| Date | Race Name | Race Length | Time | Pace |
| 1/5/2013 | Joe Kleinerman 10K Classic (NYRR-Central Park) | 10k (6.2 Miles) | 1:02:27 | 10:05 |
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Race Log 2013
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Going Crazy, Must Swim, Please Provide Access to Nearby Pool!
Going Crazy, Must Swim,
Please Provide Access to Nearby Pool!
It seems that everywhere we
turn lately there is a roadblock. People
have moved on from Superstorm Sandy and they don’t have the appetite to help
anymore. A few weeks ago I tried to find
a place to swim close to our new temporary residence. However, another door shut in my face.
Here is my letter to the Town
of Hempstead Supervisor, Kate Murray regarding providing me access to a local pool for
triathlon training. I sent it in through
their website today (http://www.townofhempstead.org/helpline)
hoping that they’ll find a way around their rules for once.
Note that items in red have
been changed to help ensure the privacy of myself and others involved.
----Start Letter----
To: Kate Murray, Town of
Hempstead Supervisor
My family and I lost our home
in Town, NY to Super storm Sandy back at the end
of October. For the past 8 weeks, we
have been living at a family member home
(name of family member “Uncle”) at Street Name, West Hempstead. We have all been through a lot the past few
weeks and know that we will have to remain out of our home for at least another
8 months. Uncle
has welcomed us to stay at his home and although it is quite far from our home town,
school and work, my husband, two young girls and I will continue to live there
until we are able to get back home. We
simply do not have any other options.
I am a training athlete;
often running, biking and newly (the past year) swimming as well. I completed two sprint triathlons in 2012 and
am hoping to continue onto longer competitions this year. I also do work full time so my training is
limited to early mornings, late nights and weekends. About 3 weeks ago, I called the Echo Park
facility to see if there was any way I could swim there on Saturday’s. I explained my situation to the woman on the
phone and she was quite empathetic and wanted to help me. I explained that I do have a pool I can swim
at near my home.
The cost is around $10 a session but unfortunately, it is almost an
hour’s drive away from where we are living now.
With two young children, it is impossible for me to be away for over 3
hours on a Saturday.
She said she would have to
speak with her supervisor but was going to do anything possible to help me get
a temporary pass to the pool as (she explained) the pool is only open to
residents of the Town of Hempstead.
My husband’s parents live very close to Echo Park. They would typically watch my children while
I go train. I’m living on Street Name, which is
within running/biking distance to the park as well. It would be best if I could do my swim
training at this facility due to its ideal location.
Unfortunately, about an hour
after my call to Echo Park, the woman I spoke with called me back and was very
upset to share with me that her supervisor said there was nothing he could do
to help me. The park is only open to
residents of the Town of Hempstead and since I do not have any bills in my name
at the Street Name address and my driver’s
license still shows me living in Town, NY, I am
not able to use the facility. I even
offered to bring in a bill from Uncle to show
that he owns this house on Street Name or
perhaps show a rental agreement but that was not sufficient. She explained that my license must show I
live at Street Name.
I am writing this letter in
the hopes that you will reconsider this policy or perhaps make a single
exception for me for the next 8 months so that I can swim in a pool close to my
temporary home. Also, I read on the Town
of Hempstead website that there is a non-district resident access available to
the pool however, the folks at Echo Park were adamant “non-district” still
meant that you had to be a resident of the Town of Hempstead as “district” meant
that you live in West Hempstead. Please
help me understand the true rules of use.
Thank you for your
consideration,
Name
Phone Number
Email
----End Letter----
-s
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