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FRIDAY nov 1, 2015Fly into Newark,NJ then take 30 min train to NYC. Come up in New York City's Penn station.Whoa first look ever, in person, at New York City.Gridlock. Honking horns. F-word, a lot. Aggressive drivers. Aggressive pedestrians. Cranes and construction everywhere. Pounding rivets. Clang clang. Loud. Cars, trucks going. Fast fast-paced. Buildings everywhere. I'm by Madison Square Garden. Where is the sun? And it's hilly here. My hostel has 4pm check in. I got hours to kill. I stumble along the one street I know, 34th St, taking it all in and get to expo Convention Center to get my race bib. Streams of runners bouncing here in there in this massive building with a window ceiling, jam packed. Different languages / accents are the norm. Lots of excitement. I get my race bib and try to maneuver around the masses. I see Evan who is working at the New Balance showroom. He's talking it up. A good rep, a good guy who worked at Clear Lake's OnTheRun store last year. I wait around some. Listen to a course talk about 'not going out to fast' and get a text from Ben Harvie and I meet up with him and his family and Jay Lee from OnTheRun store too. We hang at expo a bit. Good to see friendly TX faces. I head out then to try and make it to the hostel.
Venturing back into the concrete jungle. Thank God for google maps telling me where i am. How can u find your way around here? It never stops. Never lets up. Negotiating the subway, when you get down in tunnels, so easy to get turned around. Which direction to go? Uptown or Downtown? Looks like all downtown to me- buildings everywhere.
I pop up from the subway at 103rd st. Fruit vendors on corner. Hot dog vendors. Halal vendors. Nuts 4 Nuts vendors.
Anyway, i make it to hostel. It's bustling but fine and i get to my dorm room on 4th floor. 3 bunk beds, lockers, and night lights. Prison style. What are in for? Mid life running addiction? Yeah me too..
Laying on one bed is Matt from London (with accent i thought it was Max at first). We talk some and by the end of my stay I'm convinced he's the UK me. Or I'm the USA him. Both 43yrs old. Both runners. Bald. Small. Started training hard at 39 yrs old. Both chasing marathon times. Lots of the same philosophies on life too.
I'm antsy. And glad to finally be rid of my backpack(into the locker). So I head to Central Park.
I covet a Central Park run for my Garmin Watch maps. Wow great park- stuck in the middle of all these buildings. I look at the park map. Okay just get to main loop and lets get a clean loop for ye ol' digital map collection. I start out, find the run lane, okay lets go! But then it's closed where marathon setup already is. So I follow some runners through other paths. Before I know it I'm way turned around. Man i should have took some mental notes of particular buildings. I thought it'd be about a 6 mile run. I'm at 6 miles and it doesn't look familiar, where is my hostel? And now it's getting dark. So I keep going- but on sidewalk so I can see the street signs. Finally I come around to something I know. It's a square park, seems so simple, but lots of little paths shooting off. Looking at map i ended up okay; ended up going 6.7 mi.
My knee ached during the run, which has been common in training this time. I don't think it will bother me at race, when I'm amped up and in newer shoes (and pop an advil)- for my self diagnosed sports hernia ab/groin muscle too... getting old sucks..
I go back to hostel, eat and get to bed. Just me and Matt in the room. We chat a bit about running he just ran the Marine Corps Marathon last week in DC.
The other roommates come in during the night. They are all super quiet when they come in and do their best not to make noise. Great. I slept okay. Top bunk rough to get out of for bathroom in middle of the night. Sucks getting old.
SATURDAY
Woke up antsy. So another run. Let's go see Hudson River. Run at park, close to river. Parents out enjoying the morning sports. Man these kids suck at sports. I remember from going to college kinda up north, well really at the end of the south. The kids are not so great at sports cause they don't get as much warm weather as we do(plus good coaches go to warm weather to make money). So us Southerners can kick butt. But then the South American and Euro guys seemed to kick my butt. My college tennis days... So it goes...
Anyway the run and view on the Hudson River was nice. Knee and Abs ached again, what can you do about it? Ah run a marathon tomorrow maybe that will help.
I have breakfast with another roomie named Jakob from Copenhagen. He seems about college aged and is traveling. Loves NYC. Sounds like he's an ace cyclist(says everyone in Copenhagen is) and he's already completed an IronMan in like 10:30 or something. Plus he's rode a bike around NYC. This scares me to the bone- I cannot fathom with all this gridlock. He's running tomorrow with a friends bib since his buddy is injured. Jakob is just gonna wing it. He's a tall strong young dude. He'll do fine.
