NYC Marathon - Swag Paradise

In terms of swag, the NYC Marathon with its Runner's Expo, Niketown perks for Nike+ members, and day-of and post-race swag is pretty phenomenal. Let's study the haul today after a day of recovery.


1 NY Times tote bag
1 bag pretzels
3 bags Kettle Chips
1 Emerald Breakfast on the Go Trail Max
1 Emerald Cocoa Roasted Almonds
1 New York Apple
2 23.7 oz Poland Springs Water
1 24 oz Gatorade 02 Perform Orange
1 16.9 oz Gatorade 03 Recover Mixed Berry
1 Nike Catch Me If You Can Poster
1 Nike We Run NYC Poster
1 ING 2010 NYC Marathon Poster
1 8 oz Polar Springs Water
1 Power Bar Recovery Peanut Butter Caramel Crisp
1 Odwalla Banana Nut Bar
1 Odwalla Chocolate Chip Peanut Bar
2 NYRR Hand Sanitizers
1 NeilMed Nasa Flo Neti Pot
1 NeilMed Sinus Rinse
1 ING UV 400 Sunglasses
1 Barilla Spatula (with Whole Wheat Pasta Coupon)
1 Fred's Team Shoelaces
2 Niketown Photo Booth Pictures
1 Nike Runing Pace Chart
1 Nike+ RUN NYC 2010 SportBand
1 Nike $15 Gift Card
1 Nike $5 Gift Card
1 Heat Shield
1 2010 NYC Marathon Performance Shirt
1 2010 NYC Finisher's Medal + Free Engraving
1 2010 NYC Marathon Gym Bag

As for the race itself, I earned every one of those items by willing through 4 hours, 39 minutes, and 21 seconds of running plus a few hours of loitering nervously for the race to start.

Half Marathon Swag

And if you're one of the readers who's more amused by the swag instead of charity, then this blog entry is for you:


Fred's Team - TShirt, Shorts, Arm Bracelet, and Tattoos.




2010 NYC Half Marathon Expo


1 Blue Technical Shirt
1 NYC Half Marathon Beverage Cooler
1 NYC Half Marathon ID Holder
3 Muscle Milks
1 Travel Size Vaseline Sheer Infusion Body Lotion
1 Travel Size Dove Men Care Body & Face Wash
1 Paul Newman Light Popcorn

The expo sucked me into buying 5 power gels and 1 Amphipod Satellite Pod for $20.

Fred's Team and the 2010 NYC Half Marathon

Once upon a time, I tried to do good. I was very involved in the New York City School Volunteer Program and helped coached little league as I was involved in the Police Athletic League. Sadly in the last 5 years, my community service activity became little more than taking my wallet out so I could enter my credit card and the authorization code, as I watched others walk, ran, and biked to raise funds for causes such as Lou Gehrig's disease, cancer, and multiple sclerosis.

So this year I decided to do something different. As it was the 30th year since my maternal grandfather's passing, I wanted to raise money the grassroots way for charity. So, 30 of my friends and family are running with me in spirit on Sunday and are at the same time supporting the Aubrey Fund for Pediatric Cancer Research at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Thanks to my generous friends Aaron, Alec, Ammar, Beau, Brad, Brian, Chris, Colin, Elke, Eric, Gloria, Greg, Hari, John, Julie, Martin, Matt, Michelle, Prerak, Raj, Russ, Ryan, Sophia, Vivek, Warden, my cousins Alex, Eray, Fuphan, and Da-Tren, my sister Debbie, and my wife Linda for raising over $2000 and helping Fred's Team raise $130,000 (as of March 15) for the race.

We are all running on Sunday in memory of those who have the lost to fight for cancer and hoping that one day there will be no more losses.

Belated Manhattan Half Marathon Commentary

My first race of 2010 was in chilly January in Central Park. I realized that this year would be swan song in Manhattan, as I will soon be exiled to the land of strip malls in New Jersey, and that there are only 9 more months before I attempt the toughest test of physical and mental strength in my life. I jogged the first five miles with my fellow plodder Alvin, while my sister and Ryan were busy racing toward a blistering 1:48 pace. Seeing that my strengthened core thanks to PT was feeling alright, I turned on the accelerator and ran 7 of the last 8 miles in sub 10 minute mile pace, the exception being the heinous section of the 10th mile known as the Great Hill at the north end of the park. After dropping my gloves twice and ingesting two packs of Power Gel, I made it to the finish in one piece.

Race: 8AM Sunday 1/24/2010 Manhattan Half Marathon Central Park, NYC
Weather: 37 degrees 76%Humidity 5mph winds
Performance: 2:11:40
Post-Race Snack - One Bagel
Injuries - Sore Right Knee, Tender Left Knee, Sore Right Ankle

The swag

1 Sweet Black Long Sleeve T-shirt

Winter Swag

I had the absolute joy of volunteering for the NYRR Ted Corbitt 15K as part of the mandatory volunteering required for qualifying for the 2010 NYC Marathon. I got up at 545am and stumbled to the park at 7am, where I served as a "Central Park South Marshall". It was bitterly cold for the 1.5 hours I was out there but at least i got a long sleeve t-shirt...

Race to Deliver - Records will Fall

Race: 8:30AM Sunday 11/22/2009 Race to Deliver 4M
Weather: Sunny in the low 40s
Performance: 31:25 (7:51/mi PR)
Post-Race Snack - One Bagel

Take Home Haul
1 Race to Deliver Long Sleeve White T-Shirt
1 Apple

Philadelphia Race 2 - Ouch

The second of the two Philadelphia races was the Schuylkill River Loop.

Ryan and I entered Fairmount Park in Philadelphia for a picture-perfect Sunday morning run. This was the nicest run I have ever done - we pass by the Art Museum and do this loop along Boathouse Row. Spectacular. As for the performance, it left something to be desired. I had to stop for one minute twice and post-race my left knee and right ankle throbbed and ached.

Race: 9AM Sunday 11/15/2009 Schuylkill River Loop Run 8.4m
Weather: Sunny in the low 60s
Performance: 1:17:10
Post-Race Snack - One Bottle of Water and Two Bananas

The swag

1 Orange T-Shirt (Printer made an error - it says 39th, really meant to say 37th)
2 Tastycakes Cream-Filled Koffee Kake Cupcakes
2 Apple Pie Gu Shots
1 Banana
1 Bottle Water