What a weekend! The NYC Half-Marathon was everything I expected it to be and more. I truly love New York City and, of course, I truly love running, and when two loves come together like that, what can go wrong? Plenty. Nothing went really “wrong” per say but I worried a lot that it might.
One of my running heroes – Meb Keflezighi – with our game faces on! Yes, that’s my serious face.
I’m a very anxious person. From when I used to compete in gymnastics as a kid, right up until now, I am especially anxious about competition. Signing up for a race with 20,000 other people in a city that is home to more then 8 million seemed like a good idea at the time. Besides Boston, this was the biggest race I’ve been a part of and it was kind of scary thinking about how I was going to get to the start line. Yes, that was my biggest concern going into the half-marathon – getting to the start.
Having fun at the expo the day before the race!
I stayed at the recommend hotel near the finish line in the financial district, which was approximately 13.1 miles from the start. My start time? Oh just 7:30am. No biggie. There was also tons of security (we had to go through medal detectors), the choice of cab or subway and how, when and where I was going to eat breakfast. I ended up eating in my hotel bathroom (gross!!!!) so I didn’t wake-up my husband. New York may be the city that never sleeps but it sure the hell isn’t awake on a Sunday at 5am.
Amazingly enough, I made it to Central Park via cab by 6:30am and, apparently the city wakes up around that time, so I was able to sit at a toasty Starbucks and have a nice cup of coffee, with several other runners until it was time to get to the start corrals.
Did I mention it was freezing? Well, it was. Mostly because of the howling wind and lack of sun until about mid-way through the race. And, when the sun came out, the wind only intensified. More on that later…
I was dressed perfectly for mile 4-13. I was wearing sunglasses when it was basically still dark so it’s a miracle I didn’t trip over someone or something during the first three miles. I also couldn’t feel my toes or hands (despite wearing gloves and having hand warmers!) for the first 3 miles. Just small details really.
click on the image to enlarge
Here are the highlights:
I loved running though Central Park (even the hills!) and I was really trying to take it all in. I felt good from the start on this one so I knew it was going to be a good day.
Times Square was amazing! Truly. I cannot really express how I felt running down that famous strip, which was completely shut down for the race and lined with screaming fans, bands and some people just staring at us like the insane group we are. I was smiling the entire time and it’s a moment I won’t ever forget. Or, it could have been the sugar and carb rush of my first GU Chomps kicking in. Either way.
The West Side Highway smacked me in the face entire body with huge gusts of wind! I had to laugh because I felt like I was slowed to a crawl for a minute. Luckily, we turned around to head all the way back toward Wall Street and had the wind at our backs – which was really fitting for St. Patrick’s Day weekend since that Irish blessing goes something like “may the wind be always at your back!” I’ll drink run to that!
The Tunnel was a cute little trick. You know the issue with running into a tunnel when you’re Garmin is using satellite reception to track your distance, pace and mileage? It loses the connection. At mile 12ish we descended into a tunnel and I heard a hundred beeps from GPS watches all around me as they all gave us the same message: satellite reception lost! Cute, really cute NYRR. I tried not to think about it and just pressed on. I knew I was about a minute off the start clock since it took me a full minute to reach the start line…plus, I was truly almost there and having a great race so who cared?
The Finish was awesome. I felt great, I came in at 1:29 to tie my PR from October and I couldn’t have been happier. Later, I also found out I placed 15th in my age group. Normally, that would make me cry. However, there were 1,790 women in my age group so I feel amazing about placing 15th. The age-group winner, for the record, finished in 1:12! That’s a 5:32 pace and she’s 37. WOW!
Could I be smiling any bigger?
Then I got lost. At the finish, they made us walk about a half-mile to the end of the corrals. Along the way we were given mylar blankets to warm us, a medal and, what felt like a 25 pound bag with a huge water, gigantic Gatorade and two apples. I mean really. I know it was all for security measures but what runner thought it would be a good idea to make the finishers walk down a wind tunnel, toward the water, for a half-mile and give them a weight to carry as they do? If I had one issue with the race, this was it.
I also ended up on the opposite side from where my family was, because I went left instead of right, and had NO way to get to the other side, once I realized my mistake. The running route was completely barricaded and I was stuck. And freezing. And carrying 20 pounds of liquid and fiber. This is what happened next:
1. I asked a NYC cop where Wall St. was, because I had gotten so turned around after meandering around from the long finishers chute and back up. He took out his phone and started looking it up on a map. A map!? WALL STREET in NYC and you’re a NYC cop!! Is this a dream? Surely I’m hallucinating. I just walked away.
2. I asked two security/race people and was told I had to walk all the way around. It’s now been 15 minutes since I crossed the finish line, I’m starting to get really cold and, for some reason, I’m still holding this huge bag of weights.