It's day before marathon and you can't do much. I hate living like this and conserving energy for the big race. What a terrible state. But it'll all be over tomorrow, I'll be free.
So I go on my Stadium Tour. I like to see the stadiums I see on TV and I've seen all my life. That way I can relieve the memories of the trip each time I watch sports. I know pretty sad. First up a train ride out to Flushing, Queens to see The National Tennis Center.
In the Subway stations just as in Chicago, they have musicians. I saw some really good ones. An old guy playing top 40 hits on a steel drum was impressive. And an 8yr old Asian kid playing classical on keyboard while looking up the whole time. People were showering him with cash.
But on the train at one stop, 2 guys, one with accordion and one with guitar got on. And immediately launched into a mariachi song. I'm like sweet some entertainment for the 30min trip. I like it, but after about 1 minute the accordion player takes off his hat and walks around while still playing and singing, looking for money. No one coughs up any money. I wasn't sure it was legal- I've seen signs up about only playing in designated zones... But bam! the music stops mid song- they are out of here. It's a wrap. They are throwing open the subway car door and going into the next car. Banging the guitar in the doorway as the train rattles on. Through the window I watch the scene repeat in the next car. These guys don't play for free. I wonder how many songs my thought-about-$1 would have gotten? Probably just the other 1/2 of the song.
So I go back to my window gazing. As we head to Queens. I start to notice, there is no grass here, only concrete. A few honorary trees on each block, they left 2 squares of sidewalk for them. It must have been 20 minutes into the trip before I saw my first yard. Wow. Just building after building, apartments after apartments, over and over.
I get to my stop and I see it, Arthur Ashe Tennis Stadium, it's still getting it's new roof put on- trying to avoid those rain delays and Jimmy Connors reruns. They should name the roof after Aaron Krickstien. Ha ha. I walk around the Billie Jean King National Tennis Stadium. I can't go in cuz the construction the attendant tells me so I walk the outside. Never knew there was a big park behind it. I saw the big Globe fountain they always show when going to commercial breaks. I'd love to go to the US Open some day and watch some tennis, especially a night session would be awesome! Perhaps me and Bryan Wagner will take a trip when we're old and gray... actually that's now eh? :<(Across the street I see CitiField where the Mets are playing in the World Series tonight. The Mets won last night, so the series is 2-1 Royals, but the city is energized. Back on to Subway, then I go to the Bronx and see Yankee Stadium, it's cool but I'd rather have seen the old historical one that was across the street, the 'House that Ruth Built'. But it was torn down and replaced about 10 yrs ago. Gotta have those corporate suites.Next up I go by Ruckers Park in Harlem, home of the best pick up basketball in the USA. But it was pretty much empty. I thought I'd get to see some good games. The kids there told me, the big pickup games and tournaments happen in the summer. Players like Lebron and other NBA players come in and celebrities like Jay Z come too. The court is kinda sloped and rough and the rims are jacked up. But the kids say they bring in a nice court for the big time games. I shoot a few baskets with one kid. It was fun. Normal Saturday for me now, sports with the kids.
I get some Ramen noodles and sweet potatoes at the small grocery store across the street from the playground, should be good enough for dinner. The hostel has 4 kitchens, all connected, in the basement for cooking.
In subway back there are some good Halloween costumes. Ghostbusters(in the right setting too and he had an awesome ghost catcher gizmo), witches, and some gory ones too, a zipper face eating a red lolly-pop along with blood makeup was grossing me out. Kinda weird being first time in New York on Halloween. Other's told me that Times Square was crazy.
I get back to hostel, cook, eat, watch the Mets in the World Series a bit, then go to bed. Just me and UK Matt again. Hard to sleep. Extra hour for day light savings seems like a curse, I just wanna start running.
SUNDAY
Finally race day. I got a few hrs sleep. That's the thing about these out of town marathons. Get dressed. UKMatt's up a little late for him. He's one of those guys that always gets up 4am. But today with the extra hour he got up about 4:30 like me.
We head on down to the subway. Next train not due for 15 minutes. Great. People taking the ferry are a bit worried cuz the subway line doesn't go all the way due to track maintenance. I'm taking a bus so this line will take me far enough.
I take subway get off at 50th street. Then walk to 54th and 6th Ave for my bus. I'm here on time @ 6am. It's just slightly cold, I got on a long sleeve t-shirt. There is an elite bus up front. Then the 5 sub-elite buses. Yeah i'm on the last one- i think they did the bibs by speed. I get on the bus. Then they get us back off to search the bus and us. K-9 dogs checking us over, plus magic wand. Wand goes off on my butt. Officer says, "what's back there?". I'm like, "Uh Safety Pins?". He said, "okay". Security. I'm all for it. Even though we have to sit around on ground for a while.
