I recently ran NYRR's Airbnb Brooklyn half marathon. This is the second time I've run it — the other time was a couple of years ago. I'm a big fan of this run and kudos to New York Road Runners for making this race even bigger and better than before. Around 27,000 people ran this year's race, making it the biggest half marathon in the U.S.!
Before the race I did a fun interview with NY1 about my participation in the race.
Yasir Salem is a #marathon runner. The twist? The competitive runner from #Manhattan is also a competitive eater. https://t.co/VSB443gGte
— Spectrum News NY1 (@NY1) May 18, 2017
Bib pick up was at Brooklyn Bridge Park's Pier 2. There was also a fun pre-party, with music and other entertainment. NYRR put al ot of work into it. It was my first time out to that area of the park and I want to go back to explore the bike path a bit more.
On race day, I took the subway from Manhattan to Brooklyn. The start was organized, stress-free, and easy to navigate. I settled into my corral with plenty of time to spare.
The first 7 miles of the race were in and around Prospect Park. There were a lot of people out early cheering and encouraging the runners.
In terms of elevation, there were 2 hills during the first 5 miles. The 2nd one was a bit longer than the first. Mile 6.5 onward is downhill, and from mile 7 to the finish was a straight shot down Ocean Parkway. The course had plenty of water/sports drink and even an energy gel station. There were patches of people here and there cheering along the way.
What's really great about this run is that the finish line is always on the boardwalk! You get to finish right on the Coney Island boardwalk with a big crowd of people. It's a real treat to end the race on the beach. When I got to the finish line, NYRR's Peter Ciaccia and I had a Nathan's hot dog. Ok I had two! I love this gif NYRR made!
All runners got a nice finisher's medal. All of NYRR's half marathons have a distinct look.
Overall, I recommend this race as your first half marathon experience. It doesn't get much better than this. It's also a great early season long run to fit into a marathon training schedule. I'm running the Vermont City Marathon in Burlington, VT on May 28th and this race fit perfectly into my training.
If you want to read a little more about the race, check out NYRR's site: http://www.nyrr.org/races-and-events/2017/airbnb-brooklyn-half