Help me decide about this fall half?

[Susie]

I know there's been a lot of half marathon ennui around here lately (sorry to add!), but wanted to bounce this off you guys.

My race calendar for 2014 is still pretty thin:
6/14/14:  HIM
8/17/14:  HIM
9/26/14:  tentative Ragnar ADKs, although we've got some injury situations in our group and haven't registered yet as a result, so I'm not positive this is going to happen after all.

My town is having an inaugural half marathon in mid-May which I will probably run as an HIM training long run, but I don't plan to "race" a HM this spring.  I'd like to do a fall HM again this year, but keep it local and cheap this time -- this past fall I did Philly -- because we are going to TTC after my August HIM, and who knows what that will bring.

The Hudson Mohawk Half opened for registration today, and will sell out within days.  (Last year was 5-6 days.)  Obviously it's very popular.  It's 10/12/14, $60, local, net downhill and almost all actually downhill to flat.  Kind of the opposite of my Philly experience; it's point to point on a bike path along a river instead of through a city and crowds.

There are a couple alternative halfs that time of year that are also local:
- Saratoga Palio:  9/21/14, probably won't want to do that if we end up doing Ragnar a week later, and likely to be warmer
- Adirondack:  9/28/14, out if we did Ragnar.  Hilly.
- Fall Foliage Half in Rhinebeck:  10/12/14 - same day as Mohawk Hudson, won't sell out as fast (if at all?).  10am start means the travel time is less of a big deal, but likely to be warmer than Mohawk Hudson.  Looks kinda hilly:  Total climb: 806 feet, Total elevation change: 1609 feet.

With those as options, would you register now and commit to Mohawk Hudson or wait and see, knowing that wait & see = no Mohawk Hudson bib?  I feel oddly unexcited about registering, but I'm afraid if I don't I'll regret it.

[al320]

I registered for mohawk hudson full today (mh is running the half). I say register for that

[marcyiam]

I registered for the Mohawk Hudson half today, too. I say go for it. ;-)

[gt7301b]

For $60 I'd sign up for the Mohawk Hudson Half, you could always skip it or run it as a training run if needed.

[andrealynn]

I would do the fall foliage.

[Susie]

Oh wow... I did register an hour or so ago and now the half is already full per their FB page! That must be a record for them. The full is at 1/3 capacity.

[al320]

Mar 1, 2014 16:58:18 GMT -5 Susie said:

Oh wow... I did register an hour or so ago and the half is already full per their FB page! That must be a record for them. The full is at 1/3 capacity.

Wow! Im so glad i remebered to register today!

[marcyiam]

Mar 1, 2014 16:59:56 GMT -5 al320 said:

Mar 1, 2014 16:58:18 GMT -5 Susie said:

Oh wow... I did register an hour or so ago and the half is already full per their FB page! That must be a record for them. The full is at 1/3 capacity.

Wow! Im so glad i remebered to register today!

Oh wow, me too!

[agswife]

I'm not doing any of these races, but yay NYers!

[trigal]

Wow! Sounds like you got in just in time!

By the way, what's the spring half you're doing?

[libbygrl109]

Wow, that's crazy that it's already sold out. What part of Saratoga is the Palio half? I did the First Night 5k around Skidmore, and it was hilly.

[patches31709]

Rhinebeck is a hilly place, I don't know the half course off the top of my head though. As I was reading this I was definitely going to go and sign up for Mohawk, but I guess that's out now!

[Susie]

Mar 1, 2014 21:57:52 GMT -5 trigal said:

Wow! Sounds like you got in just in time!

By the way, what's the spring half you're doing?

Bethlehem's:  www.active.com/delmar-ny/running/distance-running-races/our-towne-bethlehem-half-marathon-2014

Map:  www.usatf.org/routes/view.asp?rID=536581

I did Lake George last year, and I liked the out & back course just fine, but for the entry fee I'd have liked better swag and a nicer shirt.  So I was kind of in the market for a different one this year.  This one is smack in the middle of my favorite 10 mile loop  and I want to support friends putting it on.

[Susie]

Mar 1, 2014 22:14:20 GMT -5 libbygrl109 said:

Wow, that's crazy that it's already sold out. What part of Saratoga is the Palio half? I did the First Night 5k around Skidmore, and it was hilly.

I am not sure, my friends have done it (and really like it) but I have not.  I would think if it was really hilly they'd have mentioned that, though.

[trigal]

Mar 2, 2014 11:44:23 GMT -5 Susie said:

Mar 1, 2014 21:57:52 GMT -5 trigal said:

Wow! Sounds like you got in just in time!

By the way, what's the spring half you're doing?

Bethlehem's:  www.active.com/delmar-ny/running/distance-running-races/our-towne-bethlehem-half-marathon-2014

Map:  www.usatf.org/routes/view.asp?rID=536581

I did Lake George last year, and I liked the out & back course just fine, but for the entry fee I'd have liked better swag and a nicer shirt.  So I was kind of in the market for a different one this year.  This one is smack in the middle of my favorite 10 mile loop  and I want to support friends putting it on.

Well, this article is about the guy who was the race director/organizer of the Lake George HM.  It doesn't mention that race in particular, but it will explain a lot.  And it will piss you off!

www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/running/The-Shadiest-Man-in-the-Racing-Biz-Dean-Reinke.html

[trigal]

Mar 1, 2014 22:14:20 GMT -5 libbygrl109 said:

Wow, that's crazy that it's already sold out. What part of Saratoga is the Palio half? I did the First Night 5k around Skidmore, and it was hilly.

The Palio is all through the city, which has some hills, but is mostly flat.  Broadway, just off Broadway, the State Park.  It's a pretty fast course.  You don't run through Skidmore, which is nice!

[Susie]

Mar 2, 2014 13:18:46 GMT -5 trigal said:

Well, this article is about the guy who was the race director/organizer of the Lake George HM.  It doesn't mention that race in particular, but it will explain a lot.  And it will piss you off!

www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/running/The-Shadiest-Man-in-the-Racing-Biz-Dean-Reinke.html

Ugh, that is terrible.  I am glad after reading that, that I already planned not to do it this year!

I have also had enough of the spam that I got from USRA advertising their other races.  These are not "destination race" kind of races that they put on, and I ran Lake George because it was local-ish.  No, I do not want my inbox spammed with info about a half in Boise Idaho!