There is a lot going through my mind about the marathon this past Sunday, so rather then get into the mental aspect of running a marathon and the physical and mental toll it takes on ones body, I am just going to do a straight race recap of the event and will post again about all the other randomness surrounding the day. Needless to say, there are a lot of things - both good and bad - that I can take away from the race and that will only serve to help me in future races of all kinds and distances, including that shiny beacon of badass-ness, the M-Dot.
Packet Pick-Up/Race Expo
Seeing as how roughly 60,000 people were registered to run this year's marathon - the biggest field in history - there was no race day pick-up. Shocker, I know. The
Javits Center was the site of this year's packet pick-up and expo, as I'm sure it has been every year since it became as big as it is now. There just really isn't a hotel banquet hall or place elsewhere in the city that can accommodate the sheer volume of people in one place like the Javits Center can. This is a place that holds the New York Boat Show every year - I mean, really, if you can hold a show about nothing but extremely large boats in your venue, I think you can handle the NYC Marathon Expo.
The Expo opened on Thursday at 10:00am and runners could pick up anytime over the next three days. As far as execution, the New York Road Runners organization pretty much has this whole thing down pat by now. Getting to the Javits Center is about as pain-free as you can make something in New York City: it's easily accessible by taxi, subway or on foot; it's relatively easy to get to even if you aren't staying in Manhattan-proper; everyone knows where it is, so it's pretty hard to get lost getting there; and it's a big enough venue that it never feels like a mob-scene.
Tammy and I took the train in Friday after work, so we were able to get to the Expo sometime around 5ish. It's a fairly short distance from Penn Station to the West Side, and since no subways go that far over, we opted to walk, which took about 15 minutes. Once we got there, it took us no more than ten minutes to get inside the Expo itself. Security had been heightened (another shock) so every bag was inspected before we went in, and everyone over 18 had to have a valid ID/passport to get inside, but the whole thing was relatively painless. I think, at this stage in the game, everyone knows what to expect when it comes to big races and security expectations, so there were no real problems that I could see in regards to that aspect. Were some people probably turned away becasue they had no valid ID? Probably. But really, if you aren't smart enough to bring a valid form of ID with you when you go to pick up a race packet then you've really got to be kidding. And, for those people who aren't running and who still needed ID to get in, really, who doesn't carry around some kind of ID with them? Isn't it just logical to expect that everyone over the age of 18 will have some form of ID on them, especially if they are visiting another country?
Once we officially entered the Expo, they really couldn't have made it any easier to pick up your packet. Each stall was clearly marked with the corresponding numbers (30,000 - 34,999; 35,000 - 39,999; etc.) and you simply walked up to the counter and showed them your registration form. Since your ID was checked prior to getting in, everything was pretty straightforward. From that point, the volunteers directed you further down the aisle to pick up your shirt and, if you had registered for last year's race, the booth where you could pick up your stuff from last year. One of the girls that I was with had been registered so she got her shirt and finishers medal - even though no one actually raced. I guess they figured they had the medals pre-ordered so they might as well give them out to everyone. What else would you do with 50,000 out-dated medals?
 |
| Typical "race number" photo. |
After all the race-requirements were taken care of, requisite picture taking done and high-fives all around, you were funneled into the actual race Expo. Asics was the official clothing sponsor for this year's race, so they had by-far the biggest spot. As soon as you walked in you were smacked in the face with all kinds of marathon gear: jackets, running shirts, shorts, socks, arm sleeves, hats, etc. We avoided this section like the plague, lest we pick-up any pre-race jinxes by trying on Marathon gear before we had officially finished so I can't really give you any more info on this section. Just know it was large and people were eating up all the gear like they were flies on a pile of cow crap.
