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Brooklyn half marathon pre-party brings thousands to Brooklyn Bridge Park

Runners get pumped with pre-race snacks, drinks, entertainment

May 15, 2014 By Samantha Samel Brooklyn Daily Eagle
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This Saturday’s Brooklyn Half Marathon, beginning near the Brooklyn Museum and extending to the Coney Island boardwalk, is expected to draw 25,000 runners to the borough. But before the athletes set out on their journey, they must pick up their race materials…and party.

New York Road Runners’ (NYRR) Pre-Party, presented by New Balance, is being held at a brand new location — Pier 2 (150 Furman St.) at Brooklyn Bridge Park — offering visitors stunning views of Manhattan as they enjoy live music curated by Baeblemusic, snacks, fitness classes and the chance to pick up new running gear and apparel. Runners are required to visit with ID and registration forms in order to retrieve their bibs, but the event is open to the public.

Madeline Garber, who ran in the Brooklyn Half last year, told the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, “This will be my second year running the Brooklyn Half and I couldn’t be more excited. The pre-party was, as I expected, a lot of fun, and the perfect way to get excited for a big race. It was extremely well-organized which was a major feat; there are a lot of runners!”  

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A variety of exhibitors have set up shop in the sprawling venue, which is expected to accommodate 45,000 visitors over the course of the three-day party. Among the food and beverage vendors are Brooklyn-based Morris Grilled Cheese (the Morris Truck), Takumi Taco and Chickpea & Olive. “It’s a really great opportunity to create that sense of community before the race even starts,” Ben Latham, director of operations at the Morris Truck, told the Eagle. Latham is visiting the event as both a vendor and a runner — an accomplished triathlete, he will be running the Brooklyn Half for the first time on Saturday.

In addition to having the opportunity to purchase accessories from an array of exhibitors, including New Balance, JackRabbit Sports and SunggBuds, runners can also give back to the running community through NYRR’s Recycle Your Soles program. Running shoes and sneakers can be donated in exchange for a $25 coupon from New Balance (while supplies last), which can be used toward any purchase of $100 or more at the New Balance Manhattan store. 

“I really loved that they added a shoe donation component to the party — I brought a pair of sneakers that I had worn only a few times but couldn’t bring myself to throw away. Such a good idea! And I’ll never say no to food trucks,” Garber told the Eagle.

The party, which began Wednesday, continues from 10 a.m.-9 p.m. on Friday, before the race commences Saturday at 7 a.m.  

For more information on the Brooklyn Half Marathon, including a course map, visit nyrr.org.

 


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