A to Z Challenge: My theme this year is NYC before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

NEW YORK CITY MARATHON: On the first Sunday each November, over 50,000 runners take to the streets of NYC’s five boroughs in hopes of completing the 26.2-mile race. In 2019, participants from over 142 countries competed and since the inaugural race in 1970, 1.2 million people have crossed the finish line. In 1970, the entry fee was $1; in 2018, it cost $295 for U.S. residents and $358 for non-residents. Prize money however, ranges from $2000-$100,000. The route goes right past our building on 4th Avenue (at around the 7-mile mark), so we were thrilled to see the elite runners fly past and cheer on participants with high fives. The event is quite fun to watch because the atmosphere is so full of joy and kudos. You can tell the runners appreciate the support. The view from our building’s roof:

NOT UP TO DICK: We’re revisiting Victorian slang for this one. While I’m sure this could be interpreted in a few ways, the 1800s definition of the phrase is not feeling well. I searched for some further explanation, but I quickly discovered that wasn’t the brightest of ideas, so we’ll leave it at that. Many of us are not well these days, both physically and emotionally.

Thanks to medical advancements, we’re much better equipped than 19th century humans to handle diseases, illnesses, and ailments, but obviously, that doesn’t mean we won’t struggle. The 1800s endured its fair share of epidemics such as cholera, measles, and small pox, however, before color photography, doctors and medical students relied heavily on medical illustrators to help them diagnose and treat patients. In a less dangerous Google search, I came across The Sick Rose: Disease and the Art of Medical Illustration, a book featuring a collection detailed 19th century medical illustrations. The young woman in the illustration is clearly not up to dick.