From that point on it was really just a free-for-all. There really wasn't a sense to how everything was laid out. The bigger companies shelled out the most cash and had bigger booths. Brooks had actually set up what looked like an entire department store - complete with mannequins that actually moved - and Oakley had something equally as big, although not nearly as cool.
 |
| Those "people" had movable legs and arms and also rotated around so it looked like they were actually running. Slightly creepy, but cool nonetheless. I would love to know if this marketing scheme actually made them money. |
The usuals were all there: PowerBar, Nuun, SPI Belt, CEP, Gatorade, Poland Spring, Fuel Belt, various New York City-based running stores (Super Runners Shop, JackRabbit, etc.), various race directors trying to sucker people into running their marathons, ultras, etc. before they had even completed this one (although, in hindsight, this is probably a great idea: get them to sign up when they're all hopped up on endorphins and before they know just
how hard it is to actually run a marathon! Brilliant!). We spent probably another hour walking around, seeing what there was and taking it all in before we high-tailed it out of there to catch a train home.
Saturday
After a delicious pancake, eggs and bacon breakfast, SJ and I spent a leisurely Saturday getting ourselves ready for Sunday. SJ had race routes and subway maps and spreadsheets spread out across the living room table - planning her and my parents' course of spectator-attack along the route. They wanted to see me in four different places - one of which I requested be the Bronx as that's where I heard it was most desolate, as well as where most runners tend to hit the infamous "wall". After some discussion with Mamadukes and M&M, they had they course outlined and their plans drawn and I knew where to see them along the route.
SJ and I took a 3:00pm train into Woodside to stay over at Shanpet's place the night before. We were both catching the bus from Bryant Park at 5:30am on Sunday, so rather then dealing with the train that early, Shan and the Big Buy had generously offered to cook us a carbo-centric meal and gave us a place to stay. This also made it easy for SJ to get up the next day and get to BK to start her whirlwind day.
When we got there, the Big Guy was busy making signs to hold up along the course. They were the usual classy affairs, as only you would expect from Shanpet and the Big Guy - "Do these pants my ass look fast?", "Your feet hurt because you're kicking so much ass!", etc. We ate dinner around six and really just hung out and watched TV for most of the evening. Shanpet had
suckered talked Breandan in to airbrushing her name onto her race shirt, so after spending roughly four hours doing that, he and SJ headed out to refuel - and by "refuel" I mean buy more wine. Just cause Shanpet and I were running a marathon didn't mean they had to stay dry. Shanpet and I laid out our race people - it's become a habit of mine now so that I know that I have everything that I need for race morning. Then, after about four or five virgin hot toddy's, we settled in for the night.
Race Day Morning
The alarm clock went off at an un-amazing 4:15am - luckily we had at least gained an hour over the course of the night, or it could have been a lot worse. It still sucked and as I dragged my butt into the shower to wake up, all I could think about was how this wasn't exactly a typical race day morning. Besides not having to worry about the usual triathlon accoutrements, I was also about to RUN THE NEW YORK F*CKING MARATHON! Holy Shit! Only then was it actually sinking in
We got ready and kissed our respective spouse's goodbye and set off for the subway. It just so happened to be that time in the morning when all the drunks are coming home, so our subway was surprisingly crowded, and also happened to smell suspiciously of beer and whiskey. Yum! But as the train crept towards Manhattan, we took on more and more runners with every stop and eventually we were pretty much the only ones on board. It took us about twenty minutes to get to Bryant Park and boarding the buses couldn't' have been any easier. We literally got off the subway, walked up the stairs and went straight onto a bus. The whole thing couldn't have taken more than five minutes.This very well could have been totally different had we been later getting there - I'm sure more and more people arrived after us and I don't know if runner's were given different times or what, all I know is my morning went pretty smoothly. They counted out every runner so every bus was full to capacity and once it was loaded, we set off.
Because we were on one of the first buses, we had a short trip down to Fort Wadsworth. Anyone on the later buses was stuck in a big line of traffic coming across the bridge, so in hindsight I'm glad we had such an early wake-up. Even though we had to wait around for three hours or so, we got through security and into the runner's area with relative ease. Shanpet and I were able to scope out our respective athlete "villages" and grab food and coffee while it wasn't yet completely packed, and then we grabbed a spot up against a fence to protect ourselves from the wind as much as possible.
