I’ve not had a good run (pun not intended or maybe intended) with races longer than a 10K for some time now with a lot of slow (relatively speaking) halfs and fulls over the last six months. Yesterday, with a solid last couple of weeks of runs under my belt - mostly at recovery pace, but done 3-5x a week - I felt like I could really let loose at the New York Road Runners | @nyrr 2025 United Airlines NYC Half.
I got everything ready the previous night, with all the clothes I’d need for the race and packing my throwaway bag filled with all the pre- and mid-race nutrition I’d need.
Yeah, about that last bit… I forgot to pack the Maurten Gel 100s I bought at the expo. Whoopsie.
Without any mid-race nutrition until the 8.2-mile mark, I’d have to rely entirely on the pre-race nutrition and try not to go too hard, too fast and risk a blowup before that precious gel station.
And that’s exactly what I did, running the following 5K spilts: 24:35, 24:15, 24:15, 24:17 with a 5:18 in the final 1.1K for a finish of 1:42:40 which is nowhere near my PR but it’s still one of my better finishes at this distance (side note: I really don’t race enough half marathons). And now I have something to build off for the next marathon training block, whenever that is.
Decided to celebrate this finish and Saint Patrick's Day with some corned beef and cabbage and drinks at The Queensboro | @thequeensboro.
📍The Queensboro