Located on Roosevelt Island in NYC, this popular NYC tradition offers great views of Manhattan, a festive race atmosphere, and a race experience perfect for families, novice runners, and speedy racers alike!

Pre-Run:
Registration was simple and offered a race-day packet pickup. This was all pretty standard, but the big thing to watch out for is transportation. To put it plainly, Roosevelt Island a pain in the butt to get to from Manhattan. If you're lucky, a cab or Uber will take you (expect to take longer than anticipated, and to pay more than you'd expect for a normal ride!) We took an Uber and planned to arrive an hour in advance -- instead, our driver got VERY lost and we ended up arriving with about 15 minutes to get our packets and head to the start, which made for a super stressful morning. Lesson learned! The most straightforward way is to take the tram from Manhattan over to the island -- there are a few issues with this, so plan accordingly! 1) Unlike the subway, each tram car holds significantly fewer people and has to cross to the island, swap loading, and return, compounded with 2) Everyone will be using this as a primary mode of transit. So expect a LONG wait. Also, if you're afraid of heights -- SKIP THIS and grab a cab! Upon arrival, check-in was a breeze, and people were spread out everywhere due to the unique layout of Roosevelt Island not having any major roads.

The Race:
Due to the casual nature of the race, we didn't have corrals, and instead, we had general waves -- fast, mid-pack, and walkers/families. All bibs were timed. The 5k course is one giant loop around Roosevelt Island. the first 1.5 miles are where the money shots are at for views -- you can see the entire east side of Manhattan running northbound on the route. As you reach the northern point of the island, there is an aid station with plenty of water. The latter half of the run takes you south back to the start as you run in between multiple industrial buildings. It's a major 180 from the first part of the run. Once you head back south, the course returns to the start for a full loop.

Post-Race:
One of the most beloved traditions of this race is the famous post-race GIANT cinnamon rolls! Definitely a can't-miss treat if you have a sweet tooth! Since it's a family-focused event, expect to see many people sitting out, eating cinnamon rolls, and enjoying the morning! All runners receive medals and sweatshirts. The sweatshirts aren't the most amazing quality compared to other races. (Looking at you, Coney Island Turkey Trot!)

Tips:
- Transportation to this race is no joke. If you're not a NY resident, plan accordingly!
- Our day was sunny and surprisingly warm, but with NYC, a warm November day is rare, so watch the weather and remember layers!
- If the day is nice, take your time after the race and hang out on the island - not only is it an interesting, rarely-explored part of NYC, but it will allow you to kill some time and wait for the tram lines to ease up!
- Northbound route is a bit tight in some spots -- if you're trying to get around a group of people, you may have to cross into the grass or simply wait until there's a wider opening.

Final Thoughts:
I brought my family to this race and they had such a good time it became a family tradition! Love the holiday atmosphere!