Meet a Memorial Miler- Abdul Karimi

My name is Abdul Karimi, I am from Afghanistan and I am a subcontractor doing security and customer service for the World Trade Center.


I have become a part of Memorial Miles program in order to help raise funds and awareness for the National 9/11 Memorial & Museum.


On September 11, 2001, I was in school in Brooklyn. I was in the hallway when a friend told me what was going on. We looked out the window and saw the first building burning. We had to go to our next class, Of course, it was all anyone would talk about in the class. I am Muslim, and the teacher was saying some negative things about me- I didn't take it to heart because I knew that I was not involved that situation. When we came out of that class, both towers were gone.


For the Memorial Miles program, I sincerely hope that people get together, unite, listen, and understand how we can make progress from this situation and how far we can go- from New York to other states, all by word of mouth.


We can make this happen by doing the same thing every day, not thinking about the work, and just do it and see how far we can go!

Day 102

The winter is firmly here, and the streak gets a little more challenging. Despite the snow and the cold, Memorial Miling kept me going, with my two- mile run, although in somewhat non- traditional running garb. As of December 21st, in the 102 days since September 11, 2008, I've run a minimum of two Memorial Miles each day, for a total of 290 Miles.

South Street Seaport Monthly Group Walk - December 12, 2008

Prior to the group walk some of the Memorial Milers made donations to the Marines Toys for Tots.



Start of the Group Walk out side 115 Broadway.

On a cold and blustery December day, the Memorial Mile team held their monthly group walk to the South Street Seaport. The Seaport is within walking distance of Wall Street and Lower Manhattan's many tourist destinations, and is listed as one of New York City's five top attractions. Street performers, outdoor concerts, landmark buildings, excursion vessels, historic ships, the holiday Chorus Tree, breathtaking views of the Brooklyn Bridge and Statue of Liberty create a unique waterfront environment you will find only at The Seaport.

The South Street Seaport is a historic area in the New York City borough of Manhattan, located where Fulton Street meets the East River, and adjacent to the Financial District. The Seaport is usually considered a historical district, distinct from the neighboring Financial District. It features some of the oldest architecture in downtown Manhattan, and includes the largest concentration of restored early 19th-century commercial buildings in the city. This includes renovated original mercantile buildings, renovated sailing ships, the former Fulton Fish Market, and modern tourist malls featuring food, shopping and nightlife, with a view of the Brooklyn Bridge.



Some of the Ships at the South Street Seaport

Lightship Ambrose was the name of the lightship serving as the sentinel beacon marking Ambrose Channel, the main shipping channel for New York Harbor, from 1823 until the station was replaced by Ambrose Light, a Texas Tower, in 1967. Between 1823 and 1967, several ships were commissioned Lightship Ambrose and served at the station.
The Lightship Ambrose (LV87), built 1908, served her station until 1933 when she was reassigned to serve as the Lightship Scotland, a station much closer to Sandy Hook, New Jersey. She moved around to various stations, but has kept the name of her most famous station, Ambrose. In 1964, she was retired from the Coast Guard.


The Peking, built in 1911, is a steel-hulled four-masted barque.


South Street Seaport Holiday Tree.

The Memorial Mile Team Members want to wish everyone a Healthy and Happy Holiday Season!

67th Aniversary of Pearl Harbor

Pearl Harbor

In the early morning hours of December 7, 1941, the Imperial Japanese navy launched a surprise attack against the United States' naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Over 2,400 Americans perished as a result, and over 1,200 were injured. The Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor was one of the great defining moments in history. As a result of this act, then-President Franklin Delano Roosevelt made the grim decision to enter the United States in World War II to fight with the Allies against the Axis powers.

Thanksgiving Day Dick Meighan 5k Run

What better way to celebrate Thanksgiving than with a brisk, hilly 5K run in Upper Saddle River, New Jersey??? It was a great day for the 10th Anniversary Dick Meighan Memorial 5K run.

It's especially great that Memorial Miling is turning into more and more of a family event. Before the run, we gathered, with about 1,500 other runners, in the school gymnasium. That's me, 2nd from the right, with my son TJ to my right, and his fiance, Kaitlyn, to my left. Kaitlyn's brother, Kevin, and his girlfriend, Jackie are on the left. Special thanks to my wife, Lisa for taking this picture!!!

