Okay, so this blog entry doesn’t have much to do with travel, and it’s more of a self-promotional blog than anything else. But still, the event took place in the city, so does that count?
Today I accomplished my first (of what I hope to be many) half marathons. Yes, my friends, I have made the leap over to the dark side of running. And trust me, at times it is very dark. Like this morning when I left my apartment at 7 a.m. in the middle of torrential downpour and headed to Central Park.
Had I not had the company of many a friend and co-worker who had all been gallantly training for months along with me, I might have given up and pulled the covers up over my head at 5 a.m. instead of drowsily getting up and making my oatmeal. With the thought of those friends and co-workers in my head (not to mention the family I had coaxed into driving into the city to cheer me on), I rallied and ran the entire 13.1 mile course of the More/Fitness half-marathon. Two full laps of Central Park, with an additional 1.3 miles tacked on to the end. And let me tell you, my friends, that last 1.3 miles will really get ya.
The last time I blogged about Central Park, I was having a blast with a friend of mine in the beautiful snow-covered scenery.
Today, not so much. If you are at all familiar with the terrain in Central Park, then you know about the two treacherous hills; one up in the Harlem section and the second, Cat Hill, right before you hit the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
However, neither wretched, stretching hills nor windy, soaking rain could keep me from completing the race today, and from running it every step of the way. I wasn’t alone though—the race, which is run by women only, set a new record of 6,360 finishers. Amazing.
Now it’s on to the Philly Distance run in September!
But first, I’m off to D.C. next weekend for a friend’s birthday shenanigans. Since we both went to college at James Madison—which is only a 2 hour car ride from good ole’ D.C.—we’ve spent a lot of time in the area. I’m sure I’ll have plenty to share about next week when I get back.
Until next time, bis bald friends!
Photo via