Finished the NY Marathon. Will write more tonight, but wanted to say “Thanks” to all, and give a couple of thoughts:
1. Absolutely a great race if you’re interested in either adding it to your palmares, or interested in just doing one. The course is great, the spectators are amazing, and the race is pretty well supported.
2. It is official – running a second marathon two weeks after your first is a dumb, dumb idea. I completely ran out of gas about mile 18, and walked the majority of the last eight. Partially to avoid excessive pain on Monday, partially because I just couldn’t summon up the will to make my legs turn over at a running pace.
3. In sport that is available to “the rest of us”, NYC deserves a really special place. Coming off of the Queensboro bridge onto Manhattan was amazing – thousands of people waiting at the bottom feels like coming into an Olympic stadium. Then the turn onto First Ave – incredible. Runners and screaming spectators quite literally as far as the eye can see; a swarming mass stretching all the way to the Harlem river. Wow. That was good for an extra two miles out of exhausted legs.
4. I can now say that I recall Central Park in fall. The race promoters must be in on the whole global warming conspiracy – the leaves were golden and releasing as the race entered the park, the sunlight was phenomenal. If not for the pain, I would mark that down as the best 2.5 miles of my running career.
For those keeping score, I came in at slightly over 5 hours. Was on pace for about 4:15 until I completely fell apart at mile 18; the extra 45 minutes are from walking 5 of the last 8 miles.
As I mentioned, I’d recommend the race. Due to the sheer volume of runners, though, I wouldn’t plan on setting a PR at this race.
Congratulations! The weather was amazing this weekend. It was inspiring to watch the race on tv and to follow the RBFers with the race tracker. Great job. We’re looking forward to hearing more about it. So, are you planning on running ANOTHER marathon in two weeks?
We get the New York Times at work and I saved the special marathon section with YOU in mind…would you like to send it to you?
oh yeah…and CONGRATS on that whole second marathon thing. Crazy person.
You achieved your header goal. Now what? Stay smart and not fat, I guess.
Congratulations on doing it. It sounds like the adoring spectator high was worth every minute of it.
That totally rocks, Bill! And who cares about your time? I mean, two weeks after your last marathon? You were just there to run the damn thing right? Noone PR’s running marathons so close together.
Way cool buddy!
Sounds like a memorable race, Bill :-) Congrats!
Congrats!!! I saw some of it on TV and it looked sooooooooooooo awesome. It’s definitely on my “To Do” list.
Screw the time! you totally finished two marathons in less than a month – that is beyond mortal. Your wife has to make you a cape to wear during your next one.
Unbelievable. I mean I believe it. I just can’t imagine it! You are an amazing machine:)
Congratulations, Marathon Man! I completely
admire your chutzpah, doing two marathons in
two weeks!
Congratulations, forget about the time, my goodness you ran a marathon two weeks before NY! I would be slaphappysilly if I would even make over the finish line! You rock!