On bus ride, lots of different languages. Some loud team and manager taking pictures of everything. Selfies, more selfies, their manager took one in the bathroom later. Crazy. I'm trying to sleep. Bus ride takes forever. Delays here, Delays there. Everything shut down for marathon. Finally after about an 1hr and 10 minutes of seemingly going in circles, we get to some complex in Staten Island. I thought it was a boat shop or hangar, cause it's huge and odd shaped. We walk in, it's a brand new facility. On first floor all the runners try to hit the bathroom. They say go to 2nd floor. Same thing there everyone piles in the restrooms. Waiting on a stall in line. Come on man, come on. Only 4 stalls. Finally one opens up. Stall door opens- out comes Meb Keflezighi - top American Marathoner and 2014 Boston Marathon Champ, 2011 New York City Marathon Champ. All right dumping after the champ. The stall has those annoying half turn oval tp holders that try to minimize your tp usage. Come on. I feel like an addicted rat trying to get more tp from the experiment. Plus the buildings are so new the flushing is not great.
So finally i'm out of the bathroom.
And I walk into the big room er stadium. Wow. I gather by the signs I'm at the brand new Ocean Breeze facility. It's an indoor track and field stadium / training facility. Nice. Giant windows all along one side where you can see the waterfront view. Amazing. I hear everyone 'oohing' and 'ahhing' over it and saying 'this is way better than where they had us last year.'
I can't believe I'm with the elites as well. Treated just like us. This is not like Chicago. There are snacks and stuff in the hall. But I don't take any. I'm not checking any bag, so it'll all be trash to me. I chose the post-race poncho option before they let me into the sub-elite division. For breakfast, I had a banana and couple power bars on the bus and some water.They announce and have up on the scoreboard: Elite women get back on the bus to leave to start line @ 8:30, Elite men and Sub-elites leave @ 8:55. Any announcements are useless in this empty cavernous facility, too much echo. So I have about 45 minutes to kill, sitting in the stands. Man, I'm star gazing.I watch the elite women do warm up laps around. I see Kenyans Queen Mary Keitany (last yr NYC defending champion) and Priscah Jeptoo (World Marathon Major winner 2 yrs ago) jogging around the outside lanes of the track together step for step, just talking. I see the more muscular runners from other countries Sara Moreira from Portugal and the Americans. I see Sally Kipyego running by herself. Although I saw Queen Mary talk to her a bit before leaving. But interesting to see the different cliches, mostly sticking with countrymen and not so much those who moved to America.
In the infield a bunch of the elite men are stretching. Meb is already doing his ritual:dynamic stretching(elastic bands), drills, and warm up routines. While, the Kenyans, Wilson Kipsang, Stanley Biwott, Geoffrey Kamworor are doing some half-hearted leg and hip stretches while laying down and looking at ceiling and joking with each other. Totally chilled. Heads propped up on their plastic gear check bags, wearing those loose fitting sweat suits.
The Ethiopians are over by the pole vault mat, Lelisa Desisa and Yemane Tsegay. Just laying about too.
I hear one of the coordinators in the stands saying to another guy. 'Man the toilet tissue is going like hotcakes...' They are having to replenish the bathrooms. You have 200 carbo loaded runners trying to get ready for the race, after an 1hr and half bus ride, this is what you get. Bathrooms are more important than warm up or breakfast at this point.
The elite women are being urged to get back on the bus to go to start line. They start that way, not in much of a hurry. The men start getting on the track. A coordinator says, "Someone go wake up Wilson." "Are they sleeping?" referring to the Kenyans just laying there. Finally they get up and start to jog a bit.
I run a few laps and one lady runs with me for a while, telling me about how the NYC marathon is her kick off to run across the USA. I think she said she had a website, Kayla runs across the USA or something. I haven't found it. She says hi to Meb as he laps us. And she starts talking to another Top USA runner Nick Arciniaga about a roommate they both know.
