Well, the NYC Marathon is a couple weeks behind me and I am just finally sitting down to write about it. The race itself was incredible. I give a lot of credit to the New York Road Runners organization for putting on a great run. They were able to organize over 40,000 runners into three starting areas and based on previous finishing times. These runners were then herded into starting corrals which allowed for a somewhat organized start of the race.
The sight of NYC from street level is an experience I will never forget. The sight of Manhattan from the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge was incredible. The various ethnic neighborhoods kept my mind on the surrounding environment and not on what my body was telling me. I also was fortunate enough to have the support of my family who made the trip to NYC to cheer me on.
The most memorable part of the race will forever be the Queensboro Bridge. This two mile long span is known for being especially difficult because of a lack of fans encouraging you on as well as no water stops. As we ran up the first mile which is a slow and gradual incline to the apex of the bridge, the only sound to be heard were the pounding of shoes on the deck of the bridge. Halfway up we passed a runner from the wheel chair class who was struggling up the incline backwards, propelling himself upward with his one functional leg. I began to cheer for him and my shouting spread to hundreds of other runners on the bridge.
Once we reached the pinnacle of the bridge and began our descent, something could be heard from up ahead. It started out faint, but with each step it grew louder. As we approached the end of the bridge, there was a sharp turn to the left and then a steep 180 degree turn. The sound had grown into a powerful roar, and that is when the sight thousands of people standing 10 deep on the barriers hit me.
The rest of the race became increasingly difficult mentally as I physically began to deteriorate. My quads and calf cramped up into knots that grew larger with each step. Without the support of the fans and my family, it would have been difficult to finish. I was reduced to walking for a few minutes each mile after mile 22. The surge of energy that I had hoped would hit me as I came withing a mile of the finish failed to materialize. I felt worse with each step even as I crossed the finish line. It was a good feeling to be done, however, I was both mentally and physically drained.
Overall, the race was a great experience. My training paid off, and I was able to finish with a decent time (just over 4 hours.) I am grateful for the opportunity to see NYC from street level and I cannot thank those who cheered me on enough. I am also glad that I was able to beat Sean "puff daddy" Comb's time by more than 10 minutes.