3. I ask yet another cop because I cannot fathom walking the mile or more it will take me to get to the other side. He looks at the barricade and says “Yeah, go ahead and just cross right there.” Really? The S.W.A.T. team isn’t going to tackle me to the ground if I start messing with fences? Ok then.
4. Luckily, my family and I picked out a meeting spot the day before, for just this scenario. I was never so happy to see them and had to duck into a bank to warm-up and re-wrap my mylar blankets. Mercifully, my husband took my weighted bag from me. Love that guy.
I also love these guys who were staying with my Aunt and sent me this about an hour after the finish! Best.thing.ever.
And, I love all of you…well, I’m sure most of you reading this anyway. I cannot thank you enough for all the text messages, tweets, Instagram and FB shout-outs – you have no idea how much it means to me. All your support and love and luck get me through each and every race and I truly thank you for it!
In the end, I achieved two out of my three goals #1 Have fun – oh hell yes I did. #2 Finish in under 1:30 – oh hell yes I did. #3 Meet up with as many bloggers as possible – not even one. So sad, but just too many logistics and not enough time. Of course now I have an excuse to go back to NYC and I can’t wait.
Luckily, Nellie at Brooklyn Active Mama just gave me a great reason to go back on May 10th! She’s co-hotsing what’s sure to be a fantastic blog event – A Healthy U Conference! Click HERE to find out more.
Have you ever gotten lost at the end of a race? What’s the biggest race you’ve been a part of?
Thoughts on NYC? Love it or hate it?
Congrats lady! John did the NYC Tri last year and it was so much fun. A great adventure and definitely a bucket list race. I am going to check out Nellie’s conference since I am just an hour from Brooklyn/NYC.
OMG did he swim in the river? Yikes!! He’s a brave man 🙂
I would love to meet you in NYC for the conference. I’m sure it will be worth the (short) trip for you!
Got your email 🙂 John said it was the cleanest water he has swam in!!!
LOVED reading this because I felt the exact same way! That wind was crazy! And I was freezing mile 1-4 exactly! I was not a tunnel fan. Couldn’t see where i was going AND couldn’t find my friend post race!
But over all I would totally do this race again, just will have to make it to the lottery next year since I won’t have time to qualify!
Great job!
The wind was insane once we turned onto the West Side Highway and I was very thankful to see some headlamps in that creepy tunnel!! I would absolutely run it again as well. Thanks Emma!
Huge congrats and I knew you would do amazing, because seriously 15th in your age group was awesome. And my brother-in-law is a NYC cop and wish you would have run into him, because he truly is a nice guy and totally knows his way around the city. And wish I could go to Nellie’s convention, but I have my nephew’s communion that day and the weekend in general is jam packed for me. But can’t wait to hear all about it 🙂
I so wish I had run into your BIL too!! Anyone probably would have been better then that guy. He must be from upstate or something. Very odd.
Too bad you can’t make the conference. I would love to meet you IRL!
Congrats on a blazing fast race, mama! What an amazing time and age group finish! I was chuckling at your description of all the Garmins beeping at the same time. I bet that drove everyone batshit crazy!
Don’t feel bad about the bloggy meet-up. I didn’t meet up with a single person at Richmond either. Race day is just crazy, and it’s hard to coordinate. I can’t imagine what it was like in NYC!
I know you can so relate to all the watch beeping! Some people were definitely pissed!!
It was hard enough to meet up with my own family at the race, so I don’t feel too badly, but I really wanted to meet up. Oh well…best intentions.
Thanks Nicole!
Congrats to you! What a great finish! All those Garmins going off would have probably driven me crazy. I have never even owned one of those. I am such a lame runner when it comes to technology…I have none! I am overwhelmed by really big races so I will probably never run NY or Boston. I’m not sure I am even so inclined to train for another marathon. The one and only marathon I ran was Minneapolis and it was lovely. Except for my chopping block legs, of course.
Ha ha ha!!! Yes, the weighted legs are never fun.
The beeping was just kind of funny because I knew what was happening. Some people were really mad though and I get it, since we were so close to the finish. Oh well.
Thanks Michelle!!
You are amazing! Way to ROCK the heck out of that race. p.s. 2 out of 3 isn’t bad 🙂
Oh the teacher in you just hates this blog title – I know!!! Truth be told, it kind of bothers me too but…
Thanks so much Cori. Looking forward to hearing about your race 🙂
You did great! I am so happy that you did so well! I would love to do that race one year. I felt your pain on Sunday for my 13 miles. It was freezing! Could have really used a Mylar blanket at the end of my run! Your ROCK my friend!
Thanks so much Kris!
