The Red Hook 5K Is a Drag Race on Foot
The Red Hook Crit 5K has been described as “one of the most intimidating races in the urban running scene” by New York’s Orchard Street Runners’ blog, and is run on the same course (on the same day) as a risky, high-speed fixed-gear bike race. The tight and technical five-lap course starts and ends at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal in Red Hook, an out-of-the-way neighborhood on the borough’s waterfront.
Both in the New York City running community and nationwide, the Red Hook Crit has a high profile-nearly 500 hungry, up-and-coming club and crew runners toe the starting line, hordes of screaming spectators line the route, and the winner gets a cash payout of $1,000. There’s little “fun run” character to the race; it is an unapologetic celebration of speed and competition. Here, photographer Nils Ericson documents this year’s men’s event, run on April 28th, capturing the runners’ expressions after their 3.2-mile all-out effort.
Dan Winn (shown above), Brooklyn Track Club, 3rd place (15:26)
“It was one of the toughest races I have ever run. In the last kilometer, I had a runner 15 meters behind me. Quickly that gap was reduced to zero, and I had no response as he blew by me. With the last podium spot on the line, I just went for it. I could tell I had enough speed to overtake him but kept pushing through the line, beating him by less than half a second. It was a satisfying success, the kind only perilous, gritty races can produce.”
Leo Bonetti, FitAndTuff, 242nd place (23:05)
Thai Richards, BridgeRunners, 55th place (18:42)
Fikadu Girma Teferi, West Side Runners, winner (14:49)
“This race is very different from other races as there is so much crisscross. After one lap, I was still passing runners. I love the crowds, which were very supportive, always shaking hands as I passed by. I have definite plans to come back and try for three straight wins in this race.”
Benjamin Morrow, Cowboy Killers, 35th place (18:12)
“Red Hook Crit 5K captures the gritty spirit, weird camaraderie, and unexpected pleasure of running in NYC.”
Lenin Grullon, Boogie Down Bronx Runners, 252nd place (23:41)
“Red Hook Crit is unlike any other 5K race in the country. The turns make it grueling from start to finish. You constantly ask yourself, Why? Then you cross the finish line and you understand why: It’s running culture at its finest. Year after year, every crew, every club, every runner that comes out, gives it everything they’ve got! It’s the only race where dying and coming back to life is all part of the experience.”
Mark Hess, Dashing Whippets Running Team, 9th place (16:34)
“Everyone is packed like sardines at the start. Pushing through the field felt kind of like a heartbeat. One second, it’s open road in front of you, then around a turn, and you’re coming onto a huge pack of runners.”
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