Half-Marathon Wrap Up by Geoffrey Vincent

Half-Marathon Wrap Up

It’s almost Labor Day, and as the temperatures retreat from their Summer highs many of you are probably  thinking of getting out there and lining up for a half-marathon.  Whether you’re doing it as part of your marathon training or just doing it because you like the distance, you should find something here that suits you.

This first one is a bit of a hike but if you feel like taking Jet Blue up to Rochester on Sunday, September 12 there’s a half-marathon option to the MVP Health Care Rochester Marathon.  The course is fairly flat and you can always carbo-load the night before one of Rochester’s infamous Garbage Plates (if you’ve got to ask you probably couldn’t handle it).

The following Sunday, September 19, head on down to Mount Vernon, VA for the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half Marathon for the first-time-ever chance to run from Virginia to Maryland over the Woodrow Wilson Bridge.  Or crank up the volume (make sure your amp goes to 11) and head on down to the City of Brotherly Love for the ING Rock’n’Roll Philadelphia ½ Marathon.  Closer to home take a ride up to Wappingers Falls for the Dutchess County Classic or head for the hills of Yonkers and run one loop of the Yonkers Marathon course.

This year’s race was unfortunately sold out at press time, so mark your calendar for next year for the half option at the Adirondack Marathon Distance Festival in Schroon Lake, NY.  You can still hop the PATH train on Sunday, September 26 to the Newport Liberty Half Marathon over in Jersey City and enjoy the views of the other side of the Statue of Liberty.

Heading into October and on Saturday, 2^nd why not take a ride up North for the New Hampshire Half Marathon in Bristol, NH – it shares the course with the NH Marathon (billed as “The most beautiful marathon in New England”).  Another early sell-out was the Hamptons Half-Marathon in East Hampton, NY – maybe you’ll get lucky next year and stay at the Byrnes Family Compound on Dune Road.

There’s a full race card on Sunday, October 3 with no less than five half-marathons to choose from, including the Ridegefield Pamby Half Marathon in Ridgefield, CT, the Jersey Shore Half Marathon in Sandy Hook, NJ and the Putnam County Fall Classic ½ Marathon in Brewster, NY.  For those of you who like a little dirt in their lives you should check out the Paine to pain Half-Marathon Trail Race in New Rochelle, NY.  Finally, this one’s for the ladies – and only for the ladies – the Divas Half Marathon in Eisenhower Park in East Meadow, NY.

With a new course for 2010, this year’s ING Hartford Half Marathon on October 9 follows the marathon route for the first mile then heads off to West Hartford before looping back to finish in Hartford, CT.

The last race in the NYRR Half Marathon Series is the Staten Island Half-Marathon on Sunday, October 10.  Elsewhere there’s the Westchester Medical Center Running Festival in White Plains, NY, the Harvest Half Marathon in Red Hook, NY (that’s the Upstate Red Hook – not Brooklyn), the Beaverkill Mountain Road Race in Lewbeach, NY.  Sadly the hugely popular Mohawk-Hudson River Half Marathon from Cohoes to Albany has also sold out for this year.

Sunday, October 17 it’s all about the Jersey Shore.  If you’re feeling lucky head down to Atlantic City for the half-marathon portion of the Atlantic City Marathon, or else check out the Seaside Half Marathon in Seaside Heights, NJ.

Finally, on Sunday, October 31 I’m giving a big shout-out to my Albany Running Exchange friends and their Hairy Gorilla Half Marathon up in Voorheesville, NY.  Don’t let the Halloween costumes fool you – this is a serious trail half with some very serious trail runners!

Details for any of the races can be found by clicking on them in the calendar.  Wherever you decide to run - run fast and run safe!