NYC Marathon

As it turns out, I only blog about running now, you lucky non-runners out there. This past Saturday I ran the NYC Marathon. After having done it, I am quite frankly in awe of myself, as absurd as that sounds. I trained relatively intensely (not more than 45 miles a week mind you, but I'm a busy girl, so it felt intense to me) for four months. I gave up staying out late, I stopped drinking alcohol for a period, I became obsessed with the amount of sleep I was getting and what kind of foods were in my diet. Because of the aforementioned sacrifices, I also became quite irritable and nervous. In the weeks leading up to the marathon, I was so wound up I couldn't think about anything else.

After much planning, the day finally arrived. I traveled down to Staten Island by ferry with John, Philipp, Andrew, Christine and Mitch, where we relaxed on a blanket, ate bagels, talked strategy and occasionally stood in line for the bathroom in the brisk early morning hours before the race. Because of a previous half marathon time, I was placed in the female-only front section of the orange start. It was actually very cool to stand around the start next to these incredibly determined-looking women of different ages who were all willing to run to the point of extreme pain to see how far they could push their bodies and wills.

I knew within a few miles of starting the race that I wasn't having an "on" day. I'm not exactly sure why - maybe my taper wasn't perfect, maybe my diet was a bit off, maybe I was just nervous or lacking a bit of confidence. Whatever the case, I ran those first 8 miles or so at a relatively even pace trying to focus on staying calm and being patient. Running through Brooklyn was a truly unique experience, because you run through so many different types of neighborhoods and the people are just beyond supportive. I knew that I had some friends (Libby, Maggie, Sam and Cheryl) waiting for me at mile 11 in Williamsburg, and that was a big motivation. After seeing them, I looked forward to seeing Kil right near his apartment at mile 13. At around the half-way point I realized that it was becoming more difficult for me to stay with the 3:30 pace group that was running about 50 feet in front of me. I tried not to panic and keep running even splits. Running under the Queensboro bridge was nuts - totally dark for a period and very quiet. When I finally turned off the bridge onto First Ave. the noise from the crowd was deafening, and it really couldn't come at a better time. Running up First Ave. is definitely a challenge, mainly because you can see so far up the street to the miles that still lay ahead of you. I saw my friend Beth at mile 18, which was a huge boost. Running through the Bronx went by pretty quickly and the only thought I remember is being extremely thirsty and wondering where the next water station was going to be. By the time I got back into Manhattan near mile 21, I realized that I wasn't going to be able to sustain my pace. With 5 miles to go and no idea how much worse the pain would get, it was a terrifying realization. I had officially hit the wall. I saw Sean and Megan in Harlem, which was a nice surprise, and then Kil and Libby, Maggie, and Sam at mile 23 before entering the park. How I willed myself to run those last two miles through Central Park at only a minute per mile slower than my original pace I have no idea. I was grimacing the whole way and actually whimpering at times my legs hurt so bad. I have never in my life felt relief like I did when I crossed that finish line. My time was 3:35:31. It was 5:31 slower than my goal time, but it was a Boston Marathon qualifier. After coming to appreciate how hard the marathon is, I realize that it was a respectable performance. I really don't think I could have pushed myself any harder. When I crossed the finish line I swore that I would never run the race and do that to myself again. By the time I got home though, I was already thinking how I could train harder and get faster for next year. 358 training days to go.