NYC Half cancelled due to coronavirus
Natasha Wodak and thousands of other NYC Half entrants won't get to race this weekend
Yet another race, the NYC Half, has been added to the list of coronavirus casualties after organizers announced the race’s cancellation yesterday. The race was scheduled for this Sunday, March 15. With the announcement, 25,000 entrants are out a race, including Canadian Natasha Wodak.
Due to the rapidly developing coronavirus (COVID-19) situation, the NYC Half, scheduled for Sunday, March 15, and the accompanying Rising New York Road Runners youth event, have been canceled. Learn more here: https://t.co/DHqGHNpYcF pic.twitter.com/gVUp3Cws0T
— New York Road Runners (@nyrr) March 10, 2020
In January, Wodak broke the Canadian half-marathon record in Houston, becoming the first woman to run a sub-70 half-marathon (Andrea Seccafien beat Wodak’s time just a couple of weeks later for the current national record of 1:09:38). She was headed to New York coming off a NACAC bronze medal from the Pan Am Cross-Country Cup in Victoria on February 29, looking fit and like a threat to better her 1:09:41 PB and take back the Canadian record.
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This would have been Wodak’s second time racing the NYC Half. In 2015, she placed fifth in New York, in 1:11:20. She posted a story to her Instagram page in which she voiced her disappointment with the cancellation.
The @nyrr NYC half marathon was cancelled this weekend. I am dissapointed but my thoughts are with New Yorkers and the many areas around the world dealing with COVID-19. Thanks to the organizers & volunteers of the race and I’m looking forward to running in NYC next year!
— Natasha Wodak (@tasha_wodak) March 11, 2020
RELATED: Natasha Wodak becomes first Canadian woman to run under 1:10 for half-marathon
“I was so excited about going to New York this weekend,” she said. “It was going to be awesome, I was so ready to race. Definitely disappointed.” She also added that, instead of racing New York, she will run a local St. Patrick’s Day 5K in Vancouver. Last year, Wodak raced the on St. Patrick’s Day and set a PB of 15:36. Although it’s not the race she was hoping for, she’ll certainly be looking to have another good performance this year.
Went 1-2 with my girl @SarahInglis5 today at the @stpatricks5k ! Congrats Sarah on your 15:29 for a ?? all comers record?? happy with my 3 sec PB 15:36? pic.twitter.com/ZmYaSqyRa5
— Natasha Wodak (@tasha_wodak) March 16, 2019
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Runners who were signed up for the NYC Half have been given two options by race organizers: receive a full refund of their entry fee or guaranteed entry to the 2021 NYC Half. The latter is just a placeholder, however, and entrants who go with that option will have to pay for next year’s event.