I pull off. And I see the Kenyans about to go around again. So I wait for them to go by. I gotta do it. I tag on to the back of their pack of about 8 runners. I gotta run a lap with my favorite runner, Wilson Kipsang- I like his style and effort, and smile. They are barely running just moseying along. A jog and giggle. I do the lap, like a kid at fantasy camp. I notice no one passes Wilson. Just like the women, no one passed Mary. They just follow their lead.When Priscah Jeptoo took a break to get something she sped right back up to run again side by side with Mary.I also notice an organizer going to the top contenders and testing their bibs with an electronic machine. Can't afford a mistake on the top runners.Finally they call us to start getting on the bus. A coordinator yells, "Someone go get Yuki". I see Yuki Kawauchi walking the wrong way, back to the hallway, with his headphones on. He's another favorite elite marathoner of mine. He runs
for Japan and they call him the 'Citizen Runner'. He's refuses to join the national or corporate team, and takes pride in his everyday clerk job and gets back the next day after most major marathons, paying for things himself. He's got lost a few times getting to marathons- in his own world.So walking back to the buses. I'm right behind Wilson Kipsang. These guys are small and narrow, nothing to them. An organizer is talking to Wilson... she says in an animated tone, as to not-a-native speaker, "stretching is rolli-polli, warm-up is rolli-polli, race is..." He kinda nods. We get on the buses. I ask the bus driver if the Mets won last night. "No" he says, "Royals rallied with 5 runs in the 8th" The buses weave around streets and get us beside the big bridge. We walk up the ramp. Helicopters buzzing. Wind blowing. They take our bags and say this is it. The elites already have been separated from us. And they tell us sub-elites to following the coordinator for the start line. Go now or get left behind.
Okay weird, we're in a separate shoot than elites. I think there are 2 start lines on top of bridge and they all merge together. The sub elite escort takes us up to bridge access point then tells us 'ok just go up to front there' and he leaves. So we gotta snake through a packed starting shoot; full of angry runners who have already staked out their ground. I just follow the biggest guy through... Sub-elites coming thru... they look at us like, 'So what? We're gonna whip ur ass anyway!' We get to the front without any fights. But turns out there are some legit runners in the sub-elite class. Actually 6 out of the top 20 in the men's race will come from the sub-elite group with bib numbers in the 200s.
We can warm up if we want, running up the steep hill incline of the bridge in front of the start line. Uh, no thanks. I see the runners jumping over the concrete barriers to squat down and pee. Men and women alike. There is no pride, here. It's game time.
Finally we're all behind start line. Darn helicopters are loud. 50,000 people behind us, and I guess below us on the other bridge level too. Finally the cannon goes off. And Frank Sinatra's singing, "Start spreading the news... I'm leaving today... Be a part of it New York, New York" Here we go.
NYC MARATHON 2015: STARTS
Mile 1 - up the Verrazona Narrow Bridge (160 ft climb) (6:18 min per a mile)We start up the bridge, it's steep. I try to hold back and conserve energy. Probably a sign you're going out too fast when you're ahead of the elite(pro) men for about a minute. They are on the center lane of the bridge with cameras pointed at them but diagonal so no one sees our start shoot over here gettin' out to a lead. They must have started back a bit cuz they coming fast. Distance should all even out when we merge together at mile 3 or 8. I look over as the elites; Kipsang, Biwott, Meb come storming by my pack that's in the other bridge lane. However the top guys in the sub elite group are already up there too. That's crazy fast. 5min miles or below the whole way.Mile 2 - down the Verrazona Narrow Bridge (200 ft downhill) (5:30)Try to stay controlled here on the downhill down the bridge, some people are flying by. I'm trying to make up some time from the slower first mile but still stay comfortable.
Mile 3 - 92nd Street (slight incline 30 ft) (5:50)
We do a loop around to get off the bridge, then head up another hill. Damn this course not starting easy.
