Hotel rooms are selling out fast in NYC. November and December are notoriously difficult months to find a good hotel in NYC, and marathon weekend must only make it worse.

I checked a handful of my favorite (more reasonable) hotels, and most are already sporting sky high rates for the weekend of November 7th, but I was able to find something reasonable at the Paramount, in Times Square. I've stayed here before, and it's pretty cool and well designed.

I'm planning to stay two nights, the night before the race (buses to the starting line leave early), and the night of the race. Either I'll be a mess and unable to drive back home, or I'll feel great and want to eat loads of calories at places like the Donut Plant. Either way, an overnight stay the night of the race can't hurt.

My biggest concern: finding oatmeal. Diet is going to be extremely important leading up to marathon. I don't like running with a full belly, and have found over the last couple of years that oatmeal sits best as a breakfast before races and/or long runs. I'll need to leave pretty early in the morning to get to the starting line, and I'm not sure what's open in the neighborhood. (Despite what they say, the city really DOES sleep. Retailers and restaurants aren't open 24/7 in NYC)

The Standard Hotel was the only place with 24 hour room service, but I'm not willing to pay $445/night just to get oatmeal. I'll find oatmeal somewhere near the hotel, and/or find a way to make it in my room.

As always, you can help make my run possible by making a donation to the American Heart Association. They've provided my entry to the race, and I need to raise $3K before I can run my legs into bloody stumps.