The True Story of GOGI 1

I received an email about the 2nd Get Outside on Governors Island 10K, which will be held on June 26th. All participants in last fall's race will receive a $10 discount if they register in-store at Paragon Sports.

I guess it's time to finally share the story of the first GOGI 10K. All events are true. If you recognize your involvement, please keep that to yourself.

I had recently stopped smoking and picked up running races instead. I had already completed the Michael Trauma 5K, and was looking forward to this GOGI race I had signed up for over the summer. I was high on my own achievement - hell yeah, guess who doesn't smoke anymore and rocks a 7 minute mile? I do! I do! The only problems were I didn't know anyone else who would be running this race, and I would be leaving from my apartment so I didn't even have my mom around to entertain me. For someone who loves spending so much time alone, I need to be entertained.

Friday night I went out for a few beers with a buddy, but was in bed way early. If you can make it through Friday, you know you're on your way to a civilized and grown-up weekend. I had three beers and I didn't smoke a single cigarette! Saturday I was up and about at the crack of dawn. I went downtown to have brunch with the best friend and her boyfriend, and then we went to Paragon to pick up my race packet. Everything was great. The sun was shining, the chick from Rules of Attraction (Shannyn Sossamon) was dragging a dog around the farmer's market, and I wasn't smoking cigarettes.

After spending money I didn't really have (hypnotism isn't cheap and my best friend really likes to drag me around shopping), I was tired and getting a little grumpy. I decided to walk from the West Village back to the East 80s. Done and done. Strangely, no one could be found to play with on such a nice fall day (the best friend and the boyfriend were on their way out to Long Island) and that was making me feel anxious. Clearly people were out and about... they just didn't want to be out and about with me. When I get anxious, I get manic. When I get manic, I smoke cigarettes. But I didn't smoke cigarettes anymore. And no one wanted to play with me. And I live in a studio apartment and there was nothing on tv and I needed to do something.

This is how a wonderfully pleasant Saturday ended up with me on a roof deck somewhere in the East Village/Lower Eastside/Hell for all I know, watching a UNC game on a large flat screen tv that had somehow been brought out to this roof deck. Then the dance party began. I lit a cigarette, and then another, and another. More beer arrived. This was at 11 pm, and I needed to be on my way to the race by 6 am. Fast forward through a few more hours, dance parties, two bars, and six taxi rides, and I was walking into my apartment to get changed for the race. Some people would have accepted defeat and gone to sleep. "Not I!" says In Shape Out of Mind. Instead I poured a roadie. (I put a little coconut water in it. Had to hydrate!)

I went to that flippin race and I finished that flippin race. Granted, my pace slowed down to 8.30 minute miles, and I was cold and disoriented, but I finished that flippin race. The course was confusing when I reviewed the map sober two days before. So I got a little lost trying to run it inebriated. Some guy jokingly asked me if I were drunk. I smiled serenely, and answered, "Of course I am." Well, he asked. Sorry I'm not sorry.

The worst part of this entire cold and poorly organized race is the ferry to Governors Island. There is a real reason why no one wants to go to Governors Island, and that is because it sucks. The only redeeming moment of this horrible experience was running into my friend Palindrome. We formed our running club Team RuNNuR shortly after. And no, we still have not purchased t-shirts.

I might return for GOGI 2 simply to prove how confusing the course really is.