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kaycee
58 Posts |
 Posted - 05 Nov 2009 : 11:44:41 AM
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I got an entry into this on a good for age place. One thing to notice is that they accept a good for age half marathon time as well which may be more achievable. Mind you it's an expensive race but what an event.
Because my ferry was at 5:30 in the morning I had to catch the 4:45 metro train from Times Square, thankfully it was the same weekend that the clocks changed so that gave and extra hour in bed. Left the hotel at 4:30 and Times square was still busy, does no-one sleep in New York? Many of the shops were open as well. It was all a bit surreal at times because of Halloween as the tube and ferry out to the start was a strange mix of post party Vampires, ghouls, tarts, superheroes and early riser runners! I knew Halloween was big in the States but I didn't realise just how big.
The organisation in the runners village was great with bagels and coffee laid on, wasn't as cold as I feared either and the rain which had been falling overnight stopped just as I got off the bus. 3 hours of killing time wasn't bad as I could wander around the different areas. There was a Jewish service in a small tent and a larger Christian one going on in a marquee . No devil worshipers sacrificing runners as since the sun was up Halloween was now over! At about 9:20 we heard the gun go off for the elite ladies and then we in the first wave were herded up to the start line. The high rises of Manhattan were a long way in the distance, gives a real idea of how far we had to run. Someone sang the Star Spangled Banner, the gun went off and Frank Sinatra's 'New York, New York' blared out and we were off. It was a long slow ascent on the first bridge and strange that after nearly 20 mins we were still running on the same bridge. Coming off into Brooklyn was a good experience as we hit the first of the spectators, incredible support and noise. Bands every few hundred yards, everything from rock to thrash to rap to gospel. The sidewalks were unendingly full for a while with loads of folk handing out water, gels fruit and towelling then suddenly absolute silence except for the gasping of runners and the slap of shoes on the road. There were no crowds and hardly any people watching. We had got into the Hassidic Jewish area and there were a few of them in hats and ringlets walking around taking very little interest, very strange. One even tried dashing across the road in front of me! I shouted at him to train harder for next year, a bit pee'd off as he'd put me off my stride.
I was feeling reasonably good and well ahead of my schedule but I knew the hardest was yet to come. To the Pulaski bridge which is half way in 1hr 39'. Through Queens to the 59th street bridge which at the 15 mile point and quite a long steep rise is a known spirit breaker. No spectators allowed and it's the lower level of a double decker so it's a quiet echoing dark run. It seemed to go on forever but I didn't feel too bad and managed to pick up by pace on the downhill bit. Coming out of the other side into Manhattan it's just a wall of noise, incredible. Onto first Avenue and its 5 miles dead straight, can't even see the end of it and I knew that it was equally far coming back. This is where I started to feel it, just the sheer unending distance ahead with no turns just seemed to sap me somehow. Crowds even thicker along here and that helped a bit. Eventually onto the bridge between Manhattan and the Bronx, short and not much of a rise but very uneven and this was now hard ( Paula strangely said she struggled here as well so I'm in good company). A few minutes in the Bronx and then over the last bridge and back into Manhattan again. Through Harlem with gospel choirs, rap and R&B bands. From 22 miles its 2 miles of uphill, not hard but sapping, now I was starting to really feel it and started slowing down. Central park and it gets very undulating I was still strong enough to push myself much faster through the downhills but the ups were getting harder and harder. So tired I can't actually remember much about this ( When I walked this bit the next day it's like I had never been there before) I'd definitely hit the wall now which was a surprise as the Windermere marathon was tougher but I felt much better at the same point. I could still just about work out that I had lost a fair amount of time on this point and I would struggle to make 3hrs 30 which was my optimum result, I really pushed on where I could still manage and tried to just keep moving at whatever pace I could for the rest . It helped that there were several 3 30' pacemakers around me and I tried to keep them in sight. Back out of the park and away from the finish, along the last road bit which was short but seemed to be never ending and then back into the park. This is where the real big crowds were but I couldn't really focus it's uphill again, last 400 yards and I'm on 3 30 already. Pushed everything I had into the pace and really did speed up until my hamstring tweaked so I slowed down again, hopeless really as I was already over the time but at that point I wasn't thinking straight. Can't remember the huge crowds in the stands but I know they were there because I have seen the photos, must have been noisy but again it's all a blank. I do remember crossing the line and thinking that's it, it's b**dy well all over, what was I thinking of running another damn marathon. Got my medal and joined the 1.5 mile walk to the baggage truck and wondered which marathon to do next. Final time was 3 32 06 so I missed by 5 seconds a mile. I felt strangely down after that but on reflection there was nowhere over the course that I think I could have done more so I ran my best on the day.
