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I ran my first race in New York today, a 5-mile precursor to the ING Marathon that will take place next week. Despite Halloween being just days away, there were fewer costumes than you’d expect to see at an event with over 6,000 people in a place as diverse and “crazy” as Manhattan. I guess people in Austin just like to dress up more. In NYC’s defense, the weather’s not exactly comfortable out here if you’re standing still (e.g., before the race).

The run around Central Park was rather pleasant. Once we got started and warmed up, I must say I enjoyed it even more than the Turkey Trot, Austin’s Thanksgiving 5-miler. The Turkey Trot takes you through some of my favorite parts of Austin (downtown, parts of Hyde Park, my old route to work), but the heat was unbearable when we ran it. I remember dragging Gus up the last hill at 4 and a half miles, ordering him not to walk, and wondering myself why I didn’t just give up and collapse.

This run was pretty easy by comparison. I felt like I was going downhill most of the time and when it was over, I couldn’t believe it. I probably could have run another few miles without knowing I was doing it. I may be a stronger runner now, but I think I was in better overall shape back then. Who knows? I just know that one thing remains true: Having other people running around you really keeps you going. Even though the events aren’t cheap, I could probably stand to trade in a few Saturday nights of drinking for a few more of these.

Unlike the Austin runs, I didn’t collect my weight in Zone bars or get offered powdered donuts halfway through the race, but I did get a chance to experience a new slice of my fine surroundings. I’m looking forward to the next one in November and the opportunity to run some races in Austin once it cools off a little. I wonder if New York has anything like the Trail of Lights. I won’t hear any arguments that the figurines wouldn’t last a day in New York City; those awful orange banners from The Gates managed to overstay their welcome by a longshot.