My Rating: ★★★★★
$2.5/mile ($20 if registered earlier, it would have been $15)
My result: 1:01:35 (77th/310 5th in my AG)
http://shawangunkrunners.com
Pros:
- Close (1:15 hr drive)
- Coasters instead of a medal!
- Beautiful runnable course
- Awesome awards (Bread for AG awards! I wish I could be faster!)
Cons:
- Expensive parking ($10!!!)
Another great race hosted by a local running club!
It was a super beautiful evening at Minnewaska State Park. I just wish I wasn’t running a 8 mile race. I wanted to stop and enjoy the amazing view, but 8 mile race wasn’t long enough to do so, and everybody was running very hard….so I went along.
First half had the most of the uphills. I totally forgot how hilly this park could be. Hilly, but not steep enough to walk….that kind of hilly. I didn’t know the course at all, so I tried to keep the sustainable pace after the 5 mile point when it became downhill. Eventually, the downhill lasted till the very end, except for one steep hill. I thought I had more to run, so I didn’t sprint, but everyone else sprinted HARD! I think 3 or 4 passed me on the short hill 😦
I wasn’t too happy how I ran, but it was a wonderful race. They gave all the finishers the coasters instead of a medal! That was an awesome idea, I think. Now many races give pint glasses, but not enough coasters! And they are smaller, lighter and I can use them daily 🙂
At the finish, they also had some food
(bananas and bagels), and everyone was enjoying the nice evening at the park.
Paying $10 for parking was a pain in the butt, though. I don’t think Bear Mountain was that expensive. Hmmmm…maybe I should buy Empire Passport next year.
Ayakomaru runs 