Michael Tartaglia's Staging Area

So! Easy as pie to get to, once off the ferry race central is right outside the building. (I found parking by South Ferry in Manhattan.) I volunteered last year so knew the lay of the land a bit. That said, first and last few miles were hilly, middle 5 or 6 miles were flat.

What I liked: The scenery didn’t really do it for me until mile 4. We were running though urban environments, but there was something about hitting the flats that was beautiful on the day. On the return around mile 9, we saw amazing views of the Verrazano. Organization wise it was smooth as always from NYRR.

What could be better: The course was well marked and laid out, and came across as almost intentionally challenging. I counted three hard uphills along the way, but that’s more addressable with training. Post-race potty access is extremely limited if you pick up your bags first. Placed after security, you can check your bags and use the portajohns, but you need to use the portajohns before you reclaim your bags afterwards – or wait until you get onto the ferry, pretty much.

For context, I was planning a road trip and stumbled upon this race as part of a charity project. I had not specifically planned for this race, yet decided last minute to make it a destination about 10 days in advance. That said…

What I liked: I stayed in Watertown and traveled to Sackets Harbor for race day. The commute was straight forward and butter smooth. Volunteers made sure we parked appropriately. Packet pickup and portajohn amenities were available. (Side note, not sure if this is a metro NY thing or not, there was ultimately one long queue for all the loo’s, rather than multiple lines for batches of them. Runner psychology, eh?) The corral was simply laid out with wide enough roadway that front-runners didn’t jostle elbows. Per the course, the scenery was unexpectedly awesome, between running “downtown,” through neighborhoods and farmlands. Water stations competed for your attention, which really helped the atmosphere, and was perhaps one of the most unique experiences I’ve had on races like this! (I didn’t forget to vote!) Post-race, the spread was large and generous. The swag shack had plenty of offerings in various colors. The swag bag also had coupons for various downtown business we coincidently ran by, which was a great plus!

What I wish could have been better: Not much, really. The race date in early September still meant warmer weather. The aforementioned portajohn line wasn’t managed well, yet that’s me nitpicking. Course layout was easy to follow, turning arrow signs were clear. Mile markers were precisely placed out. For an out-and-back style race, it was pretty straight-forward. For someone who registered really late relative to the race date, I found it easy to get to, get what I need, and get ready to go. There were moments post-race where announcers may have lost track of runners (e.g. the lead marathon runner came through without much fanfare until it was too late). Again, I’m nitpicking. Getting out of the race area, there was ample traffic control, just have patience in the downtown area if you need to get around soon after a half-marathon finish.

TL;DNR? Great race, so happy I stumbled upon it, would recommend it!

This was the first time I had run the 10K in Queens with NYRR, having completed various 10K’s and Halves with NYCRuns in years prior. Overall I found it to be a successful event, yet there were parts I hear were a lil’ awkward.

What I liked/What worked: Race central was quite close to where the 7 train and LIRR let off at Mets-Willets Point. Bag drop and portajohns were easily accessible (though don’t forget the restrooms tucked away on the bottom of the park-side of the bridge connecting to the 7). There was a cool finisher festival area which featured snacks and ice pops after the race, with live music. Let me tell ya, everything was GREEN with the sponsor logo and artwork everywhere. Not too bad. The race itself was well mapped out, 27 turns. I was up by Wave 1-B, so did not have much jostling. The course was easy to follow around, with only one major sharp hairpin on the north. Maybe two or three hills of some consequence, I liked how the entire course did not repeat any turns or legs.

What could have been better: Finding where everything was happening was easily, yet weaving around the park’s east side to get to the starting corral was a bit wonky. I spent a few minutes walking the wrong way! I was hearing from my teammates that the Wave 2 crowed was somewhat “forgotten.” A lot of walkers, and those who voluntarily started farther back caused a bit of traffic. While I did not face any hydration issues (five tables over six miles) it remains to be seen if the last of the 12,000+ finishers had cups for them. I digress! By the way, registration filled up FAST.

Overall: Great race, good to scratch the itch of running my first 10K in a few years in spice of recent half- and full-marathon focus.

Production from packet pickup to post-race amenities for both days (I also ran the 5K) was top notch. Course was moderately flat, save for a bridge in the first mile which might scare you into thinking the course is rolling – not so!

Scenery started urban and went through more suburban parts of Baton Rouge, including a lap around the LSU campus and lake. Crowd control was consistent, and road markings were clear as crystal.

