So, why didn't I run the New York Half?

Because I was busy running the Canyonlands Half Marathon. As part of my project to run 25 half marathons in 25 states, which is the subject of a whole other blog post, I was in Moab, Utah that weekend, running along a canyon that was completely different from our more urban canyons.

The race began at 10, but they started busing us from town to the start, 13.1 miles away at 7:30. The first 11 miles of the course follow the Colorado river, which is nice, because the course is quite flat compared to, say, Central Park. And when I say nice, well, here's an idea of the scenery:


No cars, no buildings, no distractions. Since we had to wait for the start, they did have the most scenically situated row of Port-a-Potties in the world:


You'll notice that the sun had not reached the bottom of the canyon, which meant that we were all standing around, freezing, despite the coffee and hot chocolate that were being handed out. By mile three, however, we were running in sunshine, and did I mention that the scenery was glorious?

It wasn't my fastest race, but I think you'll agree I look happy at the end of it:



If you're tired of running past sky-scrapers, you should definitely consider the Canyonlands Half. Keep in mind that entry is by lottery (just like the New York Half), and hotel rooms book up fast.