First-time participant discovers seven miles is considerably longer in practice than it appeared on the promotional map
MANHATTAN First-time Summer Streets participant Jason Ruiz completed the full car-free route from the Brooklyn Bridge to Inwood on Saturday, a personal athletic achievement he describes as “the single worst decision I’ve made this entire summer, and I include several genuinely bad decisions in that ranking.”
How This Started, According to Ruiz
He’d seen a promotional map online showing the route as “basically a straight line,” a visual representation he now realizes badly undersold both the actual distance and the considerable heat advisory conditions he’d be biking through for several consecutive hours.
The Specific Moment His Regret Peaked
Somewhere around mile five, Ruiz says he began seriously considering simply abandoning his rental bike and taking the subway the rest of the way, a plan he ultimately rejected purely out of stubborn pride rather than any remaining physical enthusiasm for the route.
What Kept Him Going
A free fitness class rest stop around mile four offered water and, briefly, actual shade, both of which Ruiz credits with providing “just enough hope” to continue toward Inwood rather than admitting defeat considerably earlier in the route.
His Physical Condition Upon Finishing
Genuinely exhausted, sunburned despite what he insists was “reasonable” sunscreen application, and immediately committed to never again trusting a promotional map’s casual distance representation for any future city event.
Whether He’d Do It Again
“Absolutely not,” Ruiz said initially, before adding, after a pause, that he’d “probably reconsider” next year, “assuming I develop some kind of memory-erasing condition between now and then.”
What Event Organizers Say About This Reaction
Organizers note this is a fairly common first-timer experience, with most participants underestimating the route’s actual length until they’re several miles in and considerably too committed to turn back. Further New York City coverage continues at bohiney.com.
SOURCE: https://bohiney.com