Joe DiNoto of Orchard Street Runners, David Trimble of Trimble Racing and the Nike NYC team put on quite the show on Thursday night.

At 11:00 pm over 200 runners alongside spectators assembled in Gowanus, Brooklyn to launch the return of this grueling underground masterpiece of pain. With no formal route, racers were instructed to complete 8 checkpoints in sequential order, before the clocks were shut off.

BKTC was proud to have over 20 athletes representing in the field and when the dust settled, several emerging in the top 10!

BKTC Women: Leigh Anne Sharek 2nd, Sarah Fountain 4th, Andrea Burdett 5th, Lena Placzek 6th, Marta Fenollosa 8th, Nicole Quilliam 10th.

BKTC Men: Cameron Erhardt 3rd, Michael Conroy 5th.

Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/xeflrse2399y5l3/AACtaUWALSzsaepRX06w4cXoa
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In August 2018 small group of Brooklyn Track Club runners flew to Portland, Oregon to take part in Hood To Cost, a 199 mile relay from Mount Hood to the beach town of Seaside.

From NYC to PDX. They were not here to stand in two-hour long lines for donuts or take selfies in front very pretty waterfalls along the Gorge. They were here simply to run, run, run and kill, kill, kill from Hood to Coast. Take no prisoners. …And like a true “Lost Boy”, jump off the bridge and fly.
The Brooklyn Track Club raced the Hood To Coast Relay last weekend. 199 miles of beautiful and hilly Oregon terrain. Chris Chavez and coach Steve Finley invited me along to ride shotgun, shoot some photos and be a part of the fun.
I lived on Mount Hood for three summers from 2014 to 2016 in three separate houses that are within the first half mile of the 2nd exchange. Many days, I got in my morning runs on the trails or do the crazy and run up to Timberline Lodge and back down. It is about 2,000 feet vert up and down over six miles each way. Oregon feels like another home to me and to see it with a different lens and with some friends was a treat.
A little over a year ago, I ran a mellow six to eight mile run with Brooklyn Track Club during a trip to New York while I shooting an interview for Year of the Bison. I wished the club existed in Los Angeles or something like it. I don’t know of too many running clubs like them in the U.S.  They love running more than anyone and it definitely shows.
Through the day and night, I bounced around from Van 1 and 2 with Finley, who serves as the head coach of the team and our self-appointed  “Digital Team.” Steve’s dry-witted sense of humor and his comedic responses kept even the most tense moments loose. Steve is certainly a leader who represents the spirit of the Brooklyn Track Club – serious runners who aren’t afraid to get a little untamed. Plus, just like me, Steve is from Illinois and so you know he’s “the salt of the earth” guy.
Below is a bit of photo journal and a reflection of the trip from a perspective of riding shotgun in each vans with a series of the photos that best represent the story of this weekend.
To enhance your reading experience, please read the following as Andrea Bocelli’s Con Te Partiro plays on repeat.

​Mount Hood. Isn’t she glorious?! I have done this drive more than a hundred times and it never gets old. I still get chills looking at the peak.

​On Saturday 25+ Brooklyn Track Club runners crushed the Brooklyn Half Marathon, in the pouring rain. Everyone went out hard and right to work, holding strong paces down Ocean Avenue, leading to some MASSIVE personal bests at the distance!

Big congratulations to Steven Schiff and Sean Baez who's tag team efforts in the park and through south Brooklyn led them both to 8+ min PRs and their first sub 90 min performance! Both were seen still wearing their medals on Monday.
​Patrick Morris was also right with these guys until the end and barely missing sub 90 with a 1:30:02!

Leigh Anne Sharek was also a major highlight out kicking by and leaning a woman from NYAC to finish in 5th place in 1:16:36, with around a 3 min PR and an invite into the NYRR Presidents Circle; a significant accomplishment in NYC running.

​Little Michael, Will and Lostboy Tim Rossi all cruised the course in 1:12:xx, seemingly racing the ghost performance of Luke McCambley (Luke decided to run 1:12 in a different Half the week before) -- Lifetime bests for all four men.

​Staten Island native Jeremy Mulvey returned to form topping off the BKTC men's front pack to finish in 1:15:03 another massive PR.

Dan Diaz who had to skip the Eugene Marathon in April came charging back to TAKE a PR in the Half, running 1:19:03.

 Christina Henderson, Claudia Tishler, Sarah Vanden Broek, and Joanna Kadieva rounded out the ladies top pack all with finishing times under 1:36! With Cara Enright not far behind after coming off an injury to PR (she would). with Claire Wind, Rose, Amanda Umpierrez, and Cheryl Donald all finishing strong races too. Congratulations all.

Crowd favorite Moshe, who is turning 70 soon and had to skip Boston because of an injury, ran 1:54 to finish 23rd in his age group! Just wait till 70+ age group sees you Moshe!

Last but by no means least, Billy Rippel and Chris Nulle skipped the rain and cold in favor of two Sunday 5Ks which they both won, in 17:31 and 17:00 respectively! Excellent work by both of them!

​Apologies if I missed anyone, I am sure that I did... 

Job well done!
Plans are in the works for some summer mile PRs and epic fall Marathons.