Joggers on Long Beach streets are a relatively rare sight, since most of them take to the safety of the boardwalk and its scenic two-mile stretch. But last month Hurricane Sandy crippled large sections of the structure, rendering it dangerous and forcing city officials to prohibit anyone from stepping on it until it is rehabilitated.
That has left residents who run, cycle or walk on the boardwalk, even during the colder months, to take alternative routes to get in their daily dose of exercise.
Resident Rachel Yousha Spitz was displaced in the wake of Sandy to nearby towns, where she was able to run regularly, but now that she’s returned to Long Beach she longs for the day when she can jog on the boardwalk again.
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“I've been running on the streets wherever I've been staying: Valley Stream, Rockville Centre; now back in Long Beach,” she wrote in reply to a question on Patch’s Facebook page to boardwalk-goers about their alternative plans. “But I miss the boardwalk every time I run and I can't wait to get it back.”
Kerri A. Elizabeth, who said that she’s been running instead on both the beach and the streets, echoed Spitz’s sentiments. “Can't wait for it to be back,” she wrote.
Both Michelle Colletta and April Murphy said they’ve been running at their gyms instead, but nothing compares to the boardwalk. “It’s not the same,” Colletta said. Murphy wrote: “Running at the gym. Haven't biked since. Can't wait for the boardwalk to be repaired!”
City Manager Jack Schnirman on Tuesday told Patch that it is premature to project when and how the boardwalk will be rehabilitated, although the city is in discussions with different levels of government about this project and that the goal is to build a better and safer boardwalk.
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