Post race amenities were amazing, even if the weather was somewhat chilly. I could see what prior reviews meant by reduced availability of foodstuffs as time went on. Close to the five or six hour mark, most beers, coffee shots, and gumbo varieties were on the verge of running out completely.

That said, I would recommend registering for the VIP package. Food, beer, parking that is obscenely close by, and ten steps to the starting corral, and heat lamps all felt worth it.

Note: If you would like your medal engraved, you must pay cash unless you purchased the engraving options during registration. You also must bring the results receipt provided freely at the marked tent in the finish festival.

What Worked: Race Central is located on 102nd St Transverse and easy to get to, whether you take: a train to Harlem 125th then a taxi; the subway on the east side; drive in and park at a garage. If you did not register 30+ days ahead, you bring your confirmation email which has a code – this scans in to match up to a bib, which in turn has a code that is scanned for your swag. Super efficient, there was no long line waiting to get a pre-printed bib. The race was decently supported, but more on that later. Lots of people turned out for cheering on their family and friends.

What Needed Improvement: While there were 8 water stops (three tables passed over 2.5 laps), in the third loop it was a bit slim-pickin’s. Those who were in the lead pack had diminished setup to grab water/electrolites, and some that had longer mile times tended to walk or congregate around the tables. At times, it appeared only one or two volunteers were there to stock the tables. The later start time might have exhausted those who were there for the 5K that started at 8AM. On that topic, splitting the 5K and Half Marathon into two waves 1 hour apart helped with mitigating traffic in the park, though made things a bit of a hassle to pick up or drop off bags. My advice would be that if your race starts at 9am, drop off your bags no later than 8:20am when the mass of 5K runners finish.

Overall: It is a nice race. I’m sentimental to it as it was the scene of my first-ever half marathon. The Harlem Hill in the park’s northeast is no joke, and otherwise the course is a mix of gentle rolling (west side) and long flats (east side). The venue is great, the swag is great, even the post-race bagels are iconic at this point!

I registered for this race because it was close-ish to where I live (2hrs away) and would provide a refreshing new venue. There were surprises big and small, and no real drawbacks.

What Worked: The expo was quite small relative to what I was used to for other marathons (Wineglass, Brooklyn, etc), yet had all the essentials. Swag seemed of decent quality – except for the shirt that came with race entry. That ran small for me. I wasn’t expecting much for race morning, but was pleasantly surprised! I opted in for the VIP experience which included covered parking and shelter, with a moderate spread of bagels and coffee. Getting on to the race, the course was a good mix of downtown-to-suburbs-and-back, with most of the elevation change happening in the first third of the race and the final mile. It was exhilarating to run east as the 5k runners were “coming at us” – don’t worry, the road was divided, and the crowd was kept in spectator areas. The half- and full-marathon split point was also well marked. Just keep your ears open! This race had a relay component, and where the handoffs would be there was a sizable crowd. Maybe this was a tongue-in-cheek way to assure that there was crowd support all throughout, but it worked either way! Many families were out of their homes to cheer on runners. The after-race party was really stacked, and I wished there would have been more people there!

What Needs Improvement: Not much, really! Though the expo was on the smaller side, it still met my expectations for getting what was needed pre-race. The race itself exceeded expectations, and was well organized. I always knew where I was supposed to go and felt safe/supported along the way.

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.

What I liked: This iconic course brings you through as many neighborhoods as one could fit into a 13.1 mile race. Prospect Park is easy enough to get to (see my notes below), the tougher parts are at the start, and a run down Ocean Parkway leads you to Coney Island! The expo was a pleasant experience, making this feel like a much bigger and more serious event than other half marathons NYRR produces. Bib pickup, swag pickup, New Balance shop, and other vendors were present in addition to a party atmosphere. It truly felt like a race and destination at which you *have* to be. Post-race, the chute and bag pickup were excellent. Meeting family on the baseball field was cushy! Even though it rained, there was some shelter in the stands.

What could have been better: Not a race problem per se, just be advised getting to the start may be a bit tricky so give yourself extra time. For example, many of the streets leading up to the corrals are blocked off, so if you Uber/Lyft you might have to walk a bit. Bag dropoff is a breeze, yet the two years I’ve run this there was a line to do so. The course itself is moderately difficult, Prospect Park as *that* hill in its northeast corner. Yet, the rest of the course is somewhat flat to lightly rolling. Post-race, the brewery afterparty is not worth the wait and crowds to get in. Skip that altogether, chill in the baseball field.