One Race. 37,000 Stories, write your own story here!

(this is the final chapter form Fatima her Marathon Preparation Blog)

In all honesty, the hardest part of the day was waking up at 4 a.m.! The race was fantastic and everything I imagined it to be. I finished in about 6 hours –later than my “secret” goal, but I achieved my original goal that I set for myself about 16 weeks ago. And that was to finish! Before the race was even finished, I was already thinking about next year. So here’s the scoop. I started at a slow and comfortable pace. I ran through 16 miles (stopping only to drink water, gatorade, eat honey). By this time though, I was feeling some achiness in my back. By the time I reached Queens, I started walking a lot more. I tried jogging a bit, but that really hurt. It felt a lot better to just speed-walk and I passed a lot of people this way. I got a second wind after leaving the bronx and started running a little bit more. Then I walked again in Central park. And it felt great. I jogged the last half a mile which hurt some more but I pushed through to the finish. All in all, it was a great race and the crowds are amazing.
What's Next???

It’s true what they say – the NYC marathon is a “humbling” experience. And by mile 18, it made me realize how inadequate my training had been. Now that the marathon is over, I would like to start fresh and build a solid base of running. My average weekly mileage was about 10-25 miles..and this was usually counting the “race of the week”. And very often my mileage was even lower than that! Sometimes, nothing at all. So my goal is to build up (slowly, of course) to at least 30-35 miles per week. I would also like to do more strength training – particulary in my core and lower back. I have to complete just 3 more races before the end of this year to be guaranteed for next year’s marathon. And I know next year will be even better.

Thanks for reading. This blog is over

Hey BRRC

Just thought I'd drop a note to everyone now that the marathon is done. I had a GREAT time! It was nowhere near as painful or impossible as I had originally anticipated.

My goal was to run in under 3:40 or as close to 3:30 as I could and to beat my old roommate (who was on his 4th marathon) and I did both, running 3:32 for my debut marathon and beating my old roommie by 6 minutes —- he was able to set a PR so it was a good race for both of us!.

I think the training must have paid off, I keep a cool easy pace and never hit the wall. The first 22 miles were actually no sweat (well I'm sure I was pretty sweaty, but it was not too hard).

At mile 23 my legs we getting pretty stiff and sore and overall fatigued gradually. Miles 24-25 seemed to be the slowest, but I never had to walk. I was able to kick it up for the last 800M or so and finished strong and smiling. My girlfriend was on the bleachers and took a video, I was actually running a lot faster than I felt!

People who had run some marathons before told me I would hate the last few miles and curse the marathon, but within a few days or even later in the evening I'd be planning for my next. This was not the case for me, however. I started planning for my next when I hit mile 22 and was still feeling great. I never hated it, I loved every mile, every minute and every split. I can't wait to run my next and I'm thinking something in March. But first, I'm looking forward to a month or two of nice and easy 7 milers and much shorter races!

Hope you all had as great a time as I did!

~Dave Mendelsohn

Fatima

Tiffany

My blog

Geert

myschedule

If you click on edit, you can put your own experience here

Geez. My first marathon experience was that of a mere mortal. I had been running less than a year (but despite books that say you should run for at least a year, I decided if I got a space in the NYC lottery, then it was meant to be). Luckily (?), I did get a slot in the 2005 lottery, so I picked an ING beginners schedule and began training. Two weeks into training, I mysteriously came down with a case of the chicken pox. After two weeks of quarantine and two weeks of recovery, I began training again. Once again ignoring expert advice I starting training based on the ING schedule (ignoring the one month delay). In the end, I strained my tendon, had 3 weeks of physical therapy and decided that I'd do the marathon even if I had to walk to whole thing.(Not against medical advice, although podiatrist was skeptical at best).

