ALLEY CATS
Women Take the Bridge ready at the start line at Kosciuszko Bridge. BoBi Ahn at the center. ©Kristina Williamson
Never mind Central Park, but running in New York means asphalt, concrete, and grit. I like urban landscapes. I’m particularly fond of Manhattan Bridge, with its sweeping skyline views and Lady Liberty bravely reaching her torch into the sky.
Darcy Budworth, an interior designer, thinks just like me. Bridges offer uninterrupted challenges, eye candy included. Originally from Santa Monica, California, Budworth came to New York and soon got tired of the established NY Road Runner events. Looking for a less formal environment for more irreverent runners, she founded Take the Bridge, so-called alleycat races, in 2020. In this scavenger hunt meets relay, teams of four people hit a sequence of checkpoints, which will be announced during the race. Hardly legal and minus marked routes, the events are inspired by the guerrilla character and team spirit of a new generation of athletes. Taking part trumps winning.
Most of us were busy controlling our female hysteria about the upcoming supreme court ruling on Roe vs. Wade when Girls Run NYC’s Coach Jessie Zapo asked in our WhatsApp chat whether I would like to represent our team at Women Take the Bridge. Naturally, I agreed to show up without reading the small print, assuming it was about the protest march over the Brooklyn Bridge against the ruling.
When a waiver fluttered into my inbox mentioning Kosciuszko Bridge, I realized what I had signed up for. NO! my inner voice screamed. I would embarrass my girls with my sloth pace. Coach Zapo pointed out the importance of tangible role models of inclusivity. “We need to inspire women of all pace groups, ages, abilities, races, skin tones, and body types. They need to see what’s out there.” Besides, these races were a whole lot of fun. Our team was undoubtedly diverse, all of us were born outside of the US, ranging from the Caribbean, Greece, Korea, and Germany.
When my team BoBi Ahn, Maria Bikou, May Polanco, and I arrived at the Kosciuszko Bridge with my team, Coach Zapo, and our photographer Kristina Williamson, we were greeted by a pack of highly trained, younger runners. But the atmosphere was so exuberant and friendly that my anxiety soon eased. To warm up, we jogged onto the bridge, oriented ourselves in the area, located all the checkpoints, and memorized all the routes. Coach Zapo warned us not to follow others blindly. We strategized a start order. Fast BoBi would start first to take the lead, which I, as second, would obliterate. May would be our third. She seemed to whisper prayers. Maria would run as our final trump and make up for lost ground.
The starting line was scribbled with chalk onto the asphalt at the bottom of the bridge. We trotted back to the starting line, which was chalked on the asphalt. Budworth took the megaphone and riled up the crowd and reminded us that the true goal of the race wasn’t winning but having fun amongst our sisters from different parts of town. We exchanged high-fives with strangers and some familiar faces.
The first batch of women lined up at the line and waited for Budworth to blow the whistle. BoBi took off like a rocket and placed us solidly in the first third of the field. Excited, we followed her, moving over the map on the app. As soon as we saw her speeding down the bridge, I got into position.
BoBi handed me the relay. I ran up the incline. The bridge's colorful cables lit up in the setting sun, Cavalry Cemetery dipped in blue, Manhattan silhouetted. I passed a few and was overtaken by some more, smiles in the dark, victory signs. Husky voices from afar. Go, girls! Reggae from the dark.
I crossed the bridge again, returned, and handed the relay over to May. I checked my watch: I’d been running faster than ever! We’d lost some of our advances, but not too much. The field was growing bigger. May also PRd. The base of the bridge was now electrified by the energy of sweaty rummers, cheering feverishly for their teams. Most were now on their last proverbial legs with different sections of the race to complete.
Maria gave her all. We followed her on the stretch hugging the cemetery as she steadily overtook others. She sprinted through the finish line. Screaming, hugging, and euphoria. Dizzy high fives and tears of happiness. Our team placed 21st. It felt like the first. We won. So much.
May 2022