As for the toilet situation, well, you tell me:
I really think that every single porta-potty along the East Coast was called into action for the day's events. There were toilets everywhere - in every village and in the open area and all over the place. The only time it became an issue was as it got close to each wave being called - everyone seemed to make a mad dash towards the loos for one final go.
Channel 4(?) was broadcasting from the main athlete area, so a bunch of runners had made signs and were crowding around the background to try and get on TV. Shanpet and I met up with another runner that we knew, Liz, so we all hung out and relaxed until we had to leave.
After our initial wander around, I didn't do too much walking so I don't know how crowded each village was or how the food/coffee/Gatorade situations were. I can't complain about my situation, but I was in early enough to get what I needed/wanted so I really didn't have an issues. It seemed like there was a lot of everything so I can't imagine that they ran out of anything - with 60,000 people registered, I'm sure they planned for the masses. It's not like this was their first rodeo.
Once Wave 1 was called, I started to get up and get moving. I still had at least an hour till I was set to start, but they work like Disney - just keep the people moving and keep them entertained and they won't realize they just stood in line for 45 minutes. The one thing I did notice was that the wave entrance near me - which happened to be Green - closed down roughly ten minutes earlier than it was supposed to (the sign said Wave 1 would close at 8:55 - he closed it at 8:45). Obviously, this created quite the commotion - lots of people screaming and yelling and pointing at the sign and the other entrances that were still letting people in and the guy just standing there not letting them in. I don't really know what the deal was and why he closed early, but some of the runners tried to get in through a different wave entrance and I think they were successful. To be fair, the guy did close it early and if all these people had told family and friends times based on leaving at 9:40, being pushed to the second wave would screw up a lot of things.
The one thing this did do was light a fire under my ass and get me moving towards my Orange Village so that I wouldn't end up being one of those people. But fear not, fair friends, for I got in successfully. As it turns out, I was the first corral in the second wave, which meant I was right at the start line when the cannon shot off and we were sent on our
merry way. Couldn't have planned it better if I tried!
The Race
I know, I know, it's like a damn marathon just reading about this marathon recap - but it's here, it's here! The race is finally here!
I hit the line about :06 after the cannons went off to signal our wave start - and I was officially running a marathon. Because I was so close to the start line, I didn't have to worry about being crowded running over the Verazzano, which was both good and bad: I was able to have a clear running lane the whole time, but I also had to constantly check my speed so I didn't go out to fast. It was windy while we were waiting at Fort Wadsworth, and out on the bridge you could really feel it - although this would be the only time that I felt it along the course.
I flew over the bridge and hit the streets of Brooklyn to begin my epic journey 24 more miles to Central Park. Here's what miles 1-5 look like:
Mile 1: 8:15
Mile 2: 7:25 (oops, but also downhill of bridge)
Mile 3: 7:49
Mile 4: 7:53
Mile 5: 7:50
After the fast second mile, I finally hit my groove. I did a pretty good job of staying consistent throughout the first part of the race. I never went faster than that second mile, and while it was downhill for the majority of it, I do know that it probably took a little bit more out of me than had I slowed down and not let the downhill take me so much. But can't change it now.
Once I hit the streets of Brooklyn it was a mob scene along the course. There wasn't a single moment along the entire rest of the course (with exception of the QB Bridge, which spectators aren't aloud on) that wasn't crowded with people cheering on the runners. I knew once I got into BK that my first group of friends were stationed between miles five and six - so that became my focal point: just get to mile five where you'll see Ei & Co. on the right side. I crossed over to the opposite side so that I wouldn't miss them and was able to give a high five to everyone as I went by.
