Greenpoint Runners Say: Get to the ‘Point!

Oct 15, 2009 by Juliet Linderman On their marks, with knees bent and eyes alert, roughly 450 hopefuls lined up along Driggs Avenue on Sunday, bending back their legs and jogging in place to warm up in anticipation of the “go!” signal, ready to race in one of the most hotly anticipated friendly competitions of the year: Get to the ‘Point, a 5K race right here in Greenpoint. For the last 17 years, Get to the ‘Point has been engaging the greater Greenpoint/Williamsburg community in a fun, physical event that doubles as a fundraiser for the various sports programs at the St. Stan’s Athletic League, which serves 400 neighborhood children on a yearly basis. This year’s Get to the ‘Point festivities consisted of an entire day of programming, beginning with a set of children’s sprints and races in the morning, followed by the longer, five kilometer race, after which St. Stan’s opened their auditorium for an awards ceremony honoring the winners, and a party for all entrants complete with food, refreshments and good company.

The winner of the 2009 Get to the ‘Point race is Brooklyn’s own Kirt Joseph, who finished in sixteen minutes and thirty seconds, and Miriam Beyer, who took the fastest overall female title, finishing in nineteen minutes and twenty one seconds.
Primarily organized by Frank Carbone, the athletic director of St. Stan’s Athletic League, Get to the ‘Point also relies on community sponsorship, this year’s race boasting involvement from nearly 70 businesses, organizations, restaurants and individuals around the neighborhood. The 2009 race’s title sponsor was St. Joseph’s College, while MetroFuel and the Greenpoint YMCA served as the event’s signature sponsors.