2015 Rock ‘N’ Roll Brooklyn Half

Security stations were jammed with thousands of runners still waiting to get in causing the race to be delayed a half hour. Runners began complaining about their leg muscles tightening up in the cold. At 7:30 AM the starting horn blew. Surrounded by thousands of fellow runners I raced out of the gate, weaving in and out I quickly picked up speed. I had a plan.

My goal was to run the elusive “sub-2 hour” half marathon. It’s a defining number that runners love to chase. Running a half marathon in under 2 hours requires a steady 9 minute mile for 13.1 miles. My biggest concern was the mile long incline that begins at mile 11 quickly followed by an even steeper 3/4 mile long hill. On a good day it is a tedious 2-mile climb. Assuming I will be tired after racing 10 miles I estimated the hill could add 2 or 3 minutes to my time. I needed to run faster than a 9:00 mile for the first 10 miles in order to make up that anticipated lost time. I decided to try to run a steady 8:30 mile!

I never ran a 8:30 mile at great lengths so I wasn’t sure how far I could go. I used the energy at the Rock ’n’ Roll Marathon to help keep up my pace. At every mile a live band played music to keep you pumped up. For the entire journey both sides of the road were lined with cheering people.

Around mile 5 we turned left onto Ocean Parkway, where the dips in the road got more intense. Up ahead the rising sun blinded runners over the next 2 miles. I pushed as hard I could during the uphills and tried to make up any lost time on the downhills. I glanced down at my GPS watch. I calculated I ran a steady 8:40 mile the first 8 miles. At mile 8 we made a U-turn on Ocean Parkway. The glaring sun, now behind me, was replaced by a nasty, strong headwind. I felt my right thigh muscle begin to weaken. A sign my dominate side was over compensating. I reminded myself to keep a well-balanced running form.

At mile 10 we exited Ocean Parkway. My legs burned as I ran up the steep exit ramp. Up ahead I could see the beginning of the 2-mile incline. Half way up many runners began slowing down or decided to walk. Suddenly I got the dreaded side stitches. The right side of my upper body cramped up. Every inhale felt like a knife stabbing my right lung. Remembering side stitches are often caused by faulty breathing, I kept running while I concentrated on correcting my breath. I was determined not to let the hill beat me. Luckily, the pain faded before it was time to tackle the steepest part.

When I reached the top of the hill I saw police narrowing the road by directing runners to the right side. Looking to my left I saw a runner, a twenty-something male, lying out cold on the ground with two medics giving him what appeared like CPR.

Looking forward again, I refocused on the last mile ahead of me. Gradually I regained my speed. I wasn’t tired. Less than half a mile to go I decided it was time to see how fast my old body was willing to run. I began to sprint. I was not just running hard, I was sprinting a 6:30 pace! Passing 10…20…30 tired runners. As I got closer to the finish line the road began to narrow. A cluster of exhausted runners blocked my path. I refused to slow down. My eyes quickly scanned for a narrow crack between the wall of bodies, then I jumped high in the air, twisted my body sideways mid-air, and dived right through the wall of runners like a purse snatcher being chased by the police. I then zig-zagged pass another 10 or 20 runners.

In the distance I can now hear an announcer’s continuous commentary on what was happening at the finish line. The loud-speaker echoed, “Here comes a runner down the stretch giving it all he got. Look at him go! Let’s give that runner a big cheer.” The crowd on both sides roared. I felt like I was in a movie. My school years long gone, I never dreamed I would ever experience that amazing feeling. The scene now etched in my memory forever.

Crossing the finish line Senator Chuck Schumer gave me a high-five, then somebody placed a finishing metal over my head. Later on, still hanging out around the finish line, I suddenly heard a siren behind me. I stepped to the side while 2 medics raced pass me pushing a gurney with a portable siren attached, securely strapped flat on the gurney was the runner I saw lying on the cold ground a mile up the road.

A few minutes later I reunited with my wife, my 13-year-old son and a good friend. All of them kind enough to get up earlier on a chilly Saturday morning, travel to Brooklyn and support me from the side of the road. Now back together we sat on the grass, baked in the warm sun, and enjoyed the rock concert.

My son was excited to tell me that I not only broke “Sub-2”, I did it by 2 minutes! I am now officially in the “Sub-2 Club”.

My official time was 1 hour, 58 minutes and 14 seconds.

Overall I was 3,742 out of 13,315 runners (who finished the race).

I was 79 out of 269 male runners in my age group.

One week later I began training for my next half marathon in January.