Wave to Lady Southpaw on Mile 11 of the NYC Half Marathon

After much relentless spamming of the New York Road Runners Club I was invited to play at one of their races! I consider this a major achievement. All the details have been coming together in the past week, so I am blogging this with only 3 days until the big event.


This Sunday March 21st, 2010 will be the NYC Half Marathon. I ran this race last year when it was in August. In my race report I revelled in all the course musicians and fantasized (or should I say prophesied?) playing the event this year. Click here if you care to reminisce. I even mentioned my disappointment that there was a big gap in music on West Side Highway where you need it this most. So now I am very excited to report I will be playing mile 11 on the West Side Highway and 15th Street.

Here is my little section on the course map:





I'm excited to be playing across from the fluid station being operated by the Hudson Dusters, a team I have r*n with as part of HashNYC.com.

Anyone who has run the NYC Half knows that this stretch of the course is one of the most difficult. As I recall, the loop around Central Park is challenging for it's hills and generally establishing your pace. Then there is a thrilling downhill romp through Times Square where you are so excited to be out of the park and there is so much going on it fills you with energy and excitement. This is all well and good until you hit the West Side Highway. The last leg. You feel like you are almost done, but don't be fooled there are still miles to go before you can sleep. I remember assuming I had less than a mile left when I hit the 11 mile mark only to realize I still had 2.1 miles to go. Perhaps I was delirious from the heat, which will not be an issue in March, but that long straight shot to the finish seemed endless.

That's where I come in (well for the fraction of a minute you'll be able to hear me as you pass...) playing my electric guitar and singing to get you pumped up! I will play through all of my "Songs For Running," the E.P. that can be streamed or purchased through Reverbnation and also available on iTunes. I will also be playing some of my favorite covers sped up to 180 bpm. Selections include songs by artists such as: Blondie, P.J. Harvey, Green Day, Ben Kweller, and maybe others I can't think of right now. There will be nothing under 160 bpm.

So if you see me make sure to wave! Or at least smile and nod a little. That won't drain to much energy, in fact it might help.

Check out the full entertainment line-up on the NYRR official page:

http://nyrr.org/races/2010/nychalf/entertainment.asp