Jaunted

Holidays in New York: Heavy Breathing on New Year's Eve

12/20/2007 at 9:30 AM
Tags: Holidays In New York, New Year's Eve, Active Travel (all tags)

Let's face it: Despite the stratospherically high expectations most of us have for New Year's Eve, it's got the worst track record for disappointment of any national holiday, just edging out Valentine's Day. So unless you're keen to shell out $200 to push your way through an awful crowd, suck on weak cocktails and get denied a kiss at midnight, skip the bar scene and sign up for something practically guaranteed to boost your endorphins.

The New York Road Runner's Club is hosting its annual Midnight Run, a four-mile jaunt through Central Park, and this year, they're adding to the sweaty thrill with fireworks choreographed to music. The club will also throw its usual pre-race costume parade and a dance party. On the other side of the planet, more than 200 service members stationed in Al Asad, Iraq, will execute their own version of the Midnight Run at the stroke of midnight--eight hours ahead of New York.

While there will be some token prize money handed out, the organizers remind NYC marathon wannabes that this doesn't count as a qualifying race. If you're getting in the holiday spirit just to get a number, you might as well turn right back around and get sloshed at R Bar with the rest of us.

Related Stories:
· New York Road Runner's Club Midnight Run [Official Site]
· Holidays in New York Coverage [Jaunted]
· New Year's Eve coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: NYRR]