Lincoln Tunnel Challenge 5K - Weehawken, NJ + New York City

When great thoroughfares are listed, which they might be occasionally, I have a hunch that the Lincoln Tunnel never makes the list. Maybe it is the traffic or the poisonous air in the tunnel, but few people get a chance to regularly walk through the tunnel. It may be illegal, though I would have to look that up and having just finished my organic chemistry final I just do not have the energy.

The activation enery barrier is just too high.

That one was for all those nerds out there - you know who you are.

Regardless of my most recent nerd joke, I got to go through the Lincoln Tunnel on foot from Weehawken, NJ to the City That Never Sleeps. Fortunately, the island had not yet been quarantined due to the swine flu and approximately 3300 runners and I ran in the Lincoln Tunnel Challenge 5K. Of course, there are much worse things than swine flu to come from New York City. The best example I can think of are Mets fans. They are much worse than swine flu and they have not necessitated a quarantine yet. Having been at the last Mets at Phillies games, maybe the quaratine is not such a bad idea.

Sorry, son, sodomy is illegal in these here parts.

I guess that is why the Mets play in Queens...

But enough Met bashing, if there is such a thing. Picsofmeinfrontofstuff.blogspot.com found itself running through the Lincoln Tunnel on a sunny Sunday morning. In search of a fast time for my first race of the year, I decided to run like Hell. I certainly had the right race number for it.

In case you do not get the reference - think 666.

If you think maybe I sold my soul for a good time, you would be wrong. My time, 28:35, is nowhere near good enough to send my soul to eternal damnation. With the Phillies having won the World Series, I am much less likely to consider trading any soul related items for anything. The drought/Curse of Billy Penn ended way to early in my life for me to consider that. I wondered such a deal would be required for a parade down Broad Street. I would not put it past many of the people in attendance at the parade.

It is nice not blowing a division lead on the last day of the year 2 years in a row...
The Mets are good at blowing - that's why they call it Queens.

It is hard to not regress into Met bashing, but the race was quit an interesting event. All the partipants got the chance to wander through the toll booths

and run through the tunnel!

After running through the tunnel to New York City, we had to turn around and come back. I have never noticed just how much of a hill there is on the Jersey side of the tunnel. It was pleasant on the`way in, but much more difficult on the way out.

Fortunately, I made it there and back again!

Melee at Shea

We might be smiling during my second visit to the level of Hell known as Shea Stadium, but the Phillies are losing and there are fist fights going on behind us.

If I have not lived a life worth of reaching the pearly gates and instead descend into Hell, with all of its fire and brimstone, I am positive that there will be a special section for me with loudspeakers that ceaselessly play a crowd chanting 'Let's Go, Mets!' There is a not single phrase repeated over and over game that more fills my mouth with bile nor burns my ears more than that three-syllabic cheer for the residents of Shea stadium. Imagine Karl Rove and Sarah Palin in Mile High Stadium during Barack Obama's acceptance speech during the Democratic National Convention – that is the kind of Hell I am talking about.

Having already spent one evening in the dump known as Shea Stadium, I found myself returning with feelings of excitement at the possibility of a Phillies sweep and a tie for first place in the NL East. My man-crush, Cole Hamels was on the mound to oppose one of Satan's newest minions, Johan Santana. Not only was our ace pitching, but also the Phillies had won the two previous games of the series including the day game of the day-night doubleheader caused by Hurricane Hanna. I felt the stars were aligned for a sweep and a tie for first.

Unfortunately, the Baseball Gods did not agree and Cole gave up 3 runs in the first inning and the Phillies gave up 6 overall while managing to score only 3. The real excitement was in the stands of Shea as supporters of the Phillies had traveled to Shea to harass the fans of the Mets. Imagine once again Karl Rove and Sarah Palin at the DNC – this time drunk and mentally challenged. Even with security nearby, including an angry man wearing a jacket emblazoned with SUPERVISOR, across the back, multiple melees ensued in the later innings in my section as well as the surrounding sections. At one point,l a multitude of angry, mostly overweight, security guards in bright orange shirts rushed past me on the steps headed towards the fighting.

Leading up to the hand-to-hand combat, some of the would-be warriors traded insults with the initial raucous Philadelphia Phanatics hurling brilliant barbs such as 'Retarded Retards!' as well as the old standby of questioning the Phans’ heterosexuality. The truly great aspect of the ultimate Mets defenders was the fact that while they yelled at the invaders from Philadelphia, the game for which they had paid to see was going on behind their backs. Clearly, these were shining examples of the residents of New York and Philadelphia. The most amazing combatant was the younh, male (and I use that term lightly about New York Mets fans) Mets fan somehow was involved and possibly instigated 3 fights and yet was not forced to leave until he got into a fight directly in front of security. Maybe that's why call them the Amazin' Mets.

Either way, Go Phils!