Mile 4 - Fourth Ave (5:51)
Mile 5 - Fourth Ave (5:49)
Mile 6 - Fourth Ave (5:48)
Mile 7 - Fourth Ave (5:49)
Mile 8 - Fourth Ave (5:46)
I run with a pack of 3 for about 30 minutes or 5 miles here. I'm just trying to hang on most of the time. A guy in black
singlet is leading us, bib #256. THen a guy in blue from Sweden, bib #292. Then the girl everybody loves cheering for is with us #1102. Crowd goes nuts when she goes by. She is the first 'non-elite' women. So it's the first lady the crowd has seen in about 30 minutes- cuz the lady pros start early here. She is from Peru, so I'm guessing the hills aren't bothering her. She goes on to finish as the 11the woman overall!! Prolly getting some ca$h for that. She beats half the women's invited elite pros, wearing bib number #1102. Anyway I hang with this threesome for about 1/2 an hour. At one point black singlet ask me what I'm going for I mutter "2:35ish" he says 'yeah me too'. People are always looking for people to run with. But I can tell he's a lot more springy than me. Definitely leading the pack. By the end I'm surging to hang on to this threesome. It's too early for this. Gotta let them go. Looking back I shoulda let them go earlier I think.They go on to finish: Black singlet 2:34 Peter Bromka ex tufts U runner, blue singlet 2:36 Claes Theander Swede in my age group, lady in red 2:37 Rocio Cantara Rojas from Peru gets #11th overall for women, doesn't look like a runner, but very small. Much respect.Mile 9 - Lafayette Ave (60 ft hill) (5:54)Mile 10 - Lafayette Ave (60 ft downhill) (5:53)Mile 11 - Bedford Ave (30 ft hill) (5:58)Mile 12 - Bedford Ave (30 ft downhill) (5:56)
Mile 13 - Manhattan Ave (5:59)I let the threesome go. I'm dumping water on my head cuz i'm hot and working hard. I gotta back er down a bit to survive. But I keep it below 6min pace on the watch. Feeling okay. Mile 14 - Pulaski Bridge (40ft up then down) (6:06)Damn that little bridge sucked, going by Half Marathon mark at 1:17:40 on an uphill, so typical of this course. I take inventory. Ok. I feel okay. I know the tough hills lay ahead. And I backed off my pace a bit the last 4 miles. I've worked hard. But I'm not dead. Just get a 1:20 on the 2nd half and you'll be ok. Here we go...Mile 15 - Vernon Ave (50ft up- start of bridge) (6:20)Mile 16 - Queensboro Bridge (60 ft up then down) (6:44)Dang gears a grinding. This is rough. Everyone talks about this one. A covered bridge in isolation. People going by me here. It's long and steady.I'm around Italian #1612 David Scarabelli who is wearing one of those Dunkin Donut beanies they hand out, until he hands it off to someone in crowd. Actually we turn out with a very similar race. And I'm also around #1102 Boyd Carrington of NYC a lot too.
Mile 17 - Queensboro Bridge Cont (40 ft down) (5:59)
All right finally free. I catch a few of those rat bastards who passed me on the uphill. Glad to get back on pace.
Mile 18 - First Ave (40 ft drop) (6:20)- uh oh. first sign of trouble. Maybe GPS watch not getting good reception? I'm going downhill but pace is stuck. Quads feeling bad. oh sheesh.
Mile 19 - First Ave (6:29) - what can i do?? I'm just holding on for 6:30 pace. And I got a long way to go. People catching me. And still the Central Park hills are coming...
Mile 20 - First Ave / Willis Ave Bridge (20 ft climb) (6:36) more uphill and I'm just rocked. quads are gone. I'm doing running math. Watch says about 2 hrs on it. I got 39 more minutes of work for sub 2:40. 6mi x 6 min pace would equal 36 plus extra for the .2 mi which is usually about 2 min. Ughhh I got nothing to work with here. I ain't seen 6min pace in 3 miles. I gotta pick it up somehow...
Mile 21 - 138th St Bridge (6:17) - okay 6:17 that's a start.
Mile 22 - 138th St Bridge (6:25) - winding down again...
Mile 23 - Fifth Ave (6:29) - winding down again. I can't stop it... legs are numb
Mile 24 - Fifth Ave (40 ft climb) (6:53) - and here comes the big climb in central park. I'm dying here. but so is everyone else. It's hold on. keep it under 7 min man, come on, have some self-respect.
Mile 25 - East Drive (drops 50 ft then up 20 ft) (6:18) - all right give it a shot. I lie to myself that 6 min pace will put me close. I can't get it. keep hanging in there. back and forth with a few guys. I surge ahead they catch me and vice versa. everyone yelling for the first NYPD guy, he's good on the up hills.
Mile 26 - Central Park (down ups) (6:20) - keep hanging on. Back and forth. I get to 26 a little before 2:40. I can see all goals are done... just no more passing, everyone is dead here. I pass a guy that I went back and forth with on Queensboro bridge back at 16 mi. (But he gets me by a second, Boyd Carrington, on offical results cuz of my chip time. ouch. my age group too. ouch. )
Mile 26.2 - Central Park (12ft incline to finish) (6:12) - Just finish. NYPD guy gets me. oh man. glad to be done. so pissed at the 2nd half.
I think of a lyric from one of my favortie bands, Old 97s 'Streets of Where I'm from' sums it up:
'I've been had, at least that's how it looks,
It's not funny like on TV, and it's not smart like it is in books.