Wouldn’t it be great if you could get all the racing perks on a training run? I’d love to have water stations, mylar blankets and a medal at the end of every training run 🙂
Bam! What a fantastic tim–congrats! Really happy for you. And I could totally and completely relate to your story about getting lost. I had the same experience last fall right here in Balt. after the relay I ran w/ friends. I was totally and completely lost, in a bad section of town and when I asked a cop, he was useless. What’s up with that, seriously? But we both had happy endings, so that’s all that mattered.
Ok, off to check out the link above. Any excuse to go to NYC…
I can’t believe that happened to you too!? About the cop, I mean – seriously??? Very weird. But, yes, happy endings make it all worth it!
I would love to meet you in NYC! Let me know if you’re going 🙂
WooHoo!! Way to go – so awesome to picture you smiling as you run!! Love that you achieved 2 of those goals and that you will be able to meet some incredible bloggers at Nellie’s event. (Wish I could go but it is really far and I have my redemption 50 mile race that day.)
So happy for you and your great job – 15 out of close to 1800 is fantastic!!!
Thanks so much Kim!! Too bad about the conference. We really need to meet one of these days! How exciting that you have the 50 miler…again 🙂 Can’t wait to hear all about it!
Congrats on a great race!! You are so amazing!!!!! That West Side highway can be so windy! I can only imagine what it was like on Sunday morning! I love the sign that your boys made. So adorable!
Thanks so much Britt!! I was thinking of you as I ran by the Pier/Fitness building. Don’t you go there with your husband and play tennis and shoot golf balls out into the river? If not, I was thinking of you anyway 🙂
Yes we do go there! It is a lot of fun! 🙂
Congrats on an awesome race!!! What a great experience…it is soo exciting to race in different places. A great memory to have… Love it! You go Girl!!!
Thanks so much Fydo!! It was unbelievable! Such a great experience and so glad I did it. What’s next on your race calendar? Doing Ironhorse again this year?
15th in your age group? You truly are amazing. I’m still giggling about the cop looking at his map, though.
Thanks so much Karen!
The cop taking out his phone to map where Wall St. was, when we were about 2 blocks away, was priceless. Maybe I was being punked? Ha ha
Geez! That sounds like a nightmare! Congrats on finishing, though!
It was in the moment, but so worth it! I would definitely do the race again, especially since I now know what NOT to do!
Thanks!
I used to get super anxious about competition too – which is why I sort of STOPPED being a competitive everything – I used to do gymnastics (like you), horseback riding and of course my competitive snowboarding. I would always get super anxious and think about all the people I thought I was “letting down” by not winning (if I didn’t). But you really cannot think like that unless you want to mentally kill yourself! Now when I face a competition I just laugh and smile. It is what it is, the fact that you do it in general is pretty flipping awesome. And regardless of where you place, you’re not going to die = and in a few weeks, you will look back and be like HEY I did it, and that’s alll that matters! 😀
So true! I’ve gotten a lot better since I was 10 about competing, and I definitely think about “letting people down” but mostly, I put all this pressure on myself and for what? My husband is pretty great at grounding me when it comes to this stuff. And GiGi, you rock no matter what! I would love to see some of that snowboard competition footage… 🙂
Amazing Allie and huge congrats!! So awesome. I was so paranoid I was going to be freezing at the start that I literally had like 5 layers on and I was walking around with a fleece blanket wrapped around me! ha! That wind heading to the West Side Highway was horrible. And the tunnel? I swear I was going to trip and fall. Glad that you enjoyed yourself and that you found your family at the end!
I read that on your blog – very smart of you! I had a “throw-away” sweatshirt and sweatpants but the wind was really cutting. I could definitely have used a blanket!
The tunnel was crazy!? I’ve never experienced anything like that before 🙂
Thanks Christine!
Congrats on a great race. I’m impressed that you were able to remember all the details of the miles! It was a nice reminder of the place that will forever be home in my heart.
On behalf of all New Yorkers, I also apologize for the yokel police officer who couldn’t get you to Wall St without a map!
I’m sorry you didn’t meet up with anyone but I imagine it was freezing and not a time for socializing. Lucky you’ll get the chance in May when it will be gorgeous….Here’s hoping!
In the officer’s defenses – he was very nice and really trying to help!
Thanks Melissa. I cannot wait to meet up and have fun in the city when it’s actually warm! Seems like it will never be…
Times Square has such an amazing energy about it…. uh oh. You got lost? Don’t make me strap GPS to your forehead for your next race. (yes, that’s a threat.)
Maybe you can just leash me to you and we’ll run it together? Sounds like a plan… 🙂
15th out of 1790?? Um..incredible.
