NYC Marathon 2009

I’ve got to get a better training plan if I am going to continue doing marathons and ultrarunning.  Drinking beer and sitting on my ass in preparation for a marathon is a sure way to make sure you have a long and painful experience.  I am not saying unpleasant, as I did have a good time, but the day was very long and my legs were killing me by the end.

In the month prior to the marathon I think I’ve only run about 5 times, with the longest and oldest run being only13 miles.  I knew I should have been doing more, but my motivation just hasn’t been there.  Part of my problem is that half the time when I go out for a run, I seem to have nothing.  Or I should say I have the malaise.  I don’t know where this malaise comes from or even how to predict its arrival, but it’s been scaring me enough to just say to hell with going out for a run.  I hate heading out from home, getting a couple of miles away and then petering out and having to walk home

Anyway, let’s talk about the 2009 NYC Marathon.  The day was cool, but not cold, overcast, but with only a few sprinkles during the wait for the start and otherwise perfect for marathon running.  For a change I wasn’t cold while waiting for the marathon to begin.  I occupied my time hanging out with @aristorat and our friend Will.  We made camp near the base of the Verrazano Bridge and spent the time napping, chatting and otherwise getting ready for the start.  Basically, it was uneventful and a pleasant way to kill several hours.

We were in the second starting wave, but somehow we headed to the start a little late and didn’t get going until the third wave.  It didn’t really matter and none of us were worried about time.  At this point in our lives doing the marathon is more about the consistency of making it to the starting and finishing lines and seeing how far we can go. 

I ran with @aristorat and Will over the Verrazano Bridge, but I should have let them just get ahead of me.  The small competitive part inside of me wanted to see if I could keep up with them in the hopes of making a 4 hour marathon, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to hold the pace for long.  I should have held back and taken a few pictures from the bridge.  I don’t get to run over it that often and a picture to memorialize the run would have been nice.

I managed to stay on their heels through the beginning of Bay Ridge.  At this point they had pulled away and I knew better than continue to keep up with them.  They were putting in 50+ miles per week leading up to the marathon and all I was putting in was beer into my stomach.

After we separated I ran an easy pace, which was probably still a little faster that I should have been doing so early in the race.  I should have gone out at very easy.  No matter though, it carried me through for a while and I was feeling ok.  I got to the 10K mark and came upon my family.  I stopped and chatted a bit and smiled at the sight of my son high fiving the runners as they passed.  My wife asked me how I felt, to which I replied so so, but I was not going to drop out of the race for anything.

I did the first half of the marathon in around 2:10 which was respectable, but I knew to be too fast.  I wasn’t looking forward to later in the race when I figured I would start slowing down.  In actuality, I didn’t slow down all that much over the course of the race.  I was running high 8 min/miles to mid 9 min/miles for the first half and then 10 – 11 minute miles for the second half.  Not too shabby. 

After the first half which lead into the borough of Queens, the marathon was sort of a blur until I got to the 59^th Street Bridge.  The change of terrain, that is the hill climbing up and over the East River, was a welcome change and I enjoyed climbing it.  I passed quite a few runners at this point.  Coming off the bridge onto First Avenue, I encountered the usual cacophony of the massive crowds lining both sides of the street.  I always stay in the center of the avenue as the size and the cheering of the crowds can be overwhelming.  It’s a million people shouting at you for miles and it can be a bit much.  I like being left alone in the center of the street.

I ground it out over First Avenue and headed into the Bronx.  I was looking forward to making it through that borough as I knew once I came back into Manhattan it was basically all down hill and to the finish line. 

The highlight of the race was my stop at 96^th Street and 5^th Avenue.  This is where the Brooklyn Hash House Harriers support table was located.  They were conveniently serving free beer to anyone that wished to stop and partake of their offerings.  I refreshed myself with a couple of cold beers, snapped a picture of myself and chatted for a while.  The cold beer was just the sort of carbs I needed to give me the energy to finish the marathon. 

After the beer stop, it was a few short blocks into Central Park.  My heel and hip flexor were bothering me a bit at this point so I spent some time walking through the park.  It didn’t make much sense to run as my trot was no faster than some other people who were walking.  However, I made it down past the 72^nd Street Transverse and then picked it up again.  It was only a mile to the finish and the thought of crossing the finish line spurred me to pick it up again.  I ran handily to the finish, hoping to break 5 hours.  I didn’t manage that though, as I had one bathroom break to many earlier in the race and crossed the finish line in just over 5 hours and 1 minute. 

It was a death march to baggage claim like the NYC marathon always is.  I saw several people collapsed on the side of the road.  I am sure they collapsed due to having to stand around in the horrible and thick crowd. It is wall to wall with people and you are tired, sweaty smelling and most likely need to use the bathroom.   It took me over 40 minutes to walk about a half mile to the UPS truck that held my bag. 

I took the subway home from the marathon, which was also crowded.  I showered and took a short rest and then took a bike ride to another friend’s house for a post marathon party.  I met my friends @aristorat and Will (who ran another 13 miles home from the marathon) and we drank beer and traded stories about the day.  We also talked about our upcoming JFK 50 miler.  I am not sure how I am going to do that, but I will figure out some way to make it through it.

Note: Pictures to follow.