I wonder yeah I wonder...'
I feel like a real flat-lander.
---My RACE ANALYSIS---
I finish in 2:42:12
111th Male, 126th Overall, 15 elite ladies got me
19th in my age group. 7th American in age group. Hey Meb is in my age group. He set US Masters record with 2:13.
I didn't think masters prize $$ was an option- this is a deep race. Lots of internationals.
My goal was top 100 finishers. Fail.
Hoping for a 2:37 or at least sub 2:40. Fail.
But these are not easy goals.
Finishers around me:
Over Age Finish Half
All Gender Group Bib Time Split Pace
---- ------ ----- ---- -------- ------- ----
91 79 13 577 CHRIS DAWES 44M NY 02:39:06 01:17:45
100 88 14 754 JULIO SAUCE 43M ECU 02:40:07 01:17:35 06:07
101 89 15 1653 MICHAEL STADOLNIK 42M CT 02:40:09 01:17:57 06:07
105 92 16 1355 FINN KOLLSTAD 40M NOR 02:40:51 06:09
122 107 17 1086 WERNER BROZ 44M ITA 02:41:59 01:16:58 06:11
125 110 18 1106 BOYD CARRINGTON* 43M NY 02:42:10 01:17:56 06:12
126 111 19 273 PETER LAWRENCE 43M TX 02:42:11 01:17:42 06:12
135 120 20 596 ALEXANDER WALSH 41M NY 02:42:32 01:17:40 06:12
140 125 21 2314 STEPHEN JOHNSON 44M CA 02:42:44 01:20:35 06:13
143 128 22 1500 MIROSLAV NOVAK 41M SVK 02:42:50 01:18:53 06:13
242 222 29 42 GREG VAN HEST 42M NED 02:48:04 01:15:25 06:25
247 227 30 1044 STEFANO BALDINI 44M ITA 02:48:09 01:21:50 06:25
256 236 31 1655 GIUSEPPE STARA 40M ITA 02:48:37 01:17:54 06:26
257 237 32 1676 JEROME TASSIN 41M FRA 02:48:42 01:19:17 06:27
264 244 33 1554 MARCIN PODGORSKI 40M POL 02:49:02 01:24:42 06:27
266 245 34 293 KOOS VERWEIJ 44M NED 02:49:06 01:17:58 06:27
293 270 39 2259 MATT HALL** 43M GBR 02:50:10 01:21:41 06:30
*(I passed him at end, we passed each other about 3 times in race, good race man- he got me on chip time)
**(my hostel roomie)
The weather was 57deg at start with slight wind.
And 62deg at finish w/ medium humidity. Link proof for Kerry :)
Not bad. But I like marathons in 30s and 40s for my fastest times.
Can be a lot worse in NYC with head winds.
But UK Matt said this year was warmer than usual.
My first half of race and last half splits:
1:17:42 first half (13.1miles) (5:55 per mi pace)
1:24:29 second half (13.1miles) (6:27 per mi pace)
(6:11 total pace)
That is not good.
Runners like to have a negative split. ie 2nd half better than the 1st half. Especially for longer races. I hardly ever do, I like to go out hard and stick with packs. I'm usually off 2 or 3 minutes. But on NYC course's tough 2nd half it turned in close to 7 minutes. Ouch. Looking at times and splits of finishers around me and my age group.
It was a familiar story with many of them too.
I'd have been better going thru first half closer to 1:20 and trying to do better on 2nd half. But it's a tough one. No way you coulda talked me into that before the race this time. It's hard to limit yourself. Especially when you're thinking you only get one shot at the course in your lifetime.I don't know?? It was my legs that were shot. Maybe nothing would have mattered. But racing the downhills in the beginning could have lead to the severe quad fatigue. Never had knots like that. If I was to run it again i'd go out a little slower, aiming for a 1:19 on first half, not following any hard charging packs til the 2nd half. And just try to save as much as I could for the 2nd half. But it would still be a helluva fight for sub 2:40.I definitely didn't do enough hill training. I was thinking it was just the bridges... but there are a lot of rollers on the course.
Argghhh... Shoulda woulda coulda.... but I know I gave it my all.
---- RACE AFTERMATH - Pay the piper ---
Someone guides me to the Sub-elite/Elite tent. They hand me that foil blanket then look for my bag. I say 'no bag I did poncho.' THey give me a poncho. I see elite runners Wilson and Mary and others sitting around the tent. Would be cool to hang out. But I'm in no mood. Plus the tent is boiling hot. My temperature is still up from the race. These dudes have been chilling 30 minutes. Also my stomach is rumbling. Hrrmph.
