Manhattan Half Marathon

Manhattan Half Marathon January 27th,2013

My first race of the year was the Manhattan Half Marathon.  I decided to run it to keep me motivated and on a plan in the new year. 

The winter was pretty bad here in New York.  I didn't get all of my workouts in during the six weeks prior to this race but I felt pretty good about it.  I was also participating in a planking challenge at this time where you did one minute of plank for each day.  I was going along pretty well.  Sneaking in planks behind my desk at work and all about the day.  As the month progressed my knee started to hurt during the planks. Not running but during the planks.  It was weird.  So on the 26th day of the challenge, just a day before the Manhattan Half I simply just stopped.  It hurt too much to get the 25 planks in the day before and I really was just not going to risk my knee and this Half in front of me.  So bright and early on the 27th my father drove me down to the NYRR offices to pick up my bib and T-shirt (wait til race morning and you only get the really large size).  Then he dropped me of near the start in Chilly Central Park.  I was wearing an assortment of throwaway layers and my best gloves and hat.  This weather was no joke cold. Snow and ice had been on the ground all month and today was no exception.  Like any NYRR event there were mobs of people.  Somehow the pace projected on my bib was in the 7 min mile range! so I ended up with a Yellow bib! that is way in front.  Don't know how that happened.  I must have reported my fastest 5k time on the registration.  No way that was going to happen.  That would be a total PR and I was not in PR shape AT ALL! 
 My plan was to run as best as I can and as always not do any worse than I had before.  We started out packed in the corrals and like I expected they never quite thinned out.  I was passed quite a bit since I started so far up but I felt pretty good.  The water stops were pretty dangerous since spilled water= ice in January!  This race was a double loop around the park which included some pretty big hills for NYC.  I always read about them but think hey I live in Dutchess county, how big could these hills be? But you know what they are pretty long.  I ran a respectable 1:51:38.  Felt great for the amount of training I had given it. 

I was disappointed to not receive a medal at the end of this race!  Apparently that is what happens with the Manhattan Half.  So I took my bagel and apple and wrapped  only in a space blanket I headed to Grand Central Station.
I should have planned better because who wants to walk 4 miles to a train in January after a half marathon? But I made my way bought my metro north ticket and then rewarded myself with hot coffee and Cannoli

NO Medal so I bought a Cannoli