After getting that little boost from seeing people that I knew, my next focal point was seeing SJ, M&M and Mamadukes at mile 8ish. I knew I only had three miles to go until I would see them, so kept an even pace and ran on. Here's the next five miles:
Mile 6: 7:44
Mile 7: 8:06
Mile 8: 7:53
Mile 9: 8:01
Mile 10: 7:50
I was all over the place these few miles. I would speed up, then notice that I was speeding up so I would slow down, then notice I slowed down too much. At one point during Mile 6, the 3:45 pace group leader had come up along side me, which kind of screwed me up because I knew that there was no way I was going as slow as a 3:45 time - I was consistently in the 7:55 pace range, which was well below a 3:45 pace. He ended up dropping back significantly after that, but it still screwed with my mind a little bit, which probably led to the 7:44 pace.
Once all the groups merged together around the mile 8 mark, I knew that the next group would be coming up. Mamadukes was smart and wore a big "Happy Birthday" balloon so that I would be able to spot them in the group (and, it also happened to be her birthday - sorry I hijacked the moment!). When I rounded the corner onto Lafayette Ave., I knew they would be up on the left so I weaved over to give them a big wave on the way past. I was still feeling pretty good at this point - I had a gel about mile 8 and washed it down with some water and kept on truckin'.
Mile 11: 8:06
Mile 12: 8:05
Mile 13: 7:55
Mile 14: 8:02
Mile 15: 8:28 (QB Bridge)
I weaved my way through BK, taking in the crowds and the noise. I had noticed two other girls about my age running at the same speed as me, so I kind of tailed them for awhile. They were running a pretty steady pace, but as the streets started to narrow down and I started catching up to some people from wave 1, I couldn't always keep them in my sights. By the time we turned onto the Queensborough Bridge, it got to be a bit too difficult to always keep them in view so I bagged it. I saw the gang again right before making the left turn onto the bridge, which gave me a super big boost right when I needed it most.
I've run over the bridge numerous times when SJ lived in Astoria so I knew exactly what to expect. It's a pretty steady incline for about 3/4 of a mile, and then it's a steep downhill towards the turn. It is eerily quiet after coming from such a loud atmosphere in Brooklyn and Queens - just the sounds of people breathing and their feet hitting the pavement.
Mile 16: 9:35 (not accurate)
Mile 17: 7:56
Mile 18: 7:48
Mile 19: 8:08
Mile 20: 8:06
I lost satellite reception under the bridge, so mile 16 isn't entirely accurate. I also notice that I was running slightly ahead of the mile markers before hitting the bridge and then coming off the bridge I was almost spot on - so somewhere under the bridge I probably lost reception and Alastair compensated by doing some math and coming up with the number. But at no point did I ever feel like I was running a 9:35 pace.
Hitting the "wall of sound" on First Avenue after coming off the silence of the bridge was something probably truly unique to the NYC Marathon. There really isn't a way to describe it. Slogging uphill in eerie silence and then rounding the corner on a downhill to hundreds of thousands of people screaming and shouting encouragement at you is a completely thrilling experience. Knowing you're more than halfway done and have finally hit the streets of Manhattan is absolutely mind blowing. Even though you know, subconsciously, that the hardest parts are still ahead, you also know that every single person along that course is cheering you on and will help you get there.
There was a big pack of people waiting at 86th and 1st - so that was my next check point. Just get to 86th and then you'll see everyone. And it was awesome. Kristi, Liz, Laura, Kristi's parents, Mo and her sister, Jade and Steve - they were all out in full force (sorry if I missed someone!). They had posters and were cheering as loud as they could. There is a horribly unflattering picture that I refuse to post here, but that I have a feeling will be seen again - possibly as a giant cardboard cutout or something. But it was such a boost of energy to see everyone and that propelled me on towards the toughest part of the day.
Mamadukes wasn't able to get up to see me in the 100s, but I knew that I would see SJ and M&M again in the Bronx - where I would need them most. I had been munching a PowerBar all the way up 1st Avenue for some energy, and I grabbed another gel at mile 18 to save for later on, then it was off to the Boogey Down Bronx.