I take my star wars looking poncho self out to the nearest exit. And try to start heading to hostel. Security says you gotta walk back down to 60th st to exit, then walk back up. I'm on like 64th or something and my hostel is up on 103rd. No one is around over here just their barricades. They finally give in let me go thru barricade away from Central Park so I can start my trek to hostel. I guess a 2 mile walk.
I walk almost 1 mi and my stomach is back flipping and my hands are tingling. I gotta lay down. So i spy a little dirt patch amidst the sidewalk close to some shrubs. Of course everyone walking by sees a down marathoner and checks on me. I say I'm fine. Finally a lady stops and says she with the RedCross. I tell her this happens sometimes after marathons. She just sits there a talks to me and eats her zucchini muffin. I tell her about a few weeks ago on my bike almost getting killed by one of those Euro looking Red Cross vans in my hometown. I was breaking some road laws and crossed and didn't see the van, but the guy stopped and waved. Kinda ironic to get killed by the Red Cross. But totally my fault. I told her how amazed I was with NYC. The subway, thrash pickup, the logistics... I can't believe it all works... nonplussed, she told me 'it really doesn't work.' She also said living in NYC is stressful. Just getting groceries is an ordeal, subway, stairs, only get a few supplies, then make it home. She said she doesn't have a car and misses the freedom of being able to get away, 'you gotta get away she rambles off....'
Up walks my roommate UK Matt and kicks my foot. He gives me some static for having a bit of a layabout here on the sidewalk. Pretty Pathetic. I wanna go with him. But I need some more time.
Finally i feel better. The Red Cross worker is glad to be rid of my baby self. I think I've depressed her about NYC and life. And I start the rest of the walk to the hostel. By the time i get there i need another lay down but i push on. I come in the room throw my post race stuff on the bed and head directly to the bathroom with my foil blanket. I tell UK Matt to perhaps check on me, in case I die. He's in there already showered and fresh and going to get a bite to eat, he's always showering and lotion-ing- must shower 6 times a day- nice and tidy. I ain't took a shower since i been here.
So here I am laying on the bathroom floor; I lay in there trying to keep from throwing up. A few people come in and leave, prolly thinking hostel has gone to heck and dudes are living in the bathroom. There are 2 showers and 1 stall in here. Some marathoner comes in and sets up camp in the stall. My stomach decides it's go time. He finally comes out but leaves some stuff in there and starts talking to another marathoner who has come in. I say 'hey man i gotta get in there.' He clears out as I launch some gatorade-pea soup concoction into the toilet. Dang my throw up streak ended... i guess it's had been about 6 or 7 years. Oh well... I have a few more rounds; dry heaves, gasping for air. While the two guys at the sink don't miss a beat. They're lamenting how they only got 2:59 something rather than the 2:50 somethings they wanted. Hey don't mind me in here guys- I'm just dying. THey finally leave. I'm back on the ground outside the stall, limp, race bib soiled, they say casually... 'hope you start feeling better buddy.' Rat bastards. Freakin marathoners know it's just part of the game. Ain't racing unless someone's puking. Just step over my dead body, why don't ya? Freakin pea soup gatorade bull, NYC course, flat lander, 2nd half slaughter, dreams crushed. UGhhh. Delerium. But I love the feeling of you gave it your all.I get back to the room. Climb into top bunk and just shiver under the blankets. I talk to UK Matt, he got a 2:50 nice. One week after the Marine Corps Marathon where he got 2:46 or 2:48. Nice work, quick turnaround. He tells me yeah everyone seems to be complaining about their time. Welcome to NYC dude, feels like 'Hotel California'. UK Matt says NYC is the toughest course of the majors, he's done them all, actually in one year. Crazy man.
Finally I start to feel better. I talk to home and my parents. They console me. I take one of the best showers of my life. Then head down to the kitchen for some more Ramen noodles and a hard boiled egg someone gave me, and a nice Ginger Ale from the soda machine.
I want to go see Times Square all lit up at night. I ask UK Matt to go but he wants to turn in early. So I hit the subway. Only in NYC once right?
