Running women

This morning I got to photograph a few of the women running the New York Mini 10K, an event that claims the title of "the world's first road race exclusively for female participants." First run in 1972, the Mini is still going after 37 years.

This post is pretty much pure self-indulgence. I directed a women's run myself in 1982 and ran lots of them in my time. I no longer race, though I still galumph plenty of distance.


The leaders whizzed by in a bit of a blur. All three of the women the U.S. will send to the Olympic Marathon in Beijing this summer were in the lead pack. The blonde on the left is Deena Kastor; Blake Russell and Magdalena Lewy Boulet are on the right. They didn't win this one: Hilda Kibet of the Netherlands prevailed in 32:43.

But really, it wasn't the elite runners whose race tags carried their names that interested me. It was the anonymous hordes (5000 starters) who dashed or labored by on this 80 degree day.


Some of these folks are pretty fast.


And certainly not uncompetitive.




Back when I ran races, I might have been among these folks at the back.


Her T-shirt advertises a running event organized by the footwear corporation Nike to be run in locations across the globe. I have to admit, this seems like a granfalloon to me. But hey, I am quite likely to run some miles that day... And this sister was hoofing it.


There weren't a lot of non-running slogans on these shirts -- but I'll take my peace messages anywhere I see them.


You go girl!