NYC Marathon 2008 my B'klyn side view

For the 2008 NYC Marathon I decided once again to catch it live. After all watching it on TV for people in other states and equally far-flung and otherwise foreign places.

The thing about the marathon that TV doesn't prepare the spectator for is it's speed. for example I've been fortunately enough to live near the marathon over the course of several addresses and yet every time I've been close to the route I've watch the marathon leaders close in on my neighborhood expecting to go out and watch them and everything i barely catch a glimpse of sneaker bottoms.

today i decided i'd fight fire with fire so i grabbed my blades and headed out, this way I could get multiple shots of the leaders at one locale Clinton Hill, then I'd speed down hill and grab shots over in Bed-Stuy at the turn on Lafayette. Yeh, right.

I watched the camera helicopter like a google map marker gradually making it's way toward Vanderbilt Avenue and then just as easily it moved past and away. I missed the women's leaders just like that. The men were still 10-15 minutes behind them.

So when I got to Vanderbilt and Lafayette Aves I had time to set up, focus and take in the scenery. Did all that. Here come the leaders. I have the camera on multi-shot. All I saw as a freakin blur. I'm hoping the camera did better. I saw all the leaders run past me including Marilson Gomes dos Santos who would go on to win the Marathon. Did I get the shot I wondered? No time to check I'm on wheels after all and now I'm tearing down dekalb against traffic to get to my next firing position.

Like a 70's movie car chase I'm streaking down the street catching a blurry glimpse at every intersection of my target one block away. I'm looking toward the route to check my position relative to the pack leaders and where, where are they?
They. Are. Gone.

Um seeing nothing but the guys who were trailing them. I can't believe it, I'm wearing rollerblades for jeez sake, going down hill and the guys at the head of the race have just left me in the dust.

For a second I consider that is the Brooklyn Born blog, and I got no boundaries short of Queens. But I know the terrain between Bedstuy and WillyB, it's poorly paved and mostly uphill. Deciding I'd ate enough runner dust I settled in and took these shots through the Bed-Stuy Clinton Hill area.

Enjoy the shots most connect with details of the fun I saw and the cool people I met I'm writing it now hope to post in the next few hours...

NYC Marathon Winner Marilson Gomes dos Santos of Brazil in Clinton Hill

Here's Marilson Gomes dos Santos of Brazil winner of the 2008 NYC Marathon as a ran down Lafayette Avenue in front of Bishop Loughlin High School in Brooklyn.


More pics and an interview from the sidelines to come...

Halloweeny Roast

Yeh um still in good spirits after last night's Hallow's Eve festivities(so corny, I know) and I'm skipping the review of clever, sexy, disturbed and disjointed costumes in lieu of the picture I've selected for its blend of that all and more.

It's the joint combination of "Green Man" (from "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" series fame) and his partner who was dressed as Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker, who recently survived a tragic fatal plane crash.

From here the picture will speak for itself:

PhotoWedns: 10/29/08 Unseen Forces

In honor of All Hallows' Eve, this photo Wednesday I present the Gothic archway from Greenwood Cemetery, I visited recently for kicks (seriously there was a dance rehearsal going on) and took some shots, all of which came out in a variety of wonk forms. Some pics show upside regardless of how I view them others like this one are just plain distorted. You make the call, is the problem pixel or poltergeist?

The Chapel:


The Entrance:


The Entrance:


Nestled in between Park Slope, Windsor Terrace and Sunset Park, the cemetery is historic (founded 1838) a Nat'l landmark and a fave with night stalkers who love to hop the fence and cuddle up to notable interns like: Samuel (what's the code?) Morse, Cooper Union Founder, Peter Cooper, Composer Leonard Bernstein, Charles Ebbets (of Ebbets Field) and Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat.
(source wiki)