Corporately Challenged Race Through Central Park

On Wednesday and Thursday, June 10 & 11, thousands and thousands of New Yorkers united to run for the Central Park Conservancy. Sponsored by JP Morgan Chase, the Corporate Challenge happens every year in June. This was my 4th (!) time attending and second year running. I ran on Wednesday and it was the first time I ran it when it wasn't oppressively hot and humid.

Waiting for the race to start - up near the front!

While the race is often confused with a 5K, I learned the hard way that it is actually 3.5 miles, not 3.2. And by learning the hard way, I mean I found out during the race last year while I raced past the 3 mile marker and cursed the race and its makers when I realized that the finish line was much longer than .2 miles away. Anyway, it was a fun night of running and feeling accomplished, though walking up the subway stairs has been a challenge since then.

Lost in a sea of runners & walkers

It felt like a very long 40 minutes, but luckily kind workers supplying water kept us hydrated throughout the race. And after the race? Free bananas! A real runner's snack!

The coveted and longed-for water stand & post race banana...yum!

After the race, great friend and running partner Kristin and I posed for our post race "We made it alive!" photo!

Kristin & I made it! Running!

If you missed the chance to get corporately challenged this year, mark your calendars for 2010!