Race Report - New York Marathon Nov 2010

New York Marathon (NYM) 7^th November 2010

After completing my first marathon in 2009, I was looking for a new challenge and listening to radio on my way to work they played New York by Alicia Keys. I arrived at work looked at the website for NYM and in a moment of madness I registered thinking I will never get in! A few months later I got a “Congratulations -You’re are in” e mail.

I arrived in New York a few days before the race.

The start for NYM is very well organised. I had to catch a coach at 5.30am to Staten Island (you have never seen so many coaches) and arrived at 6.00am. My start time was at 10.10 am so I have over 4 hours wait in the holding area, which is a very long time. Fortunately I had been advised to wear some warm clothes and throw them away at the start (they are collected and given to the homeless) and I was very grateful for my hoodie from Oxfam as it was pretty cold. I was glad it was not raining as there was no sheltered area. I was also lucky that one of my friends was also running and we were able to have a chat and time passed quickly.

The Marathon starts with the boom from a cannon and Frank Sinatra singing New York New York - Fantastic. We ran across the Verrazono Bridge into Brooklyn up into Queens, across the Queensboro’ Bridge into Manhattan, across Willis Avenue Bridge  into the Bronx then back across Madison Avenue Bridge into Harlem and finished in Central Park. The crowds were fantastic, the music along the course was excellent and there were runners from all over the world. I wore Union Jack running shorts and my Orpington Road Runners top. I got lots of encouragement from the crowds – “Go on England”. I was also talking with runners all the way round and high fiving with the crowds and NYPD along the course. When I entered Harlem there was a MC standing in the road and through the sound system came the words - “Harlem welcomes Orpington Road Runners”. There was also a point on the Queensboro Bridge when a guy ran up beside me and told me that in the next ¼ mile I would experience one of the greatest moments in your life - the cheers and the noise from the crowds as we hit Manhattan - truly amazing.

 For the last mile I had taken a large Union Jack flag and managed to come home carrying a big flag which again got massive support from all the British people in the crowd. I collected my medal and picked up my bag. It took me 3 hours to get back to the hotel at around 18.00, ready for a shower and change of clothes and got ready to go out and celebrate my wife’s Linda’s birthday which was on the same day. The first beer was probably the best beer I have ever had in my life.

As for the race itself I managed to keep up with the 4.00 hr pace team to about half way, then found miles 16-22 very tough and lost a lot of time.  Fortunately I gota second wind and finished strong in 4.59. NYM was tougher than I thought.

 I did a video diary on the way round.

Overall a really fantastic and emotional experience and I would recommend NYM. The problem is what to do next……………………..