Here it is - a race report! Sorry, I just didn't have any time during the week.
I did like the race! I don't know why Jodi thinks that I didn't. As for the medal, I do like the design, but mine has some sort of corroded nastiness on it that I am not too fond of. I do, however, really like the shirt.
Anyway, as Jodi mentioned, we met up at the "expo" on Saturday and had a nice little chat. I don't recall any awkward silence, maybe Jodi was just bored with me?
Anyway, Matt and I did want to get out of there because it was 2ish and we hadn't eaten lunch yet and were hungry. So Matt and I got some sandwiches and then walked around Central Park for a bit until it was time to meet up with some friends who live in Manhattan for dinner. Got to bed at a fairly decent hour.
Matt and I were staying at one of the official race hotels and when we asked about getting a cab Sunday morning, were laughed at (seriously - the guy was really rude). So, it looked like we were taking the subway. I had looked up the train schedule and the line we needed to take only came every 20 or so minutes on Sunday morning. And it was a local (stopped at every stop) so it was going to take over 25 minutes to get there. Since we were supposed to be in the corrals by 6:30 and since Matt freaks out about having sufficient time for port-o-potties, we were trying to be on the train that left at 5:20. We missed it by seconds (and, yes, it was most definitely my fault). And then sat in the horribly hot subway station for 25 minutes until the next one came. Anyway we made it there and Matt and I parted ways to go to our corrals (the port-o-potties were in the corrals, so Matt really had nothing to be worried about). I was going to try to go look for Jodi in her corral, but it was really late and there were a lot of people, so I figured I would just get to see her after the race (silly me).
So the race started and, as Jodi mentioned, it was really, really crowded running in Central Park (the first 7 miles). I also thought the water stops were really crowded throughout the whole race (although there were a ton of them). I pretty much had to walk at the water stops because everyone else was. I did think the best part of the race was running out of the Park down 7th Ave. to Times Square. Very cool. I felt pretty tired during the race (I'm sure the 36 miles I ran in the 6 days leading up to the race had nothing to do with it, and neither did the hours walking around Central Park the day before
), but managed to finish in 2:02:07. So, that's slower than my last 2 halfs, but not by much (my PR is 1:59:24), and the two faster halfs had much better weather and crowd conditions, so I'm pretty happy. (According to the NYRR website it was 70 degrees and 90% humidity during the race).
Matt did not have a good race. I just don't think he does well in really hot, humid conditions. He got the chills and goosebumps really badly at around 9 miles and had to walk because he felt so sick. He finished about 10 minutes slower than his PR.
After we finished, we walked around and got our free Jamba Juice (I LOVE Jamba Juice and they closed all the ones that were near here) and sat in the grass and the sun (which had just come out) for awhile. As we were getting ready to leave, it started pouring. We went back to our hotel (short walk) and got cleaned up and went to the Met for the rest of the day and had a nice dinner. On Monday, we went to the Natural History Museum, had lunch at the greatest idea for a restaurant I've ever heard of - a macaroni and cheese place, and went to see a Yankees game. Then we were up at 4:00am on Tuesday for our crazy early train back to DC.
Wow - that was long - sorry. I'll be back later to catch up with everyone.
, it just sounded good. I'm glad you liked the race, but not so glad that there's poopy on you medal 
. I think I stopped @ every single aid station for that very reason. Man I was beat. I wish I could say that it was because I ran 36 miles the week before...but it was probably because I ran 36 miles the enitre MONTH before 
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and Chester, of course. Maybe Dave'll show up, eh? Anyone else last minute???
. The volcano hike sounds way too cool!!
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since I'll most likely finish the 1/2 the same time you're finishing the full
? Any training to speak of?
Anymore trips to MV before the summer's out? 
love: .
Your pace of 10:21 is faster than I'm running on my training runs, btw.
Nice job on that 6 miles! That IS a breakthrough indeed...any residual effects?? I hope not. Have a safe trip up to your little house on the Canadian prairie & tell your Paw-in-law I said happy birthday 
. He doesn't really want to be out there exercising, but once I agreed to strap the TV to my back & let him walk behind me he gave in.