No races for me but I can totally help you out with meeting bloggers. Soon! And as for Nellie’s thing, it’s a bad weekend for me and I’m really sad. I might try, though!
As for NYC, I both love it and hate it. If I’m feeling weak and anxious, it preys on that. If I’m feeling magical, it illuminates that.
I’m not at all a city person, but I think SF is more my speed.
Thanks Tamara! Too bad about Nellie’s conference but so glad I get to meet you anyway – lucky me!!!
I know what you mean about the city preying on your mood. I was so anxious the morning of the race and then, so carefree with my family walking around and shopping. I can tell you that I was incredibly happy to get back to my little home town on Monday! I used to be a city girl but, I think that girl is gone…
Ahhh!! So much good stuff all in one post!! I read it in a sleepy haze this morning and now I have read it again. I also apologize for the dopey police officer BUT usually they recruit cops from ALL boroughs for the huge city events so he may be from Staten island and he probably hasn’t a clue and was just doing his over time. You were in the top 10 percentile of your age group!! that is amazing Allie, but I expect nothing less from you! I love that angry photo and the picture of the twins broke my heart in the best way possible!
I am so excited that you are coming to the event! We are happy to have you! It’s not going to have a blog focus but there will be plenty healthy living bloggers present!
No need to apologize for your sleepy haze – I totally get it, and am possibly responding to this in the same kind of haze 🙂
The cop was VERY nice and, bless his heart, trying to help.
Thank you so much and I cannot wait for your event!
Congrats super speedy mama! You rocked it!
Thanks so much Angela! It was one of those “great race from the start” kind of days. You have to enjoy those when they come!
Oh my goodness! You are so speedy! I love NYC, but then when the people are rude, I think,”Do I REALLY like it here?” It’s a little confusing. Either way, I’d love to run the NYC Marathon someday!
I’m with you on stressing about getting to race starts. Many of my friends prefer larger races so that they have people cheering them on, but I get so anxious about getting to the start that I actually prefer smaller races! Just drive up right before the race starts, park for free, and go! So easy!
YES, exactly!!! I do love a big race and it’s great to have a lot of “action” on the course but, it’s almost not worth the trouble of getting to the start! I would love to run the NYC marathon or Chicago marathon someday but, after last weekend, I may be re-thinking that!!
Thanks so much!
Congratulations on doing so well, Allie! Sorry about the last part though.
Oh gosh, look at your boys!
Thanks Alison!
I’m beyond excited for you. Twins are such an amazing blessing. You’re life is about to be forever changed and I couldn’t be happier for you and your family!!! Hooray for TWINS!
Congrats! Sounds like an awesome race! I entered the lottery but obviously didn’t get in, I’ll defnitely put in for it again next year! I’ve been to NYC several times and LOVE it, although I wouldn’t want to live there!
Thanks Sue! I definitely recommend this race – it was very well organized – just beware of the finish and have a meeting spot!! I hope to do it again next year as well.
Congrats, Allie! I love NYC and how cool must it have been to run in Times Square – wish I had been there to cheer you on. I was cheering in my head, though. You ran faster than over 90% of the women in your age bracket – amazing!!
I wish you had been there too, but I’ll take mental cheering for sure!!! Thanks for doing the math on that – now I feel even better 🙂
Hi Allie! Great to read your blog! I have seen you on quite a few other blogs, and thought I would take a look. WIll definitely be following you in your journey from now on 🙂
Great recap, sorry you got lost! I have actually got lost DURING a race a few times in school when I would race and be in the lead. The unorganized races did not have enough marshals and I went the wrong way! Was very frustrating and once cost me the win! I have also stopped a lap early in track before, and had to start running again when i thought I was done, now THAT was painful!!!
Thanks for sharing your story, and congratulations on achieving your goals 🙂
Tina,
Thank you so much for reading! Sounds like you can feel my pain 🙂 I got lost during a 5K once, which cost me the win so I totally get the pain of that!!! Such an awful feeling. I can’t imagine doing that on a track and having to get up your momentum (not to mention your mental game!) again.
Hopefully that never happens to either of us again!!
Since I’ve never been to a big race like this I will go with no. But sometimes I forget what I’m doing just walking from one end of the house to the other and have to go back to jog my memory.
I suppose the tunnel and loss of GPS could be perceived as a way to get you all to kick it into high gear at the last minute since you had no clue of your pace. I don’t like scenarios like the one you described at the end and would have been in near tears. You are a trooper. Especially for keeping hold of your weighted bag, I’d dropped that a few minutes in.
Love your recaps!
Ha ha ha – thanks Carla!! I was very near tears when that amazing cop finally let me through the barricade. Maybe he could see that and that’s why he did it. I totally should have dropped that stupid bag too!! Not sure what I was thinking there…