Most know what it takes to run 13.1 miles: a solid training plan, a dash of crazy and a whole lot of carbs and peanut butter. But what kind of prep work goes into planning the half marathon race itself, that thousands of eager runners flock to each weekend across the nation?
This past Saturday I staffed not just any half marathon, but the Airbnb Brooklyn Half. With over 27,000 runners crossing the Coney Island finish line, this race is the largest in the United States. I've done my fair share of race prep as both a runner and race volunteer. However, helping out at your local 10K waterstop or throwing some colored corn starch during a Run or Dye 5K pales in comparison to staffing the finish line at a race of such magnitude and spectacle as the Airbnb Brooklyn Half.
Waking up at 5:15 a.m. to get to the boardwalk by quarter to seven sounds like the start, but it was closer to the end than anything. Work on the half marathon started months prior to the spring race date. Registration opened in January and sold out within 52 minutes. Within the months that followed there were countless tasks to tackle by the team at New York Road Runners, a NYC based non-profit that hosts the annual race. Sure, it goes without saying that a lot of work is needed to put on such a huge event, but the intricacies of it all can be easily overlooked. From designing bib numbers and press passes, planning city permits and Twitter updates, the list is never-ending.
Not to mention that this half marathon is unique because instead of a traditional running expo that precedes the race, there is the Airbnb Brooklyn Half Pre-Party presented by New Balance. The pre-party takes place for three days before the race at the Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 2. Even more planning goes into this event, securing musicians, local food and drink vendors and organizing bib pick-ups to name a few.
As cliché as it is, it was clear on race day to see how all the hard work pays off- for both the runners and the race coordinators. From the moment the first spectators make their way down to the finish with their neon signs and camera-ready fingers to the last race step of the final half marathon finisher, the energy is palpable. At the finish, I not only got to see satisfaction on runners' faces, but on that of my NYRR co-workers. Firsthand, I know the amount of prep runners put into their races, but now knowing the energy coordinators put into races like this gives me a whole other perspective. Some of the best parts? Watching senior leaders from NYRR out there hugging and congratulating as many runners as they could. Seeing them welcome in familiar faces, seasoned NYRR members or celebrity runners made the largest half marathon in the U.S. feel like just another local road race.
Going into this, I thought seeing the winners finishing might be the pinnacle of my race-day excitement. After all, I love running more than most things, but 27,000 is a pretty big number, and while I love working races, I thought the day would become chaotic and all the runners would blur together eventually.
You might have already guessed it, but I could not have been more wrong.
What struck me the most was seeing runners who just accomplished what they never thought they could have. Whether they were too exhausted to reciprocate my high five, or dancing with their overcome joy, that feeling of accomplishment was clear to single out as they crossed the finish.
The hugs, tears and clever t-shirts lasted all morning long. Through the waves and waves of runners, it was difficult to not find a person that you could connect with or feel for. It was most fulfilling to see racers whose stories I was even familiar with prior to the race. Like Michael Ring, who suffers from a severe strain of Guillian-Barre syndrome and walked the entire race. Seeing him come across the finish, with a crowd of supporters in tow, made the race feel complete.
Then came the kids' race. In its second year, the NYRR Kids' Boardwalk Run welcomes hundreds of young runners, ages seven to 18, to run an out and back mile on the Coney Island Boardwalk. When I carried out some of the medals to be handed to the children, some parents called me over from behind the spectator barricades. "Are those for the kids?" one woman asked me, and when I said they were, she looked like she could have cried. She told me how they did not have the medals last year and how thrilled and surprised her child was going to be. Giving out the medals to the children was the best way to end the day.
After catching a glimpse of all the preparation that goes into this race, and experiencing the thrills of the final result, I only have one thing left to say: I can only imagine what working the TCS New York City Marathon is like!