Mile 21: 8:09
Mile 22: 7:54
Mile 23: 7:36 (<-- hey yo!)
Mile 24: 8:13 (probably because of the ridiculous pace the previous mile)
Mile 25: 7:48
I saw the gang at Mile 20 right before crossing the Madison Avenue Bridge and heading back into Manhattan. I gave them my arm warmers and gloves since I didn't need them anymore and kicked on. Once I got to that point, I knew that I had it. I started to break the race down into smaller increments - two 5ks, rather than six more miles. At this point, I still hadn't hit the proverbial "wall", and although I wasn't necessarily feeling "good", I also didn't feel like I was going to die. My pace along First Avenue was pretty steady and I didn't feel like I had gone too fast and I still had a lot left in the tank. I had a gel in the Bronx - the last form of energy I would take in before the end - and it sat well for the rest of the race, thankfully.
Fifth Avenue was hard - it's an uphill that you can see, rather than being a false flat - and while it's not a significant incline, the mere fact that you
know it's going uphill is a bit demoralizing. However, the people along Fifth Ave. also know that now is the time that you need the encouragement and they were awesome - especially as you got down towards the top of the park. The streets were packed with people and they were all pushing you towards the finish. Mile 23 was way too fast, and I paid for it in mile 24 - but it was hard to keep myself in check knowing I was so close to the finish. My form was pretty much shot to shit at this point and mentally I just kept telling myself that the faster I went, the faster I would get finished and be able to drink. No, really - this is what I was thinking.
I missed Mamadukes again at the turn into Central Park right around mile 24, which was really crappy since the mental pick-me-up would have been awesome. But all the spectators along the way made up for it. The park was pretty crowded with runners, which made it somewhat difficult to find a lane and stay in it. I felt like I had to to a lot of unnecessary weaving, but I also knew that I would be cutting it close to my A goal time so I couldn't really stop to smell the roses. At this point, my legs were starting to cramp up and my feet were not exactly happy with me and when I got to Cat Hill I thought I just might die. Seriously - I would have rather run up Cat Hill than down it at that point. Coming off the hill both my quads started to cramp, but I knew from experience that I couldn't stop because they would just seize up - running through it was the only way to avoid it.
 |
| That's not a smile, friends, that's a grimace. |
SJ and M&M just barely made it down to Central Park South at the Plaza to see me at the turn - at this point I knew that I had Boston in the bag, and I thought that I had sub-3:30, too, which I think made me relax my pace a little and ended up being the one mistake all race. It was also even more crowded with runners at this point, and now I was definitely moving all around to avoid slower runners, and people hugging family members, etc.
Unfortunately, Alastair ran out of storage space (really!) with 1.2 miles to go, so I won't ever know what that final mile split was, but I know that it took me 10:18 to run that final bit, which probably equals out to somewhere in the 8:05/mile pace. Not exactly the strong finish that I wanted but pretty much spot on to the pace that I ran all race.
Mile 26: 8:05(?)
Mile .2: 2:00(ish)
Final time: 3:30:48 - Boston Qualifying
Post-Race
Directly after you cross the finish line, they funnel you down the chute where volunteers put your medal on. Unless you need medical attention, the volunteers are all pushing you to keep walking and keep moving just so you don't cramp up or collapse. There is a place to get your picture taken, which I did:
After picture time, it's off to get your feed back - it's got the usual stuff: water bottle, Gatorade recovery drink, apple, pretzels. You also got one of those foil blankets to keep warm, which I was in desperate need of since my body temperature had dropped about five degrees in the five minutes since I'd finished. They kept funneling you up the park, with early exit people staying to the left and anyone with bags to collect to the right. I had picked "baggage" way back in July and even though I ended up not bringing anything to check, I still wasn't able to get out early (I tried to change it at the Expo on Friday, but it was a no-go), which meant I missed out on a super awesome fleece poncho thing. I was stuck with my flimsy foil wrap to keep me warm for the trek across town to the bar.
