NYC Marathon: Ambling To Watch Running
Central Park is absolutely stunning.
Green,
red,
and multi-colored.
Esau the dog and I had walked across the park to cheer on the marathoners as they passed El Museo del Barrio at Fifth Avenue and 104th Street. The runners were as brightly colored as the flowers.
A steady stream of humans just kept on flowing,
and the fans just kept on cheering and high-fiving.
After watching for a few minutes, the dog and I felt inspired to wonder if we could ever, just maybe, just possibly, not run, but walk a half-marathon.
Heading west again, we stepped back into the park and took a turn in the Conservatory Garden.
We chatted with a Parks employee, who told us the Garden weathered last weekend’s freak snowstorm relatively well.
Water lilies still bloomed in the pool in the English Garden.
From the central garden, we looked back toward Fifth Avenue where we could see the runners still streaming south on this final leg of their journey.
Roses bloomed in the French garden.
Leaving the Conservatory, we continued northwest, turning for a last look at the runners from across the Meer.
On our way home we passed miniature hockey players at the Lasker Rink.
We wound through the Ravine in the North Woods.
Esau drank from the stream,
and we felt as though we were far away from the city. Until …
we came upon a grate, just like the grates on any New York street, except that this one is rounded to fit the stream bed. Its presence didn’t diminish my pleasure, although it did remind me that all the parks I walk in on a regular basis are brilliant man-made creations, imagined, landscaped and continually managed. And yet not everything is controlled or planned. New shoots grow out of the top of this magnificent old stump like a spiked punk hairdo. Hmm. Maybe we can finish that half-marathon one of these days.
We left the park and its glories behind.
Ah, home again. Time to put our feet up, and have a good chew on an old stuffed animal.
There’s nothing like a walk in the park on a glorious day.
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Tags: central park conservatory garden, fall in nyc, lasker rink, NYC marathon, water lilies nyc
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Out walking the dog 
November 9, 2011 at 8:16 pm
New York City!
November 11, 2011 at 8:30 am
Yes, indeed!
November 8, 2011 at 9:47 am
Just super – great photos – made me wish me and mine were there literally walking along with you instead of virtually – but you made me feel the lovely energy of NYC on a beautiful day and see parts of the park I’d never seen before… many thanks for sharing you terrific walk and of course great photos of Esau.
November 7, 2011 at 1:15 pm
As a fellow city dweller and amateur naturalist, I too enjoy taking the “mind-walk” through New York City, the Great Outdoors, and your blog. From the West Coast, I’m intrigued at the wild things you find in a city as dense as New York! Loved your sequence of pictures of the racoons, the rats’ nests, and your post on the Osage Orange – I must’ve passed one before ignorant of its name. Thank you for sharing : )..
November 7, 2011 at 2:19 pm
I’m delighted that you’re enjoying your mind-walks with me. It is astonishing how nature survives in the city. To tell you the truth, I can’t imagine living in the city without the presence of nature.
November 7, 2011 at 11:57 am
Lovely, lovely walk and great photos.
Esau is an elite dog, and such a good companion to have on a glorious day. How bout half of a half of a half marathon?
November 7, 2011 at 2:17 pm
Okay, I’ll race you in the quarter-inch marathon.
November 7, 2011 at 9:52 am
I loved taking a mind-walk through the park with you and Esau. Thanks for sharing your time with us.
November 7, 2011 at 9:59 am
Karol, thanks so much. It was a particularly lovely walk, and quite inspiring to see all those runners in the middle of it. I was watching back-of-the-pack runners, too, the normal Joes, not the elite. Quite amazing.
November 7, 2011 at 9:48 am
Stunning photos, great writing as always!
November 7, 2011 at 9:55 am
Thank you , Avi!