The Empire State Marathon, Half Marathon, and 10K is a large, polished local event usually staged out of NBT stadium, though construction shifted the start/finish area to the parking lot in 2019. I opted for the 10K as part of my preparation for the Syracuse Half Marathon the following month.
The 10K was the last scheduled race of the day, giving me ample time to warm up. This was aided by a representative from 9Round Fitness, who led us through a round of active stretching, which helped to cut the morning chill.
The staging area featured ample food and a food truck, numerous porta potties (though not enough to prevent long lines before the race start), vendor tents, and a large start/finish corral, the latter being my first experience with such a setup.
I’d looked at previous years’ results to get a sense of where I should position myself, and after my experience at the ARC race, I managed to slot in close enough to the head of the field to avoid being boxed in, but far enough back to avoid the initial rush of the faster athletes in the field. Quite a few runners weren’t so lucky, as there was a rush from the porta potty lines just before the race started.
The start of the 10K. Photo by Sweatworks.
This race was substantially longer than anything I’d run before—I knew the course was fast and flat, but I wasn’t entirely certain about the ideal pace, so after a mercifully uneventful start, I found a comfortable pace and resolved to conserve energy for a push in the final two miles.
The only semblance of a hill was the Route 370 on-ramp, which brought us on to the Onondaga Lake Parkway, a wide four lane highway that allowed plenty of room for maneuvering—and a clear view of the faster runners heading back as we got closer to the turn around, a short loop in Onondaga Lake Park.
There was a period when I though “this isn’t so bad”; I wasn’t too far off my best 5K pace, the Parkway, while not the most scenic route, made for a flat course that encouraged a good tempo, and the cool temperature made for ideal conditions for a race.
I started paying for my pace in the third mile, leaving me no choice but to back off before we reached Onondaga Park. Mile four Brough more of the same; I wasn’t suffering enormously, but my pace continued to waiver.
By mile five, I was looking forward to the end of the race.The pain was approaching that of the last half mile of a 5K, without the benefit of only having half a mile to go. The Parkway was a sea of concrete with no end in sight.
I began to question my life choices as I started mile six, but the tangle of bridges over the parkway gave me a landmark and tangible sense that the race was coming to an end. I picked up the pace and passed a few runners before we turned down the road back to the stadium.
The bus station blocked my view of the finish line. I faltered for a moment, but the finish line was just around the corner, and I had just enough left for a final burst (I can’t call it a sprint; I can’t sprint).
I’d hoped to break an hour. My clock time was 55:40, netting 74th place and 4th in my age group. I missed third by several minutes. This was better than fruitlessly chasing after someone, not catching them, and second guessing my tactics or fitness for the rest of the day.
Brief existential crisis aside, I was pleased with my race. I’d never held this pace steadily for over four miles before and was competitive in my age group, even if I didn’t have a realistic chance at the podium.
The finish line was well-stocked with bagels and energy bars, and every runners was presented with a colorful medal of remarkable size and prodigious weight.
Seriously, this thing was bigger than my palm.
Results were updated in realtime, and there were several computers available for competitors to look up their times.
The official giveaway was a long-sleeve tech shirt bearing the race’s signature Maple leaf logo. A particularly nice touch were the free professional photographs. I’ve photographed quite a few events, and it was nice to be on the other side of the lens even if I’m not particularly photogenic, especially when I’m gasping like a carp at the end of the race.
This was a well-organized event with exceptional amenities, and in spite of my tactical mistakes in the second half of the course, I was pleased with the outcome.
Location: NBT Stadium, Syracuse
Cost: $55
Swag: shirt, medal, post race food, personalized bibs, race photos
Events: 10K, half marathon, marathon
Field: 10K: 330
Result: 74/330@55:40; 8:57; 4/12
