PPTC's 2021 Virtual Cherry Tree Race
PPTC welcomed its first virtual edition of the Race for the Hardcore, the Cherry Tree. This February challenge unofficially thumbs its nose at winter and paves the way for spring. Veterans tell of past races when cups of water turned to ice within minutes of being poured, runners not being able to feel their feet at all, ice slicks, slush puddles, and the wind sweeping over the lake, slicing through you like frozen knives three times. It’s funny how I remember this race like a big holiday, crowds of happy, excited people sharing hot chocolate and their love of running together, no matter what the weather brought. And the good news is, the Club accomplished both elements this year, a real testament to the Race Directors as well as everyone who ran. Though we didn’t gather together, and the hot chocolate was enjoyed in our homes or safely socially-distant at favorite local cafes, most reports from runners include the unmistakable joy of running, and the eagerness we all feel for when we’ll race together again - soon.
Congratulations to the winners! That includes all of us – whether you ran, cheered, made mental plans for next year, or reminisced - as long as you’re putting one foot in front of the other. Enjoy a few stories from teammates who ran:
Grace & Jack, like many of this year’s Cherry Tree runners, had to dodge snow during their race.
Grace Mennell (self-described “fairly new member”)
I had the pleasure of running the Cherry Tree Relay as a team with my two siblings!
My brother Jack and I were super excited to participate in the Cherry Tree. We only recently decided to join PPTC, though we’ve been runners for a while. To complete our relay team, we successfully convinced our sister, Sarah, a new runner currently based in Ohio, into taking on a leg of the race!
Jack and I were overly excited and decided to give our loop a try on a snowy morning which quickly devolved into a very slippery run where we mostly focused on staying upright. Wisely, we each completed our legs of the relay later in the week in better weather conditions. Despite not running all together, we managed to cheer each other on from afar with selfies and emoji-filled texts. Best of all, Sarah completed her first ever race!
We can’t wait for next year’s race when we will hopefully all be in-person together to take on this classic PPTC race for the hardcore!
Michael running loops upon loops at the Park Slope Armory to complete his Cherry Tree Race.
Michael Ring (likely needs no introduction, but here’s one just in case)
A plus for the virtual aspect was being able to choose the time, date, and location of the run. People thought laps around the Armory would make me nuts, but I guess I'm already nuts. And I'm kind of built for this kind of loop.
21 years ago I ran my fastest marathon on a 1-mile loop on Randall's Island. This Cherry Tree, I was able to focus on my race without worrying about roadway conditions. (I did have to dodge a few stray basketballs.)
I ran alone, socially-distanced, with a mask. I used Strava and my watch; I don't think a human being can keep a mental track of 80 laps on a 200-meter track. Because Strava is pretty unreliable indoors, I hit the split button in my watch 80 times. (Yes, I did.)
The sound of basketballs continually being dribbled was my soundtrack. And I ran the race twice. I reported my fastest time which turned out to be my first attempt. My least favorite aspect of racing virtually? Not being in the herd.
Alan running a race in PPTC red last year. There were no pictures captured of him running this year’s Cherry Tree, but we can only imagine he was wearing this expression of determination.
Alan Lawn
I decided to run the race in the park solo at the last minute, and I'm glad I did. I wasn't specifically trained or tapered, but I realized it had been too long since I had that type-2-fun and fulfilling experience of leaving it all out there.
I went from having no race plans at all to chomping at the bit to accomplish it. I thought, regardless of the shape I’m in, I could have a satisfying race by pacing it well and getting the most out of myself.
I initially tried to run on Saturday, but there was too much ice and slush, so I got in a nice bouncy jog instead. Fortunately, conditions on Sunday were much better. I picked an ambitious target: didn't quite hit it, but I kept on going until the finish line, including that third time up Zoo Hill, pushing through a side stitch, so I consider my race a success.
Thank you to PPTC and the race directors for organizing!
Simon hadn’t planned on running the Cherry Tree Race, but found it to be freeing.
Simon Rasin
I had a great time doing the Cherry Tree virtual edition solo and on a whim, looping in and out of the Park. I hadn't intended to run, but I was really stressed and needed to release some tension and anger. It was an unseasonably warm day, and I felt free and fast just wearing shorts and a T-shirt, my hair bouncing around behind me. I went full from the start, and felt great for five miles. Then the inevitable grind began! But I didn't bonk... until I hit Wellhouse drive with about 1.5 miles to go, and it still had slippery snow on it. That was a kick in the knackers, along with knowing that I was going to have to finish up Zoo Hill. I recovered slightly and pushed my way up Zoo Hill to 1:16:31 finish.
The relay team of Jen Clark, Maureen Keleher, and Abby Clark.
Maureen Keleher
We were Relay team "2 Clarks & A Mo," consisting of sisters Abby and Jennifer (Jen) Clark and Maureen (Mo) Keleher. After reviewing schedules and spending multiple days on "weather watch," the team agreed to run the relay legs separately. (Together, apart - a COVID19 theme.) We agreed to text each other with before, during, and after photos to create a sense of camaraderie.
All three team members ran a loop of Prospect Park at various starting points, marveling at the Park’s beauty in its blanket of snow. The team agreed that participating together, while having the flexibility of running on your own schedule, made the experience fun and fulfilling, though not quite the same as in-person.
Jen was excited to challenge herself and was going for a PR. After being cooped up during the pandemic, she said, "It's great to feel healthy and amped up while running."
Maureen ran on different relay teams in 2019 and 2020, and was glad to continue the Cherry Tree relay tradition. The relay gave Abby a chance to get back to running and made her nostalgic for her solo 10-miler last year.
"Last year I did the whole 10 miles by myself, as I was training for the NYC Half. This year, it was fun to be part of a team but left me wondering HOW did I accomplish three loops of the park last year!?! I haven’t been running very much during the pandemic, so signing up for the Cherry Tree relay got me back out there and reminded me how much I love running."
PPTC is a diverse and supportive team. We want to celebrate the diversity of our club and membership. We welcome and encourage everyone to share their stories with us.
Intro by: Donna Newton (she/her)
Race recaps and photos by contributors
Edited by: Linda Chan (she/her)
Produced by: Rachael DePalma (she/her)