Sri Chinmoy Marathon

Do yourself a favor take the day off and compete in this race. It is always held on a weekday so you'll likely have to. The course is scenic. Shaded. Aid stations every mile, fully stocked. You get a shirt, medal, meal and snacks upon finishing all for around $60, less if you get in early. It is well organised and a special event. It is also a Boston Qualifier so there is plenty of people pushing the pace if you can latch onto them.

The race features 9 loops around Rockland park. Every mile features flush toilets and fully stacked water stations. It includes salt, seaweed, Cytomax, fruit,etc., food and massages free to runners as well as a communal water hose for runners. Cheap entry fees and free parking. Great to meet and talk to runners from all over the world and the course is not hilly at all. Volunteers are very supportive and friendly. Worth doing every year! A great city since it is only at 35 minute bus ride to Manhattan!

My 13th marathon in 12 years, started marathons at age 50, (NYC, Phil, DC...) This year ran 3 marathons under 7 months and just completed Sri Chimnoy at Rockland. Very nice, special event for my running experience. The participants were from a variety of world locations and all very courteous, polite and inspiring for the experience of running. The hosts were especially nice and attentive to a somewhat holistic feeling about the completion. For me, somewhat special and different was running 9 laps with a mix of super fast and pleasure runners on the track continuously from laps 1 to 6 (2.7 mi per lap totaling 9 laps). Again, very cordial and courteous participants. But, socializing while running not typical probably due to language differences - not a lot of aimless gabbing and yakking it up was refreshing, imo. The track was ideal for my pleasure training, asphalt w/ some packed dirt on sidelines when needed. Scenery was very nice variety of lake and woods, some breezes and some August sun spots. The day was kind to runners this year (2018), not brutally hot, but definitely humid. For ~2.7 mi. laps you will always be running with others, no floating off or zoning out in a marathon of your own. I typically prefer the zoning out solo space. But, this event was so very nice in atmosphere and participants cordial politeness it was a rare nice shared event to experience. You can run fast if you are prepared. You can simply enjoy if open to this style of running ! Thanks for the experience Sri Chimnoy and fellow participants from all over the world. Kind Regards, Larry Running laps (9) is reminiscent of racing 2 miles on a 1/4 mile track,... back in the days when a 1/4 mile race was a challenge. Flat, nice mix of asphalt and some packed dirt if release needed. Plenty of opportunity for water, bathroom and special food treats along the way. Caution or reminder is that this race is in August even though good mix of shade and open sun exposure.