The Inside Loop: December 2013

Many thanks to PPTCers Wayne Bailey, Doug Olney, Patty Chong Tenn, Emma Roman, Paula VanDeNess, and PPTC friends Trey Heard, Ric Pascarella, Pearl Mitchell, Ellen, Christie, and Kimberley for their efforts with USADA and their drug testing efforts at NYC. The best of PPTC congrats to Rahmin Pavlovic and his wife Amber on the birth of their son Nico. Despite being born on NYC Marathon Sunday, Rahmin and Amber did not mention their thoughts on Nico's preferred running shoe brand nor size. Born on marathon Sunday, hmmmmmmmmmm ....

Thanks to PPTC President Tom Meany for passing on the news that The Prospect Park Alliance will soon announce the opening of ''the Samuel J. and Ethel LeFrak Center at Lakeside", the largest and most ambitious project since the Park's completion. The LeFrak Center plans to open on December 20, 2013.

Designed to honor the original Olmsted and Vaux vision, the LeFrak Center serves all park-goers while fitting seamlessly into the landscape. It includes two rinks: a covered rink for winter ice skating that transforms into a roller rink and event space in the warmer months, and an uncovered rink that converts into a family-friendly water play feature. The LeFrak Center also has beautifully landscaped viewing terraces, a year-round café with a seating area, and restrooms."

''The other two prominent features of the project, Chaim Baier Music Island and the Shelby White and Leon Levy Esplanade at Lakeside restore the shoreline to its historic design. The Esplanade provides a lakeshore terrace, walkways, and picnic areas with views of the lake and Music Island, rebuilt on five acres of excavated Lake''. Voices from the PPTC bear the cries and concerns for whether PPTC can use the bathrooms on loops of the park and whether this new facility will increase vehicle traffic on the inside loop in that area.

Thanks to Jennifer Bolstead and Ruth Gursky for catching Dominique Gagne's "headline" finish line tape breaking photo in the ad for the April 2014 NJ marathon weekend events and the good noise that Juan Seaford and Patty Chong Tenn made on the 'open forum' to help PPTC celebrate it! PPTC runners go bigtime!

The holiday season is upon us, PPTC! The Social Committee is marking PPTC calendars for the Prospect Park Track Club Holiday Party on December 15th, 4pm at '61 Local' (a drinking establishment at 61 Bergen Street, Brooklyn). Join PPTC as we celebrate the holidays with food and drinks. There will be a white elephant gift exchange open to all attendees ($20 max) though it is not mandatory that you bring a gift, so feel free to just bring yourself... as a gift. Please note that you do not have to wrap yourself. If you haven't done so already, be sure to break out your old holiday sweaters from mothballs and storage. The PPTC Social Comm claims that ugly sweaters are HIGHLY encouraged at this event. See you there!

The countdown for Harry's Handicap, the original name of PPTC's New Years Day full loop of the park race has begun. At the start of 2013, January 1st to be exact, Matt Strawn did such a great job of getting this one in the record books that word is he might even be asked back. With a 2013 baby at home, he will have his hands full so who knows ...stay tuned PPTC, start the new year off on the right foot. More on our New Years Day 2014 race in the days to come.

And when thinking of starting the new year off on the right foot, pay attention to the PPTC announcements for the start up date for Coach Tony and Charlene's next ten week speed session workouts at the Park Slope Armory on 15th street between 7th and 8th Avenues. Whatever the weather outside come January and February, Tuesday or Thursday nites 7pm until 8pm PPTC will be on the track!! These ten week speed session workouts might even be the gift you give to yourself!

Hope you and your family and friends had a happy Thanksgiving. We all have so much to be so very thankful for. A happy Hanukkah too if you celebrate . Hey, we've all been naughty but send the letter to Santa anyway and try to score some new shoes or apparel. Santa might even want to check out whats in stock in the PPTC clothes coffers.

Merry Christmas PPTC, see you on the roads!