YouTube video of JRunners' 2010 Brooklyn-to-Catskills relay.
The journey from Brooklyn to the southern Catskills is a well-worn annual migration route for the city's Jewish community. But this week, the regular schlep up to the green hills of Sullivan County is taking a new twist: A group of charity-minded runners is going to run the whole thing, all 138 miles of it.
This year is the second annual Brooklyn-to-Catskills 200K relay put on by JRunners, a Brooklyn-based group that uses the race to raise money for charity. This year, the worthy cause is the Ohr Meir Foundation, a group that sponsors vacation trips for sick children.
Since it's a relay, each runner will only have to do about 12 miles. But it's still pretty hardcore: The runners will do the course nonstop, kicking off at 9:30pm on Wednesday night from Prospect Park, running through Jersey in the wee hours of the night, and ending up at the Sullivan County Community College in Loch Sheldrake late Thursday afternoon.
Any questions? Check out the FAQ. A few sample words of wisdom:
What if a runner gets lost along the way?
Since we are running from Brooklyn to the Catskills, if you get lost, there is a good chance that you are either in Monsey or new Square. In either case you are not lost, and you should just enjoy the scenery...make a few friends…and we will try to get you out of there as soon as possible.
Does everyone on the team need to be at the start line or can they meet them later on?
Yes, similar to prayer in a synagogue; joining way after things start is counterproductive.
How fast do I have to run in the Relay?
Faster than you walk.
