Prospect Park is gonna be a busy place Saturday morning

ringrunner

Just a heads up to you bikers, dog walkers, birders, recreational joggers or anybody who plans on being in Prospect Park on Saturday Morning. The New York Road Runners Club is starting the Brooklyn Half Marathon in Prospect Park. There will be about 10,000 runners doing to loops of the park at 8am. Then we finish in Conny Island.

for info on the race

http://www.nyrr.org/races/2009/grandprix/brooklyn_reg.asp

for a course map

http://www.nyrr.org/races/2009/grandprix/pdf/bklyn_half_map2.pdf

and a pitch for my own running club, the Prospect Park Track Club

www.pptc.org

new2hood

thanks for the heads up! I guess I'm not going to be able to run my paltry 1 loop around that time, then?

opossumqueen

I just saw the signs while out. It's entertaining watching folks (mainly dog owners around those hours) trying to get out when off-leash ends and a race is going on.

For some reason all the folks waiting to cross with strollers and dogs try to make it through a small break in the runners, all at once and that never goes well. Spread out folks!

ludwigvanbrooklyn

Can't wait...doing my first Brooklyn half-marathon this Saturday as well. I'm not looking forward to seeing some of the park sites TWICE as we go around, but I can't complain that much. Should be a good time.

Anyone signing in and picking up their number at the park that morning? Does it get nuts? I have no desire to trek up to the UES to get it before Saturday, so I plan on getting there around 6:45/7 am to do it then.

Good luck to everyone else who is running!

pitu

My dog and I thank you for the heads up. When do 10,000 runners clear out?

ringrunner

pitu wrote: My dog and I thank you for the heads up. When do 10,000 runners clear out?

We will be mostly gone by 9-9:30.

Ocean Pky and all the streets that cross it are gonna be a disaster.

booklaw

That could be very funny... thousands of runners, including "immodestly" dressed women, running through hundreds of Orthodox Jews on their way to schul for Shabbas.
Talk about culture shock...

vidro3

^ lolz

em26

booklaw wrote: That could be very funny... thousands of runners, including "immodestly" dressed women, running through hundreds of Orthodox Jews on their way to schul for Shabbas.
Talk about culture shock...

Lookie here! My BFF made a funny!


I just pictured that scenario.


It is rather uncomfortable. I'm sure they will lower their gaze.

bkchickie

booklaw wrote: That could be very funny... thousands of runners, including "immodestly" dressed women, running through hundreds of Orthodox Jews on their way to schul for Shabbas.
Talk about culture shock...

Back in the day I lived in a Jewish neighborhood in Providence with a significant Orthodox population. One Friday evening, without even thinking about it, I headed out for my usual jog, only instead of the usual baggy t-shirt I popped on a jogging bra and headed out (it was pretty hot out).

Of course, I had to pick the hour when everyone was walking to services. So between the abnormal number of spectators I encountered during my run, and the unusual attire I was wearing, I felt pretty awkward. Oh yeah, that was a really smart move!

new2hood

does anyone know if the runnners take up the whole loop, or can I go for my run at the same time?

and the Shabbas thought is pretty funny.

southsloper

For the most part they should remain in the rec lanes but it gets pretty crowded and they spread out, especially towards the back of the pack.

new2hood

thanks! I guess I can always run on the paths as well.

ringrunner

Southsloper wrote: For the most part they should remain in the rec lanes but it gets pretty crowded and they spread out, especially towards the back of the pack.

I just picked up my race credentials. I was told there are 13,000 runners. I think with a big number like that the runners will take up the whole road.

I really don't think there will be enough road for the first mile.

This is a pdf of the course:

http://www.nyrr.org/races/2009/grandprix/pdf/bklyn_half_map2.pdf

turtle95

I'm running tomorrow (yay me!) and the runners will probably take up the rec lanes and they'll try to take up more, but NYRR has a lot of course marshals lined up to keep them in the rec lanes. The Parks Dept has gotten serious about use of rec lanes in Central Park and when I was a volunteer marshal at the Snowflake 4 miler back in Feb, our prime directive was to keep the runners in the rec lanes. There were 4000 runners in that race and within the 1st mile, there was a period of about 15 minutes where there was no way you could cross the road because there were just too many runners. And they took up all lanes until we yelled out their bib number and said "Hey, 1762, get back in the rec lanes". Runners can get disqualified for that and the Parks Dept can threaten to withhold permits from NYRR if they see a lot of it.

The first mile will be brutal esp. because of that sharp turn onto Wellhouse Dr. That said, after the first few of miles (by the time they get back to Center Drive after the 1st loop), the runners should spread out enough that they are not too packed. The confusion will come when runners come by that spot for the 3rd time as they go to exit the park and cross paths with runners who are just coming by there for the 2nd time.

Also, I've run it the past two years and they had 5800 people in 2008 and 4800 people in 2007, so it would be interesting if the race doubled in size in the past year. I'm betting around 7500, tops. Race figures are always inflated before the race, plus there's always a lot of no-shows.

It's great to get events like this in Brooklyn so we don't have to leave at the crack of dawn to get to Central Park by 7:00 am for a race there. So, apologies in advance to anyone who is inconvenienced but please come out and cheer the runners on. And I promise I will not leave my gel packs on the road (look for the post about what pigs the runners are to be up by about 10:00 am tomorrow ) Good luck, runners.

ringrunner

I would like to thank all my neighbors for all the good karma that they shared with me and my 9,413 fellow runners who finished the race this morning. I hope the Road Runners Club gets those cups cleaned up.

new2hood

You guys rock... I went out right before the race started and was so motivated by all the runners. Congratulations! I bet it's a fun run...once you get out of the park (that hill is a killer....)