What was great: The distance is the most accessible of the road races offered by NYRR. It is a hugely popular event, and while not their largest, it is one … MORE
What was great: The distance is the most accessible of the road races offered by NYRR. It is a hugely popular event, and while not their largest, it is one of the rare ones where corral is determined by age group. The starting corral itself was engineered in a way to prevent people stoping on top of others, with dividing stanchions parallel to the course forcing runners to leave the corral in an organized way at the start. The chute at the finish to get hydrated and get your gear flows nicely. Plus, it’s 5th Avenue right next to Central Park!
What could be better: Getting physically into the corral was a little rough. Entrances were slim, and I feared for the volunteers. Also, with heats so close together, pay special attention to your watch so you don’t miss your heat! For special note, I kept my bags checked at the finish line area, whereas some checked at the start line. Bags are not transported, and this might add to the start corral business for those who opted for the latter.
Overall: Great race. I’d do it again, and it’s a great opportunity to go for a run or jog in Central Park afterwards.
Popular Mile with Smooth Execution
What was great: The distance is the most accessible of the road races offered by NYRR. It is a hugely popular event, and while not their largest, it is one … MORE
What was great: The distance is the most accessible of the road races offered by NYRR. It is a hugely popular event, and while not their largest, it is one of the rare ones where corral is determined by age group. The starting corral itself was engineered in a way to prevent people stoping on top of others, with dividing stanchions parallel to the course forcing runners to leave the corral in an organized way at the start. The chute at the finish to get hydrated and get your gear flows nicely. Plus, it’s 5th Avenue right next to Central Park!
What could be better: Getting physically into the corral was a little rough. Entrances were slim, and I feared for the volunteers. Also, with heats so close together, pay special attention to your watch so you don’t miss your heat! For special note, I kept my bags checked at the finish line area, whereas some checked at the start line. Bags are not transported, and this might add to the start corral business for those who opted for the latter.
Overall: Great race. I’d do it again, and it’s a great opportunity to go for a run or jog in Central Park afterwards.
Fun and fast
I had never run a 1 mile race before and have to say that it was a ton of fun. As NYRR races always are, the race production was first … MORE
I had never run a 1 mile race before and have to say that it was a ton of fun. As NYRR races always are, the race production was first rate, post race food was assorted bagels (including cinnamon raisin!) and apples (Jonagold, not boring McIntosh!).
It was super fun to run down 5th Ave. and the course itself was easy. The first .25 is a slight downhill, then a slight uphill, then it’s flat. I didn’t even feel the uphill, though commentators for the elite wave were saying that your legs feel it. Go figure. Every .25 was marked with a large sign that had the time on it and the race is designed where you go by age group and gender so the course isn’t congested and the time on the markers is yours.
My only complaint is that, this year, there were no shirts. Instead, they gave this weird trucker-baseball cap hybrid that I gave to a friend because I wouldn’t use it.