It was just shy of four years since my last stand-alone road marathon when I worked my way up to the front of my race corral on Staten Island, preparing to run my way through all five boroughs of New York City. I was in the last wave of the race, 11am, but in the first corral so my starting view was of two empty miles of the Verrazano bridge in front of me. Those two miles would be the most freeing of the entire race. The rest of the race was full of crowds of runners and spectators, which could basically describe the experience of running this race in a few words: navigate through crowds of runners and spectators in all five boroughs!
As race volunteers led us from Fort Wadsworth to the bridge, we passed by National Guardsmen and women, large tank-like vehicles protecting the bridge entrance, and double decker tour buses lining the starting line. This year’s race took place mere days after eight people were killed by a truck plowing into a bike and pedestrian lane along the Hudson River in lower Manhattan. I couldn’t help but notice all the security measures taken, sure that while there was probably plenty of security planned before the attack, there had probably been more measures put in place in light of it.
I can’t go to a big city marathon without thinking of marathon running as divided between pre-Boston marathon bombings and after the bombings. I wasn’t there that year, I had run Boston the previous year as part of the Tufts Marathon Team at the end of my senior year at Tufts. I had friends running that year. I know of fellow Tufts students who were injured. I felt deeply impacted. After five and a half years in North Carolina, I still run Boston Strong. That’s one reason why I was thrilled to run into two fellow Tufts runners, Brinkley spotted me in the starting village and Shelby came up to me right at the starting line. She had Boston Strong written on her arm. I didn’t have it on my arm but it was definitely in my heart and in every step.
Shelby was who I confided in, just before the race started, that I was nervous. I hadn’t admitted to very many people that I was going for my first sub four-hour marathon. I had told Mike and my parents that I was aiming for it, but I hadn’t published it or anything. After all, I only had 3 weeks of rest after my 50 miler, I had no idea how my legs would do on roads for that long after running mostly trails all year. Shelby enthusiastically told me to “go get it!”
When the (somewhat frightening) starting cannon went off for our wave, I took off up the bridge. I relished those first few miles. I’d been shuffling along from the ferry to the buses, then cooped up in the starting village before slowly being led to the start- my legs were ready to move, to feel free. I was running too fast but I had to take advantage of the emptiness in front of me. There was an eeriness to the wind, the gray sky, the cold misting rain, and the massive concrete and metal bridge all around me. Despite this, my chills from nervousness were gone.
I clocked two sub-8 minute miles on the downhill side of the bridge and being welcomed to Brooklyn. I knew I was going to have way too fast of a first 5k but I also knew my legs were hella-strong and could actually handle nearly twice the race distance. I also had a (correct) feeling that the crowds would slow me down so I should take advantage of some fast first miles. The kids in Bay Ridge Brooklyn were awesome- I hi-fived so many little hands! The diversity going up Fourth Ave was incredible, with a different style of music being played on each block whether from a live band or blasting from a bar. Block after block, Brooklyn showed up to this race.
By mile five I settled into a pace just a little faster than my goal pace. I was passing a lot of people, which took a lot of energy- picking the places to get around someone or squeeze between two people. As we continued up fourth ave in Brooklyn, I started looking for my family (my cousin has a bar in Park Slope). It is really hard to keep your pace, dodge people, look where you’re going, and scan the crowds for familiar faces! With the Barclay’s center in front of me, I stayed to the right side of the street hoping to come across my family. Sure enough I hear my dad yell my name and he’s just feet in front of me! Mike was able to snap this pic as I waved!
Knowing I could focus on just running, and not scouring the race, helped as the race route merged onto smaller streets. Williamsburg ended up being pretty taxing as I was still passing people who were slowing down suddenly (like stopping right in front of me and forcing me to make a soccer/lacrosse move to quickly change directions to get around them.) Bridges and water stations ended up being treacherous for this reason, and slowed down those miles. Looking at my mile splits after the race, miles 8 and 9, and miles 15 and 16 were my only miles slower than a sub 9 minute mile pace. Miles 8 and 9 were due to the crowds and narrow streets, and miles 15 and 16 were due to the crowds and narrowness of the Queensboro bridge. (At all the other bridges and hills my pace didn’t change much, I’m pretty well hill-trained at this point.) Overall I held my pace really consistently, which I’m happy with.
After spending so much time in Brooklyn I was excited to cross another bridge and see a small corner of Queens. Though just a small piece of the race, Queens showed up to cheer us on! (The Bronx did too!) Pretty soon I was being funneled onto the Queensboro bridge, this was easily my least favorite bridge. I felt claustrophobic on this bridge and really just wanted off of it as soon as possible. One of the spectator points I had mentioned to my family was at the end of this bridge. This ended up being a bad suggestion on my part. It was unbelievably packed and while I did my best to try to find them I could not (although my parents both saw me, Mike and my brother Will did not.) I made the two tight turns getting off the bridge and was happy to be in another borough.
