2017 NYC Half Marathon - Packet Pickup at Metropolitan Pavillon

This afternoon went over to the Metropolitan Pavillon to pick up my bib and shirt for the NYC Half Marathon.  This will be my 7th NYC Half Marathon!  I last ran this race back in 2015, when the packet pickup/Expo was at a different location (Skylight at Moynihan Station across from Madison Square Garden).

Not sure what to expect, weather-wise, this weekend.  After the snow on Tuesday - which quickly morphed into ice - the best hope is for a nice warm-up.  By that I mean any temps near the freezing mark - haha.  But as I write this, some strange forecasts are predicting a bit more snowfall this weekend?!  Could that be true?

In any event, this will be my NYRR race #3 for 2017.  If you're at this one - say hello!

Happy Birthday Jack Kerouac - 95 Years Young in Heaven

Happy Birthday Jack Kerouac!

He was born March 12, 1922 and died tragically on October 21, 1969 - from the ravages of alcoholism. He was only 47 years old - and this year marks the somewhat grim fact that he has now been dead (48 years) longer than he lived. 

For most people he needs no introduction but, sadly, there are increasing numbers of people who haven't heard of him, his spontaneous prose, or the beat generation (for that matter).  We're all getting older...

Anyway, to keep this upbeat (ha) - pull out your beaten up (ha) copy of "On the Road" and read a few pages - or the entire book!

March 2017 Race Schedule

This month will, hopefully, include a return to some long distance races!  It kicks off this weekend with the final Boston Buildup Race, the 25K, on Sunday.  Somehow I managed to miss the first 3 races of the Series this year - argh! 

The following weekend is the first of the 4 training runs that lead up to the Great New York Running Exposition 100 miler in June!  Last year I only ran the last training run (which is also my favorite part of the course). This year I hope to run 3 of the 4 training runs!

Mid-month is one of my favorite events - the NYC Half Marathon!  Looking forward to that one - and maybe some warm weather to go along with it :D

The last weekend of the month is still up in the air - but as of now I'm planning to do the Boston Blowout 30K. 

Here's how it looks so far:

3/5 - Boston Buildup 25K
3/12 - TGNY 100 Training Run #1
3/19 - NYC Half Marathon
3/26 - Boston Blowout 30K

As always, if you're at any of these races - say Hello!

2017 World Radio Day

Today is World Radio Day!  While I associate this with Shortwave Radio (and Ham Radio) - celebrate with any radio - including AM/FM!

Here's the link to the official World Radio Day page - that includes a map with links to local events.

2017 NYRR Gridiron 4 Miler: Race Photos & Results

What a difference a month makes.  The year kicked off with the Joe Kleinerman 10k - in the low 20s.  A month later the Gridiron 4 Miler greeted us with low 30s.  But the wind chill, and waiting around for more than 30 minutes until the start, had me frozen solid at the start!  It was a slow first mile, not so much because it was crowded (and it was - with over 5,100 runners ultimately finishing the race) but rather my frozen self had to warm up!

As for the race itself, I ran a 29:44, 7:26 pace.  It was well under my 30 minute objective (which was something of a soft target).  I "voted" for New England on the 72nd Street transverse - not so much because I was rooting for the Patriots -- just didn't want to run the extra few feet to the right :O

NYRR race #2 is in the books!

Here are the official results from NYRR.

2017 NYRR Gridiron 4 Miler Packet Pickup

I finally had a chance to visit the new NYRR location on 57th Street yesterday when I went to pick up my bib/shirt for the Gridiron 4 Miler.  I would have gone last month, for the Joe Kleinerman 10k, but I registered so late for that one (the day before) that I had to pick up my bib on race day, in Central Park.

The Gridiron 4 Miler will be race #2 on the road to 9+1 for the 2018 NYC Marathon. 

As always, if you're at this one - say hello!

February 2017 Race Calendar

Hard to believe we're a month into the New Year!  I don't know how January flew by so quickly, but on the running front, I didn't get in many races (only the Kleinerman 10k) to kick off the month/new year.  Hopefully, I will get in more races (and mileage) this month.

This weekend is NYRR race #2 - the Gridiron 4 miler (and will miss the TRRC Freezer 5K because of the conflict).  I plan to run another NYRR race this month as well, the Al Gordon 4 Miler (and get in a trip to Brooklyn as well)!

Next weekend is the Boston Buildup 20k.  It'll be my first BB race of 2017 because I missed both the 10k and 15k last month.  Weather permitting, I will also run the second Freezer 5 race the following weekend (having missed the first because of the conflict).

Here's how it looks so far:

2/5 - NYRR Gridiron 4M
2/12 - Boston Buildup 20K
2/19 - Freezer 5 Miler
2/25 - NYRR Al Gordon 4M

As always, if you're at any of them - say hello!