A couple of days back Bobby texted about a run this morning at the Rockies. Bad hamstring and all but I made it. The largest group I’ve ever been a part of, with people from the Bronxville, Greenwich, and Ridgewood RCs, a few WSSAC mates, some Bronxvillers, and assorted others. Big crowd in the Sleepy Hollow HS parking lot at 8. It was chilly.

Someone got around to saying “let’s run” and off we went. Not unlike a cycling peleton, maybe 30 of us hit the OCA in a long double- and triple-file line, mostly in tights and long, colorful tops and gloves and hats making it tricky to recognize those people I knew. “Where are we going?” was answered “Where those guys at the front”, a group seemingly being driven by Paul Thompson, “are going is where we are”. Staying on the OCA, and thus keeping the Rockies itself to our right, we headed out to Rockwood Hall with its beautiful views of the Hudson.

The group had fractured well before this. It had gone out a bit briskly and when a gap appeared a bit past the mile with the studs towards the front I was content to stick in the second group. A glance behind showed that the third group had long ago let us go.

Not a cloud in the sky, and the temperature rising from about 30 to the uppers 30s, enough for me to take the hat off but not enough for the gloves to be shed. Our little group was five or seven (it varied) with people from Bronxville among us. Sadly, Paul kept turning his group around to get the band back together just as we were content to keep the conversational-pace our group had found. They would quickly go off the front again and then would come back until finally they gave up on 13 Bridges and were gone for good.

My hamstring behaved itself, even with the somewhat steep downhills (on which I treaded gingerly) and since everyone in the group planned on going longer than I had planned, I decided to have a go at the Rockies themselves, meaning the climb up the switchbacks at the end of 13 Bridges. Piece of cake. For the route we were taking, once you crest that you have a nice, not-too-steep down that brings you to a stream and then but one hill before reaching home.

Some further splintering so in the end I finished with four others. By then several of those who fell back early on, and who were going for less than an hour, were gone. Still a large group in the parking lot, joined by some who threw in a couple of extra miles.

The photo, which I hasten to add was not taken today (which I mention because I don’t want people to think I (a) carry a camera on runs and (b) would stop to take a photo during a run), gives a good idea of what the Rockies looks like after the leaves fall.

To the Horseman’s Diner with a couple from Greenwich and three from Bronxville. Hungry Boy breakfast (2 pancakes, two eggs (over easy), two sausages, two strips of bacon, toast (wheat), and homefries). Talking about the running-store business — do SuperFeet have a purpose? — and home.

Bit of a pain in my upper right leg, front and right at the waist, when climbing toward the end but nothing serious with the hamstring. 1:19. A good run.