My race time: 5:28. I did a walk/run the entire timing. Running 5-7 minutes/walking 2. I was concerned about my tendon flairing up, but I realized as I was going into the Bronx that my legs were still feeling pretty strong, so I finished with the understanding that I had mentally psyched myself out because my body had healed. Despite all the octogenarians that finished ahead of me, as I powered up the hill the last couple of meters (running faster than I had for about 10 miles), I was thrilled.

So with a first race of 5:28, I figured I can only improve. I'm hoping to beat it by an hour or more this year.

Amanda

As John promised me: I took suffering to a new level. At 2 miles, just off the Verizano bridge (no I did not run too fast, my first mile was 12 minutes, the second something like 10) I got a terrible cramp in my right calve, while veering from a slow runner. A stretch did not help at all. After all this training, I just could not give up now. I told myself at least to run until Vanderbild, where I hoped to see my family. The pain stayed the same until Vanderbild, at 8 miles, where it worsened. Luckily after 20 miles it got blended in the general suffering.

The crowds were fantastic. Thank you all. It is thanks to you I made it. the most rejoicing was Brooklyn, from Bam to Queens. I remember I found the Petroleum Jelly medics, handing out Petroleum Jelly off Queensborugh Bridge hilarious. But First Avenue was brutal and the wall was a solid rock, but the people along helped me through. I started stopping to drink. I should have done it earlier.
When I ran over the bridge to the Bronx, somebody held a sign: the wall is down. A band played like a rolling stone, and I will love the bronx forever. But we left after half a mile.

I walked up 5th avenue. Somebody put a mountain there. I just could not do this uphill struggle. I had already fealed my aim, and wanted to stay alive.

Going into the park, I knew my family could be there and I was running again. I failed 3:40, but I still could make it in under 4 hours.When I put my arms up, people cheered “Brooklyn, Brooklyn” and I ran faster. Then again, waving a hand “go jack”, “Brooklyn” My arms were not tired, and the crowds moved me on. But this last stretch at the rim of the park I had to slow down again.

How to pass the finish? Looking at my watch? crawling over the ground? I don't remember what I did. (I can see the photograph)
I made it.
3:55 h. Fifteen minutes short of my declared goal, 25 minutes short of my hidden goal. I agree with Elias. Time is nothing. Finishing is everything.
I asked for ice and iced my calve, that started hurting again after half a mile walking in the cool down area.

And it was not the only thing hurting.

Why did I do this? The next weekend I was already looking on the internet for a Marathon in spring.

The title says it all. Place: Cape Cod 2004. Basically, I went into my first marathon with no fear. My friend asked, “What time are you expecting?” 3:00 no problem. Well, at the 13.1 mile mark, I was right on schedule 1:30. Things are looking good. Passing people like crazy. But then something strange happened, I started noticing people passing. Only a few. That's fine, I thought. I'll use them and follow. Drafting, yeah. Ok, it's working. Then, my draft partner started speeding up. It had to be, cuz I couldn't be slowing down. What to do? That's it, bathroom break. “Thanks, guy. I would really like to continue with you, but nature calls” Ok, now back in the race. People still passing. What's going on? 20 mile and the clock reads 3:00. Oh well, there goes my plan. Ok, new plan: finish in 3:30. No problem 6.2 miles in 30 minutes. Obviously, the blood to my brain was not flowing. Mile 23 and the clock reads 3:30. Oh well, new plan: survive to the finish. At that point, all I remember is a crazy lighthouse, a cold nasty wind coming off the ocean. An old man walking past me. A camera person saying: “sorry i have to take it, i'm like a machine” as I hide my face. Then, new life. A man past saying, “you have to keep going, you can beat P Diddy. P Diddy ran a 4:15, you can do it.” A new reason to run, thank god. So, I ran to the finish and beat P. Diddy by a full three minutes!!!! Woo-hoo!!!

Next stop: Philly Marathon 2005. armed with fear and a lot of training the experience was much much better. 3:18 and a boston qualifier. This year's stops include Boston and New York.

Whoisnext?

blog