NYC 1/2 Marathon August 16, 2009

Here is the evidence for all the non-believers! I promise, this whole Team for Kids isn't a scam and I do run!!! (I still can't believe it myself!) On the day of my 31st birtday, I ran the NYC 1/2 marathon and this is my experience.

5a.m:

Didn't get much sleep the night before as I was anxious for the race. I fell asleep around 12am and woke up 5 hours later. I left my apartment on 80st and 2nd and started the walk to the team for kids meeting spot on 90st and 5th avenue. Walking out of my building, it was still dark. as I walked to the corner bagel store, I passed a group of drunk people that were having trouble communicating through their slurs, and a couple in a car that couldn't wait until they got home to show their affection for one another... It was somewhat of a surreal experience as only some months ago I was the one coming back home in the wee hours of the morning and trying to understand why anyone would wake up on a Sunday morning to exercise. After some strange looks from waiters cleaning up the bars on 2nd avenue, I slipped into the bagel store and ordered a sesame bagel with peanut butter, a plain bagel and a cup of coffee. I ate both bagels and had the coffee while I walked up 3rd avenue. I made a left on 86th street, and woke up the guy at the fruit stand that was sleeping on the footstep of a building to buy a couple of bannanas that I ate as well.

I don't know what got into me, but I ate a lot, and I was stuffed... big mistake! I should have not eaten so much right before the race. I think my nerves got the better of me and I needed to keep myself occupied...

I was under the impression that the entire city was snoring like the guy at the fruit stand until I heard the roar of 10,000 anxious runners in the central park. I couldn't believe it. Here I was, in the darkness of a Sunday morning with another 10,000 crazy runners ready to run through the streets of NY.
We did some light stretches, received some last minute advice from our coaches, and we were off to our starting corrals.

Miles 1-7
At the sound of the starting gun, we were off. The excitement was palpable. The first 7 miles was a loop around central park; familiar training ground for the TFK team as we have done this 100 times before. However, I never ran with another 5,000 people ahead of me. I had started with a slower pace group so I began passing hundreds of other runners throughout the park. I realized I had come along way in my training since I started back in January as I was hardly feeling the strain after 5-6 miles compared to the other runners around me that were working way to hard. I picked up the pace in the last two miles in park as I found more room to run with runners dropping behind.

Miles 7-9

We exited the park on to 7th avenue shooting straight down for Times Square on 42st. This was probably the best part of the race. Here I was running through the skyscrapers of New York with thousands of people screaming on either side of the road. I can still picture the the traffic lights that were aligned down the avenue, changing from red to green and back again for no one but the runners. I realized that I had transformed myself from a couch-potatoe to an athlete once again running a 1/2 marathon through the streets of New York. Within 10 months, on the day of my birthday, I once again felt like I was that 18 year old kid that went to volleyball practice 4 times a week.

At the SE corner of 42st, one of the children organizations that TFK sponsors was waiting to cheer on all the TFK florescent green singlets as they passed... It really put things into perspective on who we were raising funds for.

Friends and family- this is who your generous contributions are assisting. Through our running as a TFK team, we are attempting to inspire these children to inspire themselves, much like we have by setting the goal to complete the marathon. With a little luck, hard work and determination, they can realize that the natural stimulation of running or any other sport, far exceeds any drug and video game.

Miles 9-11.

Once we made a right on 42st and headed for the West Side Highway, at the intersection of 42st and WSH, there was a stage set up with Brazilian Samba dancers in full costume. They must have already been dancing for an hour, but when they saw us, they seem to have picked it up a notch. My food binge at the beginning of the race was starting to get to me as I began imagining that the two bagels were more like dun-bells at the pit of my stomach. However, I still felt very strong and continued to pick up the pace. Unlike the Brooklyn 1/2 that I did back in May, I still felt strong and relaxed at Miles 10-11.


Miles 11-13.2

The last two miles I established a pretty stable pace, but I was definitely feeling the mental strain of running for 1 hr and 30 minutes. In long distance running, there is always a point in a race (or any long distance training run!) that you experience a mental dialogue between the signals of pain that your receiving from your body and your rational mind. I knew I was well trained for this race, and knew that I could make it to the finish line without a problem, but I was trying to convince my body that I could, and here is where the allure of long distance running lies that humbles even the world-class athlete.

Finding the energy to force one foot in front of the other while feeling the pain tingle in every muscle of your body, empowers you for a life time. The power of your mind and belief in yourself will get you to the finish line, not your tired body.

I happened to let my body get the best of my as I sprinted the last 800ft. I crossed the finish line feeling like I still had alot left in my tank, even though my body screamed that I didn't. I was very happy with my time 1:45:23, but disappointed that I didn't leave everything I could on the circuit.

I am still exhilarated with my accomplishment and recommend to anyone to attempt a half marathon for themselves, with one word of advice: when you cross the finish line, you better have leaft everything you have on the road behind you; the experience will be that more for filling.

After the race we took a couple of team pictures and went to brunch where my running team treated me to a slice of cheesecake for my birthday. All said and done, this is one of the most memorable birthdays I have ever had, so a big thank you to all my TFK teammates, my friends and family that embrased this marathon goal along with me and marathon endeavor itself, that has already given me so much more than fitness.