going strong

It's balmy and oftentimes muggy in NYC right now, with highs in the upper eighties, and humid. I'm not sure what's more miserable in humid heat- hours of running, or ten minutes waiting on the subway platform. Maybe being from Georgia, Brian is conditioned for it, but this west-coast native squirms in the humidity. And yet the training must go on... Brian's pretty much running every day, alternating shorter and longer runs, and last weekend he had a 17-mile (yes, read it, seventeen) training run. Whew!

We're still doing regular team training runs for support and for fun, we've had three rounds thus far. As the days become shorter, the evenings are more bearable, and a loop of a few miles isn't so bad. So I hear.

Hello! and Team training run recap

Hello!

I will be posting updates along the way to the marathon but wanted to start it off by giving a brief recap of our 2nd team training run in Central Park this past Tuesday. Once a week colleagues, friends and other runners will join me for a team training run.

It sure was a hot one on Tuesday but we had a pretty good turnout and the park was filled with lots of other runners, walkers and cyclists. There was a group of 6 of us that met at 72nd st. and ran an out and back on the bridle path to the ball fields north of the reservoir. We had a colleague that was playing in a softball game so we took a minute to stop and heckle him for a bit before running back down to 72nd st. The total distance ended up being a little over 4 miles.

I had to get a few extra miles in so I left from the office on 27th and ran to the meeting spot on 72nd and ran back afterwards. I ran up Broadway which was a bit of an adventure but made for a very interesting run. It took some dodging and weaving through Times Square but i made it through without having to stop too much. They have "greened out" an entire lane(wider in some spots) all the way from Herald square (34th st.) to Columbus circle( 60th st) that made for a surprisingly pleasant run.

All in all another great team run. Lots of fun and it was great having the group to run with .

brian field. the runner.

we've made a video that will definitely move you to support Brian:



...frankly, now I'm pretty sure I want to be Brian.

Go team, go!

...and we're up and running!

i'ko' !

Welcome to the Thousand Milers blog, the rallying point for our New York City Marathon effort to raise support and awareness about the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust. We are a team of activists rallying behind Brian and other marathoners, including some Maasai themselves.

The Thousand Milers' name originates from name for the shoes, crafted from the rubber of expired Michelin tires, which Maasai runners train in. In training for this marathon, Brian and the team will run over a thousand miles, and in our team training runs in Central Park, we'll join them in spirit and name.



Here, and through events and activities we're planning in the next few months to raise support for the Trust, we channel our creative energies for a good cause. The Thousand Milers are united by a common workplace and a shared commitment to livable and sustainable environments. Teaming up with others for the NYC Marathon (stay tuned for more information about our other marathoning team-mates), we look forward to seeing our efforts realize into ecosystem preservation and better access to education and health care resources for this unique community.

To keep supporting the effort and find out how you can be more involved as the marathon gets closer, please check back here. We'll be posting what we're up to regularly, and will be adding links, events, and more information. In addition to the regular posts, the links on the right to photos, video, our calendar, and Maasai Trust efforts provide more information (and entertainment). Soon we'll also have more information on how a little bit of donated money can go a long way in this cause, and we'll show you an easy route to do so.

The next few months look like they're going to be a lot of fun; stay in touch to support a great cause with us!

ŋasa'k,

the Thousand Milers

photo courtesy Shauna Robertson

about brian

runner bio

Why do I endure the grueling 26.2 miles? I like the history and culture that surrounds the marathon; I enjoy the enthusiasm everyone brings to the event, and the stories of other runners. Most of all I enjoy the challenge of the run. It helps me focus, stay healthy, and allows me to aim for new goals each time I run.

I discovered a passion for long-distance running about 15 years ago and was inspired by my dad who is a marathoner and ran two ING New York City Marathons himself. I set out to try this daunting task myself by running the ING New York City Marathon in 2006 and the Philadelphia Marathon in 2008. I’m excited to be running this year knowing that I will not only be doing my personal best, but will be raising awareness and support for the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust.

I have lived and worked in New York City for four years as a landscape designer for The Central Park Conservancy and now for AECOM. It will be an exceptional rush, running through the very boroughs where the projects I have worked on are being built to improve our experience of the urban environment.

I will be rallying support among colleagues, family and friends to engage in fundraising events, training runs, and weekly blog updates leading up to the Marathon on November 1st. I’m excited about the opportunity to be a part of a diverse worldwide event such as the ING New York City Marathon and use it to generate support for the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust.

hello world

We are commencing the setup for our New York City Marathon fundraising team blog for the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust. Please check back soon!