The train was running late. Really late. It was also packed. On top of that, the outside temperature wasn’t inching over that freezing mark. As the 1 Train pulled into the 168th Street Station, the collective mood of the passengers was a resounding “blah.”
Then a group came onto the train. They were all in running tights and matching jackets. Something about Mass Transit Racers. Contrasted with the other riders of the train, they were ecstatic.
One of them started yelling like a homeless person asking for money over the whacking and whooshing of the train: “Yo, we’re Mass Transit Racers, y’all! And we’re about to race this train!”
Another acted as his hype man, taking the looks of doubt cast from those seated as challenges to the race, he said, “And we’re gonna beat it too!”
Eyes rolled. Grumpy old men looked to the train cars in front and behind to see if there was any room to get out of this one. The Mass Transit Racers kept on talking—not only to excite the crowd, but to liven up their legs for the fast approaching race.
The train emerged from underground as it pulled into Dyckman. The sun was starting to set, peaking through the apartment buildings of the Inwood neighborhood. Elevated now, the train moved on to 207th Street. “It’s about to be go time!” Mass Transit Racers fidgeted and shook their legs in the sardine can packed train. “Thank God,” the other passengers seemed to think, still not quite sure what these runners were talking about.
The train pulled to 207, the doors swooshed open, and the racers bolted through the turnstiles, down the stairs, and out of sight.
A buzz started to build for those who stayed on the train. There was something going on here.
Once the train got moving, the Mass Transit Racer Official looked out the window and saw the Racers floating along pavement below: “You can see them!”
The group shifted and tried to get a view out the window. Some peered around the other passengers, others smushed their faces against the window.
Sure enough, there it was: the group with the jackets was running along against the damn train.
As the train slowed and creaked into the 215th Street Station, the runners were nearing it as well. When the doors shot open the Race Official rushed out and ran down the stairs. A group of high schoolers jumped out as well. They ran up to the ledge and looked down at the sidewalk. A roar erupted as the runners started filing in.
They cheered wildly as Paul Corcoran beat the train and moved his record to three for three. Knox Robinson also easily beat it as Will Guzik tied it to go two for two against the train.
Patricia Barry became our first woman to defeat the train as she was 7 seconds late, well in front of our 15 second handicap. Barbara “Babs” Powell came in just under the 15 second barrier as well, giving two women wins on the night.
The group of high schoolers came down for a round of high fives and more yelling.
Five racers beat the train. And one train car was hopefully a little happier because of it.
(Source: www.masstransitracers.com)
Did you take any of these pics?
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