Nike Human Race 10K (Read 2548 times)

NY was horrible. It was warm (though not as warm as Chicago). They delayed the start 30 minutes. The path the race was on was maybe 5-7 feet wide. It was a two loop course. The footing was horrible and uneven. The faster runners were impeding by the slower runners on the 2nd loop. Both the 1st loop and 2nd loop runners had to go over a bridge that was maybe 6-8ft wide. Traffic jam.So I just stopped my watch and started it when I started running. Course probably wasn't accurate.... I "ran" a 43:05 10k and came in 143rd or something which should show you how bad the course is.... My first 5k was 19:4x-19:5x, so we lost about 1:30 trying to get over the narrow bridge. The winner was only 32:35 I think.. I'm sure lotsa people just cut the course at the bridge. The concert was good and fun, and I am glad I drove in and got there early as it was a breeze to get in and out of that place by car. Overall, I will never run a race at Randalls Island again!!! and probably not another one of these Nike Rock things. Too many too casual runners..

NYC Human Race was the absolutely WORSE race I have been in and I have run many short and long races. I ran Chicago in 2007 during the heat and no water, this was 1000x worse. I am very competitive and this was not the place for a competitive race. First off dcv2002 is correct, the path was not wide enough, footing was terrible, there were cars on the race course the runners had to weave thru. The bridge OMG!! the bridge. The course being only 3 miles, the 2nd looping was a BIG issue the event staff and volunteers were RUDE and belligerent, they were blocking runners to move the F'ck over, when you have 10k runners on a 5-7 foot path there is NO PLACE to move over. HELLO!! The "Move over ELITE Runners coming thru" from the Lead Bicycles and the staff, was a nothing but a slap in the face to all the runners trying to just run w/out falling over b/c it was so crowded. The ELITE men runners (the top 10 at least) were extremely un-sportsmen like. They actually PUSHED female runners (I was one) off the race path to the left so they could get by for what. They pushed 5 or 6 of us in a bunch and then we would bum into other runners to the left of us, it was an accident waiting to happen and was very unsafe. They also had wheelchair racers mixed in the crowd of runners. So very unsafe. I am pretty certain there was no prize money for winning this race or coming in the top 3. So why did the Elite men have to be so rude about it. You're lucky I was in such shock when it happened I didn't chase you down (cause I can run a sub 6) and tackle your ass and demand an apology. Then we'd see what "place" you would have gotten. Elite A-holes. If that ever happens again I know what to do now. Logistically this was the worse place to have a race of this size with the number of runners. Maybe a 5k race, maybe if the path was clear of cars and was paved or smooth and they actually started it like a real race. The race director should be fired and be demanded to take race management classes. I would ask for my money back if I was Nike and actually paid event staff and NYRR to put this race on. In fact I myself want my $35 back and my $5 for the ferry that took forever. They only had two for 10k runners. WTF! This race makes my blood boil and it should have never happened. I don't go to races expecting to get all pissed off and pushed. Racing is a sport not a fight. It's not football out there. You Elite male runners take a page out of Olympian swimmer Dara Torres book, she is the poster child/role model for being a true sportsmen. I happen to disagree that there were too many casual runners on the race course. Come on, there were 10k people there on a 3 mile round island. Do the math! It was suppose to be a FUN run for charity, not the Olympics. There was no need to bust ass here. I don't think any true competitive runner would have never tried to do a PR there. It would have been impossible given the people and the course. Actually it wasn't a fun run at all it was a HELL jog/walk. I never stayed for the concert I was to pissed to stay and that just sux!