What do you do when you’re in NYC, and have three days to get a proof of time for a marathon? You find a race. Even if it means taking a train.With a disappointing first race post-op, I was left without a PoT for Dopey in January. That’s what happens when you only run Disney races and 10ks for a couple years. But we were headed to the city to catch a cruise.

After a decent training run in NYC, I jumped online and registered us for the Westchester Healing Half. If you know New York, you would probably guess that required catching an ungodly early train to Westchester (after a cab ride to a Grand Central). You’d be right.

I was hoping to pull in a decent race, since it was a mostly flat course, but my body had other plans. My VC screamed before the start. Running the race made me feel like I had a little gremlin in me, punching to get out. It wasn’t pleasant, but there were no tears. Crying tears, nor literal tears in my body. I survived.

The Westchester Healing Half runs along the Bronx River Parkway and feels slightly uphill both ways. So flat it’s up, except when it’s actually up. The split highway is built to avoid excessive speed and encourage natural braking, or at least it seems so when running it.

We ran five minutes faster than the week prior and came in within the last five people, including the gal walking who we passed twice (cheaters are easy to spot in small races).

Well, we got a medal. And we took a train.