So...How Was NYC?

“So, how was it?”

What? Oh, you mean the NYC Marathon that I completed on November 5th? Um, it was a-maz-ing. 
I have hesitated on writing about it for the past month because it’s been difficult to convey in words how awesome of an experience it was to participate in this race. So let me give it a try…

Imagine the best sex you’ve ever had, or the most delicious ice cream sundae you’ve ever tasted…yeah, just kidding, this race was not like any of those things. It was awesome, but it wasn’t THAT awesome.

Here are the mental notes and reflections I made as I traveled over 5 bridges, through 5 boroughs, on that fateful day:

First of all, it’s New York City. This city in itself is a symbol of strength, resilience, and the American-freaking-dream. To have the opportunity to run through this city while thousands of spectators stand by and cheer you on (singing, dancing, eating, drinking, high-fiving, fist-bumping, clapping, playing instruments, playing the radio, and holding up signs) is quite possibly the coolest thing a runner can experience. Even though it rained that day, people still came out to support the runners and even after the sun went down and the temperature dropped a little, there were still tons of people on the sidelines cheering us on. It choked me up a little, I won’t lie.

I ran for the first 2 hours of the race without any earbuds/music and I ran for the last hour without any earbuds/music. Before this race, that was unheard of - to run even a 5K without music blasting in my ears was a rarity. But during the NYC Marathon I didn’t want to miss anything going on around me. As previously mentioned, the crowds on the streets were fun and engaging. As I ran into Brooklyn, the residents on the street were blasting Beastie Boys “No Sleep Till Brooklyn” on a huge speaker. When I approached the 20 mile mark, someone had put up a sign next to it that said, “Keep going, naked ladies ahead”. At one point I passed by a live band playing the A Flock of Seagulls song, “I Ran”, which made me laugh as I pictured them playing that one song over and over again all day long for the runners.

With this race, I truly wanted to soak in the experience leading to the finish line. Which is a very different approach to running for me – normally I get so focused on wanting to just finish the race that I miss the opportunity to look around me and take it all in. Before I even put my sneakers on for this marathon, I told myself to remember to look around and enjoy NYC, because I knew this would be an experience like no other. As a result, I had a much better race than I have ever had before, both mentally and physically.

You guys…I never hit the wall. Not once. Not even a little bit. What I’m saying is that in 26.2 miles, I never got to the point where I wanted to quit. I never felt defeated. I never had the sense that I might not make it. Don’t get me wrong, it was super hard - I’d go so far as to say it was the hardest thing I have ever done physically (including giving birth to two children). So I am not saying it was easy-peasy - but as hard as it was, I felt good THE WHOLE TIME. And have I mentioned that it rained? And then there were all the hills. And the bridges. But through all of that – I. Felt. Awesome. My muscles didn’t cramp up (my hydration was on fleek and I was good about stopping to stretch every couple of miles after the halfway point), my stomach and digestive system never had issues (learning from my previous marathon, during training I made sure I ate and drank whatever I planned to eat and drink on race day so there were no surprises for my stomach), and my head was totally in the game.

What helped get my head in the game was a meeting I had with the Team Animal League runners the day before the race. The captain of our team had run NYC 9 times previously and he had a lot of helpful tips for us newbies. He told us where all the toughest hills were, he warned us about the dreaded Queensboro Bridge (aka the bridge that never ends), and most importantly he reminded us that regardless of our finish times, we were all going to get the same medal and have the same glory of telling people “I finished NYC”. His words really made an impact on me. After listening to him speak, I knew I was ready to tackle that race.

Another common question people have asked me since the NYC Marathon is “How did you do?” – and every time they ask that, my answer is, “I finished!” Finishing the race is always my goal, if I happen to get a PR in the process, well, that’s just icing on the proverbial cake. In this case, I did technically get a PR – I finished one minute faster than my previous marathon. Hey, a PR is a PR, right? 😁 But for me, the biggest win was that with tougher conditions (hills, bridges, rain, and darkness (as I finished after the sun went down)), I ran harder, stronger, and better than my first marathon. And not “hitting the wall” once during this marathon was what made this my best run yet. Trust me when I say that I have struggled with even the easiest 5Ks, so to be able to say I held on strong mentally and physically for 26.2 miles is just astounding.

Wait, I take that back, by using the word “astounding” it indicates that it’s beyond belief. Let me correct myself – to say I held on strong mentally and physically for 26.2 miles is evidence that I trained well for this race and that I am improving on my long distance running overall.

Ten years ago I was just starting to dabble a little in running but never envisioned anything would really come of it. Twenty years ago I couldn’t even run a mile. As I approach my 40th birthday, I am now a two-time marathon finisher. Seriously, though, how cool is that?

If you are considering running a full marathon, I highly recommend NYC. It’s literally the largest marathon in the world (50,000 participants!) and it takes place in one of the best cities in the US. If I could bottle that energy and save it for other races, I totally would! Don’t get me wrong, I am a Boston girl through and through (I even wore a “Boston Strong” t-shirt for the NYC Marathon), but I really mean it when I say, I ❤ NY.

And I can't end this blog post without giving a special shout-out to my girlfriends who came and cheered me on during the NYC Marathon. They stood outside in the rain for over 6 hours waving their cowbells and reminding me that I could finish the race - and for that I will be forever grateful. I'm not sure I would have felt as good as I did after that dreaded Queensboro Bridge if it weren't for knowing those ladies were standing right at the end of it. Sometimes you need your tribe for that little extra boost and I am glad mine was there that day. Love you girls! ❤