Wish I’d seen all of this before – you’re all so supportive! Having taken up so much of the NY trip with marathon events (Expo, pasta party + fireworks in Central Park, post-race party) I decided not to drag Alan off to an Internet cafe to check out the forum as (obviously!) there were so many places to see during our holiday.
Anyway, what a day! I’ll never forget it – just being in NY is amazing, but to run their marathon is momentous. The crowds are awesome – think of all the TV reports of baseball and American football crowds and you can imagine the energy they put into their cheering.
I got up at 3.40am and set off for the bus at 4.10am. Thanks to Ian Beattie and Alasdair for their advice, I had taken several layers of clothing (including hat, gloves and scarf) but after waiting in an open tent for 5 hours (newspaper reported the wind brought the temperature to below zero) and then no space in the “corrals” I was frozen and for the first 3 miles I couldn’t even feel my feet and tripped a couple of times. By 3.5 the blood was rushing painfully back. But did I care? No! With Frank Sinatra’s “New York” booming out as we set off over Verazzano Narrows Bridge and the sun shining I was smiling away. The NY skyline beckoned us and after the bridge (first of 5) the crowds began. There’s an average of 2 million turn out to watch the 39,000 runners and it’s incredible. From Staten Island the route goes through the other 5 boroughs – Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, The Bronx and back to Manhattan. There were about 100 bands, cheerleaders, a gospel choir and marathon staff/volunteers encouraging everyone. The 5 bridges do mean climbing ( uphill for a total of 6 miles I read) but the energy of the crowd keeps you going – it’s been described as being in a Broadway show and having a standing ovation for 26 miles. Writing my name on the front of my vest certainly helped and the crowd smiled at the mini-kilt and tartan socks (“Go, Scottish woman” and “Love the kilt”).
I definitely slowed down for the last 3-4 miles (thanks for the details, Son, and if I haven’t spent all my money going to foreign marathons then there might be some inheritance for you ) but the last 2 miles in Central Park was just the roar of the crowd and brought everyone home.
As always, Alan was very supportive but I think he was disappointed that I didn’t get a PB – if only I didn’t take time to take photos (couldn’t resist), talk back to the crowd and High 5 everyone from the young children to the NY cops, I would have got a PB. But for me this was an experience, not a race and I felt like I was flying.
Yes, well done to Paula on her victory and also to (fellow Doonhamer) Hayley Haining who was 12th.
We stayed on until Tue evening and we were still passing people proudly wearing their NY marathon medals.
But, of course, really sorry to have missed the 5k – any results?