nyc 2009

The NYC marathon was amazing!! It's hard to sum up how satisfying it is to finish something that you've had your heart and mind set on for so long. For anyone who doubts if a marathon is worth all the time and energy, the sacrificed Friday nights and the 5am Saturday mornings...it absolutely is. Don't get me wrong, the mental and physical toughness you gain through training is the actual life-changing part of it all. But when you see the finish line at the end of the 26.2, and you're hit with the flood of relief, exhilaration, and triumph that takes over your body as you forget all the pain and just charge through the finish...that rush is like nothing else.

This was my first running of one of the 5 "marathon majors" (NYC, Chicago, Boston, Berlin and London), and the energy level at this race was just incredible! I have never experienced so much cheering and crowd support, which makes the miles fly by in a way that they never do during training. I felt like a rock star high-fiving little kids from the side of the road. I got energized from the constant music and entertainment from live bands and gospel choirs. I relied on the runners around me, syncing with Jen A and her perfect pacing, drawing inspiration from the guy running on two prosthetic legs, staying just behind the girl who had written her name "JENN" on her shirt and thus elicited cheers for all three of us... ;)

That being said, I could not have made it through without all the help, support and love from my awesome friends who came to NY, who came out to the race, and who cheered from afar. =) Knowing that my cheering section was waiting at the mile 19 water station (and again at mile 23!) - Menzies, Tanya, Lei and Andrew - kept my motivation high when fatigue started setting in earlier than I had expected. Having Lei jump in from miles 19-23 kept me laughing and distracted and kept "the wall" safely at bay. Seeing Cindy and Chris with the "Go Jennifer!" sign at mile 26 gave me that much-needed adrenaline push to the finish. =) Every time I crossed a timing mat (every 5K), I would imagine emails flying out from under the mat to the inboxes of everyone tracking me online (yes, my mind goes kind of wonky during long runs). After all the training, I am a little sad to admit that physically, this race was not a great run for me. There are some long runs that feel really good and are confidence boosters because they show you how strong you have become. For me on marathon day, for whatever reason, things just did not come together for me physically. It could have been any number of factors- injuries acting up, fatigue from traveling, the hectic morning and crowded running field...who knows. What I do know is, when I was hurting physically, I ran through it by resolving to stay with Jen A and by drawing mental and emotional strength from knowing that I had people waiting for me and rooting for me, who I couldn't let down. (It also helped that they were posted so late in the race, when I needed it the most! ;) I can't imagine doing a marathon without the support system that I am so lucky to have.

I think that is everything I wanted to say... the rest is in pictures. =)

Day 1 We start with the NYC Expo, huge and overwhelming, followed by delicious Shake Shack! I still dream about the Pumpkin Pie Oh-My shake...=P The day ended with a visit to Times Square and pasta dinner at Gnocco in East Village.

Day 2 Race Day!! Jen and I wake up at 5am, get ready, and head over to the insanely packed South Ferry station (where we take our smiling "before" picture, above). At the start area, we rush around amongst hordes of runners, trying to check our bags, eat breakfast, and use the toilets before heading to the start. Finally at the start, Jen and I get emotional during the national anthem. And with a cannon blast, we're off! Meanwhile, our friends (dressed in very cute ponchos :) hand out waters at mile 19, Meb wins, and Paula falls to 4th. A very long while later, Jen and I cross the finish together!! The day ends with a delicious celebratory steak dinner at Peter Luger's.

Days 3-5 New York is so fun!! These days are filled with sight-seeing, including the Statue of Liberty and Rockefeller Center, free tickets to see Dave Letterman (where we're seated in the 2nd row!), rush tickets to Chicago, tapas dinner with super-runners Debbie and Hideki, lunch from a truck with Cindy, shopping, and so much more...! I didn't ever want to leave. A huge huge THANK YOU to Cindy and Chris for opening their home to us.

Definitely a trip I'll never forget. =)