In hindsight, I should have checked clothes to wear afterwards because it was probably the easiest thing to do. I passed by all the trucks on my way out of the park and every bag was lined up in number order and ready to go. I don't know if it's just because I finished before a majority of the people in my waves or the two behind me, but baggage pick-up was relatively pain-free.
Annoyingly, I exited the park at 81st and Central Park West but there was no way for me to get across to the east side. I needed to go to 85th and 1st to meet up with everyone and would have rather walked through the park than take the subway, but alas, I wasn't able to. I
stumbled made my way to the subway stop outside the Museum of Natural History and struggled down the steps. One great thing is that runners can ride the subway for free after the race, so I just showed the cop my number and he let me in the gate. I had to then go down
another set of stairs - which is just cruel - and hopped on the subway to make my way down and around the park.
I never went down as far as the family reunion section, so I can't comment on how it was down there. We had purposely picked a place on the east side because that's where most of our friends would be watching and it was also far enough away from the finish line that it wouldn't be a mob scene with runners and family and friends. It was annoying to get to for me at a time when walking wasn't exactly easy, but once at the bar it ended up being perfect.
Seeing as how I never made it further south than 81st, I don't know if there was anything by way of an "after-party". In a city like New York, there is really so much to do and so many other places to meet and hang out that I'm not surprised they just kind of send you on your way. It's a lot easier to meet away from the center of everything than try to have people come to you. Plus, as you can imagine, the security was heightened around the park and the finish line, making it pretty much impossible to meet up anywhere but the designated reunion areas. However, we made ourselves an awesome after-party of our own, which was so much better.
It took me a little over an hour to finally meet up with SJ and M&M on the east side. I changed into some warmer clothes and we made our way to the bar to meet up with everyone. It was pretty awesome to hear everyone cheer when we walked in and everyone in the bar - whether I knew them or not - was offering up congratulations. Shanpet came in about an hour after me - she was lucky enough to get a super awesome poncho AND smart enough to take a cab rather than the subway - and we all cheered and congratulated again. We stayed at Ryan's Daughter until about 6 when their open bar special ended before heading up the block to Molly Pitcher's to watch the end of the Ravens' game (which my dad had left Ryan's Daughter to go watch - rather than celebrate my marathon-ness!). Eventually we stumbled our way into a cab to head to Sunnyside to get our stuff and then off to Woodside to catch the train home.
Wrap-Up
I don't know if it was because it was my first marathon, or because I have been training for so long, or because I had some pretty big goals, but I don't know how people that have run New York can not like it or want to do it again. The energy and atmosphere along every mile of the route is something that I can't imagine is matched anywhere else except Boston. There were times along the route that I couldn't believe I had run a mile because it had felt like nothing.
I missed my A goal by :49, which is disappointing but also encouraging. In reality, :49 over the course of a marathon is really just :02/mile - not an unrealistic time to shave off. It's great to know that it's an attainable goal - while one that I won't be shooting for anytime soon. However, knowing that I qualified for Boston and that I will be able to sign up next September is an awesome feeling. It's truly an honor to run in Boston and to qualify to get in - rather than get in through a charity spot - is a pretty great experience.
All-in-all, my New York City Marathon debut - and my marathon debut in general - was a success. While I didn't necessarily enjoy every single step, I also didn't feel like I couldn't do it. There are things that I would do differently the next time around training-wise now that I know exactly what I need to prepare for, but that's what comes with experience. But don't worry, SJ, I won't be training for another one for at least another year!
Thank you to everyone who came out and supported me during the marathon, as well as to everyone who helped in my fundraising efforts. It was truly a privilege to both run the NYC Marathon as well as to know that I was doing it for such a great cause. Your support throughout the training process and along the course is appreciated more than you would know! The NYC Marathon wouldn't be as great as it is without the help and support of every single person that comes out to cheer on the runners. Thanks for encouraging us every step of the way!
