NYC HALF MARATHON RACE WEEK (WEEK 18) -DAY 7 15/03 POST RACE DRINKS

In true Dasher Fashion it was post race drinks. Held at Ulysees downtown.

There were about 20 of us there- just fabulous.

It was here, I got to catch up again with my gorgeous friends and learn my friend KP had achieved her goal of sub 2:30 in her first half marathon. So pleased.

Just marvellous being with these people. They enrich my life more than words can explain.
#dasherlife
#asics
#garmin
#nyc
#halfmarathon

Me wrapped up post race in the pub. That's Tobey in the background She ran 1:52 or something nuts like that :)

Katie and I

My babes- Jess, Lindsay and Melinda 

Mile 10 cheersquad- Rebecca and Zrinka

NYC HALF MARATHON RACE WEEK (WEEK 18) -DAY 7 RACE DAY 15/03

Race day is always one of those days that can either be amazing or just crap.

For me it was nothing but amazing, again in my favourite city.

It was an early start as I was meeting KP and Melanie at Columbus Circle so we could walk to the corrals. 

6 Degrees is in the blurry photo from my phone. Time was about 5:45am.

We had been told security was tight and to allow time... we cruised right through.

#dasherlife

#garmin

#asics

#nyc

#halfmarathon

#racefit

The photographers were right there from the start so we got as many pics as we could.

We managed to meet up with John McCarthy who was going to be running from  the corral behind me. 

I ended up moving back to John's corral and starting with him so we could chat before the start.

Here is my bib#

  My race shirt- that has been used for 3 races here in the Big Apple.

My Galloway Plan was 2:30/1:00, decided at the start of the race.

 RACE PHOTOS

In the park- happy to be there. 

Coming thru Times Square- I came flying out of the park in 1:16 and raced past the 10 km mark in 1:17, about 8 mins faster than I expected.

 These photos were taken by my friend Troy Dorsey who I thought I heard call my name but then thought- who would be calling my name. It was at this point I had pulled a muscle in my front (I thought it was a stitch) and decided to change my Galloway structure. I took a while to devise my plan and got going on the new 1:00/30/1:00/1:00 Run/walk strategy.

Focusing on working out what the hell can I do about the pain in my front.

Catching up to John. Was so excited to see his yellow jacket. I knew I was flying.

Coming up the chute

 Just seen Maria and Co

The end is nigh. Time to launch the knife hands.

I've got nothing left and I am about to SMASH a PB by 4 minutes on a course that 5 weeks before, I was thinking I couldn't get under 3 hours.

2:43:13

John just behind me- we had the same time. I couldn't believe I had smashed this. #slayed it

I always forget to hold my arms up for the camera.

Pretty happy with myself.

Medal moments

With John, my Dasher mate.

The Bling

What an absolutely fabulous day. Running with my Dashers, being cheered by my Dashers, Hanging with my Dashers. A PB, amazing bling and a day never to be forgotten.

God Bless the Big Apple. It never ceases to amaze me. 

NYC HALF MARATHON RACE WEEK (WEEK 18) -DAY 7 RACE DAY 15/03 MILE 10 CHEER SQUAD

Cheer squads are now a staple of #dasherlife. The NYC Half was no different. My gorgeous friend Rebecca bought a cow balloon and came up from Jersey. Zrinka came from Phildelphia and L Del came up from DC. It just goes to show, how far we will go as a group to see each other and make each other's day just that little bit easier.

I saw that damn balloon from about 350 yards away and had to do everything in my power to not cry (with excitement and relief as they were at the 16 km mark). I was on track for a PB, but still had to stop and say high. There is video footage somewhere of Rebecca screaming "knife hands" for the entire time I was at the cheer zone. I hadn't seen these guys since November. I just adore them. Lots of other pics of our #Dashers running thru the cheer zone.

Rebecca and her balloon

And with our sign!

Me meeting Zrinka

Finally getting to them.

L Del

Our Janet

 

Our medical miracle Scott

Jess

Wonder Woman Susie

Melanie

Melanie seeing Katie

 Melanie and Katie

Melanie and Katie

John- who I wasn't too far behind and eventually caught up to and crossed the line with.

NYC HALF MARATHON RACE WEEK (WEEK 18) -DAY 5 13/30/14 RACE EXPO

Expo is always fun and it was where I caught up with some of my favourite people Jess Wise from Florida and Lindsay Phillips from Victoria, Canada. Part of my NYC Marathon Facebook group, we last saw each other in November.

You can see us trying to get a photo in front of the course map for the half... with the selfie stick.

FAIL.

We had such a great time, catching up with one of our other friends James and then bumped in to 2 of my other favourites, Janet and Scott who live in Manhattan. Scott was one of the first members in my Facebook group. He came to the picnic in the park in 2013.  I spent a lot of time with Scott and Janet this trip. They are eternally too goo to me.

The expo was not as good as the Marathon one but there was definitely more space to move around in.