On the subway it warms my heart to see people all getting along. Different cultures, sharing, all the same; the melting pot. I love public transportation. You always hear about how New Yorkers are rude. But everyone I met was super nice. Anytime I was lost and needed help, they pointed me in the right way, shot baskets with me, helped me when I was laid out on the sidewalk. Time Square was crazy. Wow. People everywhere, vendors, lights, lights, ads, ads, just crazy, but a happiness, felt like New Years Eve. I watch the Mets-Royals World Series game a bit at a pub and had a few cokes. Then I head back home tired. But hey I'll just walk the 2.5 miles, it'll be good for the legs right? I see the shops closing. Piling up their daily garbages out front. 12-15 bags at almost every corner. oh man. And at Central Park crews dismantling the Marathon stuff. Hauling out the Porta-Potties- rough job. I keep on walking. Lots of places have TV's on but no one in there and lights are off. I can see the Mets game... it's getting close. Keep Walking. Oh no, Mets made a 9th inning throwing error. It's going to extra innings. I'm back at hostel now. I watch the finale in the TV room. Some young people are in there drinking some beers and talking about the world, at one point they say, "I could never be friends with a Texan... they're views are just too conservative." Another says "I like Texans, there is no b.s. with them." I don't say anything(like everyone in the whole state is the same) I just turn the channel to the game. I got lucky and it went right to it. The tv turner cable box is broken and you can only go one direction, takes forever. The TV projects up onto the big wall in the room.UK Matt told me he was trying to change the channel one morning, and going all the way around with the damn one working button. And some ladies walked in and it was going slowly past the blocked out adult channels. But it was putting up the crazy show titles. The ladies walked out quickly. He was like 'I'm not watching those... the remote doesn't work... there is only one button...' But they were gone; prolly thinking geez this guy's up at it early. Ha.
Anyway. The Mets lose. More NYC losers... The Royals celebrate, World Series Champs. Dang that was the team that the Astros had a chance to beat, needed 6 more outs w/ 4 run lead.
I head to bed. Tired. Marathon is over.
MONDAY
I wake in morning. Have the hostel's free breakfast with an Egyptian, a Russian, and a Brit. They talk politics some. Russian lady who knew 10 words of English says it best, over and over, "People not problem, only politics." Then more bad talk about conservative Texans- started by a pot stirring New Yorker. Geesh. I tell them about our Democratic mayor who is a lesbian, blows their minds. They expect our politicians to be cowboys.
Me and UK Matt walk down to Central Park and back after seeing how long the marathon store line is wow. We both leave today and don't have time for that. So that's a good 4 mile walk. We say bye's and exchange emails.
I head down to see World Trade Center, get a glimpse of Statue of Liberty, walk back towards Wall St., then on to Chinatown, and little Italy, getting the kids a some tshirts in the process. Lots of walking pedometer says 15 miles for the day! Walking NYC is awesome everything is connected and pretty close.Then I catch a train back to Newark, NJ airport. Super confusing- is this train to airport or Trenton? Scares a tourist trying to catch a plane. Long security line at Newark airport. But finally I'm ready to catch plane. I see BARCers Dale and David. We trade racing stories. Then it's the flight home.
I watch some more of that pbs documentary 'Texas: 1 Square Mile', i like it.
Ahh back in Texas. I run 2 miles back to my car from Hobby airport at 9pm. Quads are in knots. Most painful run ever. Like 13 min pace with back pack. Quads feel like they are torn or cracked.
I go home and see wife and kids. Ahh good to be back. No more solo marathon travels for me. Enough races around here that don't cost nearly as much. But a good trip none the less, I got to see New York City and that dang course. I'd love another crack at it, but too expensive for me.
I think I did it about cheap as possible:
$250 entry
$250 Southwest plane
$185 total for 3 nights in hostel dorm + free daily breakfast
$25 for roundtrip train to-fro Newark airport to NYc.
$30 in subway costs (I didn't do unlimited but went around so much it cost me $30)
$20 groceries/food.
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So like $760 total. Which is cheap....
Actually an AirBnB couch or a friend in NYC could make it cheaper.
Only thing with AirBnB it seemed less reliable. I saw lots of posts where owner cancelled reservation at last minute.Hate to get up there and they cancel your room or something then your scrambling. Plus never know how much sleep you can get, especially with Halloween/Fall back time the night before.So even though relatively cheap, we gotta be saving for kids'college, not Dad's hobby.So definitely keep it more local from now on.TUESDAY - back to workHappy to be back home in Clear Lake. Ah, the streets are wider. Space between houses. Space between things. Space. There is grass and it's greener. Everything seems way slower, more peaceful. Wow, a change of perspective. I used to think things were crazy around here(wait til work and schedule kick back in); but man we got it good. A greater appreciation for where you come from.
Thank You New York!!! Goodnight.
Totally changed my image of the Big Apple.
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