It’s arduous to imagine that travelling on foot may ever beat public transit–particularly over greater than 13 kilometres. However on Saturday, two New York Metropolis residents determined to search out out for themselves in a cross-city race.
En path to the Mets vs Chicago Cubs recreation at Citi Subject in Queens, Noah Cracknell went head-to-head together with his buddy Vicky Conroy: he would run, and he or she’d take the subway. Each documented the journey, and–in some way– the runner got here out on prime.
The pair started at thirty eighth Road and fifth Avenue in Manhattan. Cracknell confronted a 13.45-km route, whereas Conroy deliberate to hop on the subway for a 32-minute trip, after her preliminary half-kilometre stroll to the subway station. On paper, transit ought to have had a transparent benefit, however the subway journey (like normal) didn’t go as deliberate.
The primary delay was a blocked entrance at Grand Central Terminal, forcing the subway-goers to reroute to a different station. Then got here the crowds–gradual walkers clogged their path within the subway tunnels–and 17 stops stood between them and the end line. “He’s transferring,” Conroy stated, monitoring Cracknell’s progress in real-time through Discover My Mates. “We’re neck-and-neck.”
In the meantime, Cracknell had constructed up a early lead, already crossing Queensboro Bridge earlier than Conroy had boarded the prepare. Regardless of having to ask for instructions to the stadium, he averaged 4:12 per kilometre and completed in 56 minutes and 31 seconds.
Each arrived at Citi Subject at 6:41 p.m., however as Cracknell declared, “Tie goes to the runner.” He celebrated the victory and his speedy commute with a chilly can of beer.