race, I learned about what happened and impacted me deeply,” said Robert Denker, a veteran corridor who participated in Saturday’s race at 81 … You never know. You feel the slightest discomfort, many people say you want to move on, but you shouldn’t really.
A campaign of GOFUNDME To support Rogers’ wife, Sydney, had raised more than $ 46,000 for May 20, only three days after his death.
United in a difficult race
“The conditions certainly did not favor us,” said a broker, from Mikhail. “Between heat, moisture, the unexpected sun that came out.”
But, he said, the difficult conditions ended up being a “testimony for the community of runners.” “All,” just known, right? “They leaned on each other,” he said. “The spectators were phenomenal.”
When Mikhail, who ran with some friends from his runner club in Jersey City, began to have difficulties and said she felt dizzy, a woman who ran in front of her turned around and asked if she had taken salt pills to replace electrolytes.
«He told me: ‘Do you need salt? You should take it right now, ” Mikhail recalled. “Thanks to her I took the salt pills … it certainly helped me.”
He returned it to the end of the race in Coney Island, when he saw another woman with cramps after running almost 21 kilometers. Mikhail stopped and gave him a pill of salt that was left over, and stayed until he could walk alone. “Those two examples in particular show that the community of corridors remains united,” he said.
It was Mikhail’s first Brooklyn marathon, but probably not the last one, despite heat and difficulties.
«Of course, run through the Réy Island maritime, looking up and seeing the big tower, the cyclone and everything was great. Without a doubt, it is a unique experience, ”he said. «That the volunteers gave you a medal on that promenade was also an iconic experience. It was worth fighting for 13.1 to live that experience. I will remember it for a long time ».
Verzosa Mina, a member of Just Us Running Club, who ran her fourth half Brooklyn marathon, also commented that moisture was difficult to endure. But she was well trained, she said, since she is preparing to run the Marathon of Rio de Janeiro next month.
Verzosa, 45, has been running since 2018. That year, he said, his doctor recommended that he choose an active hobby and stay firm, and decided to run.
“In fact, 10 years before, I became a member of Nyrr and I made the career of a mile on fifth avenue,” he says laughing. “And I said: ‘I don’t want to run’.”
But when he returned to the club, he dedicated himself completely to training and finished his first complete marathon in 2019. Since then, Verzosa runs many Nyrr races, including half marathons and complete marathons.
“This is a good sport,” he said. “I know that many people don’t run, it’s never too late to start.”
Many legal members began “late in life,” said Verzosa, and that has not prevented them from participating in some of the most prestigious careers in the world.
“We want to run until we are very, very old,” he joked. «Until we can run more. It is inspiring to see that many of us can still run, and also for other 70 and 80 years old who are still running ».
Robert Denker is among those octogenarians who still run. Nyrr member since the 70s, has run more than 80 races over the years and ended fourth in its age category in the Brooklyn marathon this year, with a time of just over 3 hours.
He made the first part of the tour with his daughter, but began to notice the pressure after a few kilometers.
“After that, the humidity was brutal, the sun got and made a lot of heat,” he said. «Around mile 5 or 6, I lowered the rhythm. And that is very unusual for me ».
Many of the runners surrounding Denker also suffered from heat, he said. But he persevered and ended fourth in his age category. I was a bit disappointed; I hoped to end in less than 3 hours, but thanked that the runners who finished first and second “made incredible times.”
Denker said he announces that each marathon is his last one, but that he could still return to the Brooklyn half marathon, if he manages to enter.
“I’m lucky to have been able to enter,” he said. «I intend to do it, I intend to train. We’ll see what happens, I have to compensate for this year ».