I once again found freedom- this time in the wide openness of 1st avenue! I could see almost straight up to the Bronx and was able to pick up the pace again. With ten miles to go I could kind of segment the race into two 5ish miles sections: out to the Bronx on 1st Ave and back to the finish through Central Park. It was around this time that I needed to start thinking about fuel. I’d been taking water at around every 3rd mile or so, and eaten 4 of the 6 chews I had. I saw non-race officials handing out bananas and gratefully took a half of one. (I despise gels if you didn’t know.)
While many people probably think 1st Ave is boring, I quite enjoyed it because I didn’t have to think about anything except moving forward (less people dodging and no checking the crowds for family.) Crossing a short bridge into the Bronx (my fifth and final borough) I soon saw the mile 20 sign let me know I just had 10k to go, the true homestretch (for an ultra-runner.) There were a lot of Puerto Rican and American flags being waved, more music and dance, bringing back the diversity that I hadn’t really seen on the upper east side of Manhattan. After less than a mile in the Bronx I was on the last bridge. Hooray!
More singing and dancing welcomed all the runners in Harlem. I got my hands on another half of a banana, (I had early almost choked on a slice of tangerine/clementine so decided to go with banana again,) which I knew would be able to fuel me to the finish. Getting funneled into Central Park, I was ready to take on the final hills. The trees lining the road through the park were awash in autumn colors. The misting rain had continued all day but there were still spectators throughout the park. The hills were slowing people down and my legs were burning but I kept them moving, knowing that the strength was there. I knew at this point that I was for sure hitting my goal of going sub-4 hours, the question now was: by how much?
The finish line was closed to VIP holders only so I had suggested that my family try to see me along Central Park South, another mistake on my part. So many people were there and I was getting frustrating looking around and straining my neck. This ended up being a slightly slower mile because I think I was looking too hard for them and not focusing on my running (turns out they weren’t going to make it there in time so they headed straight to our post-race meeting point.) At Columbus Circle I told myself to screw it and run hard to the finish. I pushed myself, trying to stay along the left-hand side of the road and do as little zig-zagging as possible. My Garmin had already hit 26.2 miles by the time I hit the 26-mile timing mark (I’d done around .3 miles work of running around people.) I saw the finish ahead of me, got goosebumps on my arms, pumping at my sides, and focused on my breath. I crossed the finish line with arms raised and then stopped my watch.
I’d done the marathon in 3 hours 52 minutes and change- reaching my goal of going sub-4 hours and even beating my other goal of a 3:55!
I had tons of messages on my watch from family and friends who were tracking me through the NYC Marathon app (which was an awesome app!) I got my medal and was shuffled through the crowd to get my photo taken and then get my mylar blanket. The blanket was necessary as my body temperature rapidly decreased and I started to notice the misting rain for the first time all day. More walking and crowd-following got me to my goody-bag with food, then I was finally able to exit the park near the Natural History Museum. I found my parents, Mike, and brother Will before we proceeded to walk even more to a bar to get me a post-race beer and food! Later that evening, after a shower and some rest, my cousin joined us for a wonderful dinner!
New York was a really fun big marathon experience, but I think I prefer my trail runs with runners limited to the hundreds and not the tens of thousands. I was super happy to have some of my family and Mike there to cheer me on, and I was so happy to have run the race on behalf of Soccer Without Borders!
Here’s what I sent to all the folks who donated to Soccer Without Borders on my behalf and made this race possible:
I just wanted to send you all a little update about my marathon day.
The rainy mist and mid-50 degree temperatures were actually perfect race day weather. There were an estimated 2 million spectators and fans lining the course to cheer on over 50,000 runners.
After going out a little faster than my race pace due to excitement and the downhill of the Verrazano bridge, I was able to fall into my goal pace after a few miles. The five bridges were no match for my hill training, but I was forced to slow down when the roads became congested with runners and it became difficult to pass people. The fans showed up in Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Manhattan. I high-fived approximately 300 people, mostly kids, and was able to see Mike and my parents in the crown around mile 8! (I missed them in the crowd at mile 16, but they saw me!)
Some of the signs out on the course made me laugh, like the many variation son “You run better than the government.” Some signs made me motional, like ones with Puerto Rican and American flags. The diversity I saw in runners and spectators was astounding. The diversity I heard, through languages and music, was incredible. And the humanity I saw was humbling. From the runners with disabilities of some kind who were running with guides from the Achilles organization, to all the runners (like myself) who had their charity sponsor’s name on their shirts.
Ending the race by running through Central Park, lined with both fans and autumn trees, was pretty spectacular. I ended up finishing the race in 3 hours, 52 minutes, and 23 seconds- a nearly 30 minute personal best- successfully meeting my goal of going sub 4 hours, and then some!
I would not have had this special of a race without the opportunity to run for Soccer Without Borders, which you all made possible. Thank you for all the texts, Facebook posts/comments, and emails of encouragement. And of course, thank you for supporting Soccer Without Borders!
postgradjourney 
Congrats!!! Great race!