It’s back and better than ever! The Staten Island Half was last Sunday and for me, it usually signals the last long run before the Big Dance on November 1st (the TCS NYC Marathon).
This year was no different. I, along with thousands of other runners took an early ferry across New York Harbor, dropped off our gear at bag check and set out to run anywhere from 3 to 10 extra miles. And that was before the official start of the race.
My buddy and I planned for an extra seven, but got stuck in the bathroom line longer than expected and were only able to do five before the start. (And rather than do two after the race, I opted for a week extension on my training and a shorter taper – not the smartest move but I was crushed after the race and have done a short taper in the past.)
The Course
From just after mile six, the course was almost all new and it remains a little controversial (I’ll get into that in a bit). Rather than start in the parking lot of the Staten Island Yankees and wind up to Richmond Terrace (as it has the seven times I’ve run this race prior), it started on Richmond Terrace. The race wound through, what I can only assume is downtown Staten Island and on to Father Capodanno Blvd. (the course became more direct to Capodanno Blvd. since Hurricane Sandy and this part has remained the same since).
Every time I’ve run this race, there’s been a turn around a few miles down Capodanno and you trace your steps back to Richmond Terrace – this year was different. At about mile five I noticed there was no one coming back on the other side of the boulevard. At that point I should have at least seen the race leaders. I wasn’t running that fast, and when I got another mile into the course, my suspicion was confirmed when I looked to my left and out near the water, I saw a line of runners on the boardwalk.
I was kinda psyched, heading to Capodanno, there’s a decent size hill you run down and on the way back, at mile 9 of the race (and 14 if you ran five pre-race miles) that hill can be a little bit of a nuisance and this meant I wouldn’t have to run it this year.
Little did I know what I was in for
We hooked a left during mile six and headed closer to the water where we ran across some flagstones and then up to the actual boardwalk for a little more than a mile.
Here in lies the controversy
At first I was pretty happy about it, I love that the Brooklyn Half ends on the boardwalk, but then, I noticed the bouncing. See, in Brooklyn, you’re on the boardwalk for about 1/10th of a mile. Here, we were on it for a little more than a mile. The surface was just too soft for me and I was getting annoyed with the bounce (as did most of the runners I spoke with during and after the race). Some went as far as to say they didn’t feel safe, like they were going to get tripped. I wouldn’t take it that far, I just found it to be an annoyance which was ultimately outweighed (for me) by being closer to the water and on a new course.
We ran down off the boardwalk and into the Gateway National Recreation Area at Fort Wadsworth, the military installation that houses Athlete’s Village and the start corrals for the TCS NYC Marathon.
And inspiration ensued
Despite a steeper hill up than what is on Capodanno which we had to run up to get back onto the city streets, I was feeling great and only getting more and more excited about the Big Dance. See, this new course wound through Fort Wadsworth and right under the bridge that will start our 26.2 mile journey in a mere few weeks.
And it’s fucking cool and awe-inspiring!
After the bridge, we ran past where the marathon busses drop us off and back towards downtown. This year, we took a quick right just past mile 11 and were treated to some great views of the skyline of downtown Manhattan (including the Freedom Tower). This is an older part of the course that we didn’t run the few years after Sandy. It’s nice to see that the recovery of the borough is such that we were able to run there again.
Winding back up to Richmond Terrace, we make a right just before the Staten Island Yankee’s stadium down a short hill and into the field where the finish line is at home plate. If you’re lucky, Peter Ciaccia, the race director for the marathon is standing there giving out high fives.
It was a beautiful day in the borough that Manhattan forgot, check out my video to see parts of the course yourself.
I am working on my recap now and will be linking to your post for sure! The video is great!
I live on Staten Island and do many long runs down at the boardwalk. 99 percent of the time I run on the asphalt path that is parallel and below the boardwalk because as you say, the bounce in the slats of wood is too much for my shins. But if I'm trying to see the sunrise I'll go on the boardwalk for a better vantange point.
It's so inspiring and motivating to run all the way under the VZ as we prepare for the "big dance" as you say =) It's been my "secret" spot for so long and now it's been exposed to so many runners. LOL!
I knew that hill was coming and I knew i'd be walking it. As a Staten Islander, we get the shaft for a lot. We have one of the worst commutes in the country (only boro of nyc not connected by subway) but we have some of the most amazing views and beautiful parks.
Congrats on your race and good luck at NYC.