I finished this hilly course in 26:11. That's not a world record, or anything, but last year I did it in 32:59!!! In addition to bringing attention to 9/11 Memorial fundraising, Memorial Miling is getting me into shape.

As of November 28, I have run at least two miles every single day since we kicked off Memorial Miles on September 11, 2008, for a grand total of 223 miles!! I hope to run every day until I have completed one mile for every one of our friends lost on February 26, 1993 and on September 11, 2001.

26th Annual Rockland County Alumni Run

26th ANNUAL BILL MARKIEWICZ

MEMORIAL ROCKLAND COUNTY

ALUMNI X-COUNTRY RUN (3.0 MILES)
THANKSGIVING SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2008
BEAR MOUNTAIN STATE PARK AT NOON

Memorial Milers participate in an annual tradition of insanity.

Paul with daughter Jill and sister Janet.

Rockland Alumni Cross Country Run: A Harrier Tradition.

(Adopted from 2001 article written by Jamie Kempton)

A Thanksgiving tradition dating back to 1983 continued on the hills and footpaths of Bear Mountain State Park the Saturday after Thanksgiving Day with the 26th running of the Rockland Alumni Cross Country Run/Bill Markiewicz Memorial. It is the only countywide alumni athletic event in Rockland.

The alumni harriers make their annual pilgrimage to Bear Mountain to tackle the 3-mile course that is used for high school competition. The race is held, rain or shine, at high noon on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Many people run cross country for the purity of the sport, and this event is a purist’s dream: no entry fee, no T-shirts, no awards, no frills.

What it does offer, however, is an opportunity to circle historic Hessian Lake (of Revolutionary War fame), ascend the infamous, steep “ski slope” (former site of world-class ski-jumping competitions), swing past the Bear Mountain Inn - a cornerstone hearth of the Palisades Interstate Park system - and finish the tour on the Great Lawn in front of the inn.The race is named in honor of Bill Markiewicz, a well-respected former cross country and track coach at Clarkstown North High School who died of cancer in 1991.

The event is open to alumni from high schools everywhere, not just those from Rockland County. Over the years the Alumni Run has attracted entrants whose high school affiliation spans more than 20 states and several countries.

Paul & Jill

November 14, 2008- Monthly Group Walk

Wow, another month has passed already, and on November 14, 2008, we had our monthly group walk in great Autumnal weather, about 62 degrees at the time of our walk!! It was also great to have a camera crew following us. They are working on a documentary, and followed our walk, filming and interviewing us. Hopefully, that will help to spread the word about the Memorial Miles program!! As a group, we have walked over 2,000 miles since the program started on September 11, 2008.

Malik, Jean Paul, and Alex get interviewed as we prepare to leave.

During our walk, we passed the New York City Police Memorial, a touching tribute to officers who have lost their lives throughout the history of New York City. It was the perfect place for us to stop for our group picture.

From left to right, Alex, Damian, Malik, Anita, Amadou (kneeling), Paul, Tom, Kamran, and Jean Paul keep the Memorial Miles spirit alive for another month!!!

During our walk, Malik quickly hooked up with a basketball game....SWISH!!!!

Clarelle and Anita got a little ahead of the group, enjoying the warm Autumn day along the Hudson River.

It was great to have the documentarians along with us this month- here Tom, Clarelle, and Jean Paul get interviewed about Memorial Miles.

Inaugural 5k Rockie's Benefit Race

Proceeds to benefit trail maintenance at the Rockefeller State Park Preserve
Saturday November 8 @ 8:30 am

Memorial Miler, Paul Pietropaolo ran in the Inaugural 5K "Rockie's" Benefit Race to help raise funds for trail maintenance at the Rockefeller State Park Preserve. The course started and ended at the intersection of Eagle Hill and Pocantico River Trails. It goes north (uphill switchbacks at the north end of 13 bridges) in one big loop to 13 bridges trail, then eventually that turns into Gory Brook Trail (flat to downhill), over the little wooden bridge then back over the stone arch bridge to home.

I'd say it was a tough start, fast stretch and a nice test over the final mile or so.