Is new York worth doing? Yes but if I went again I'd like to run slower and take in the sights and sounds better, just enjoy the occasion .................No I wouldn't I just know I'd see the red mist and do my damndest to beat 3 30!
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StephenPrice
2109 Posts |
Posted - 05 Nov 2009 : 11:58:05 AM
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great report kaycee. New York is on my list of marathons to do. Intrigued by the early start though, do you have to get to the start so early?
It's not known for being a quick course so I reckon 3:32 is worth a sub-3:30 on a better course. Well done. |
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kaycee
58 Posts |
Posted - 05 Nov 2009 : 12:08:54 PM
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| There is a 3 wave start each 20 mins apart. I was in the first wave which went off at 9:40. You are assigned transport to Staten island either a bus from the Library in Manhattan or the Staten island ferry which leaves at 15 min intervals with a bus the other side. Since the ferry is a public one there seems to be no way of stopping you getting on any you want, seemed to be no checks on the bus the other side either. If you want to take the risk you could start off later although if something goes wrong and you get turned away it may cause problems since the bridge closes early. Also the queues for the coffee and bagels grow quickly if that matters to you. It is a long wait though and would be miserable if it was really cold or wet. |
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Heavyweight
1441 Posts |
Posted - 05 Nov 2009 : 12:14:17 PM
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Sounds like you gave it everything - can't ask for more than that, well done.
It's interesting to hear about the different boroughs you go through.
It's very hard to see the undulations on the telly, but the times of the top runners proves it's not fast.
It's a race Jeannie is always talking about doing - I think to combine it with a shopping trip  |
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kaycee
58 Posts |
Posted - 05 Nov 2009 : 12:24:34 PM
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I should have said also that if you want to enter the ballot for next year it opened on Monday. Do it, you know you want to!
Relative difficulty, I've done 3 26' in Vienna which is flat and 3 41' in Windermere which is not flat.
kaycee |
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StephenPrice
2109 Posts |
Posted - 05 Nov 2009 : 1:00:23 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Heavyweight
It's a race Jeannie is always talking about doing - I think to combine it with a shopping trip
Well I'm thinking of combining it with my wedding anniversary (2nd Nov) one year. Gives Mrs P a little retail indulgence whilst I do the grand tour of the five boroughs .
Interestingly, they have some pretty generous good for age criteria, which might appeal to some from this club. About a quarter of the way down this page...
http://www.nycmarathon.org/entrantinfo/apply.htm |
Edited by - StephenPrice on 05 Nov 2009 1:00:53 PM |
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fishyweb
2307 Posts |
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mdunn77
1529 Posts |
Posted - 05 Nov 2009 : 1:22:28 PM
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Well done indeed and a superb report too  |
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PeteStockdale
413 Posts |
Posted - 05 Nov 2009 : 2:06:01 PM
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Great report Kaycee. Well done on your time. It is a tough race for many reasons (the hills, the concrete roads, the potholes, the early wake-up call) so to get near your PB is excellent.
I'm also really pleased you enjoyed it and I know what you mean about taking in the sights if you do it again. I've done it twice before - the first time I was running with an injury and illness (a bad combination) and didn't get the most from it, but the second time I was able to enjoy it more, knew how the system worked, what the course was like etc, and it was the best race I've ever done. So, do think about about doing it again - I think it is better second time round.
For those thinking of doing it, do it!. London/Berlin/Chicago rival it for the 26.2miles, but nothing else compares over the whole weekend. The pasta party, the international run from the UN building on the saturday morning, the expo, having a trot round Central Park over the few days before and seeing all the other runners and families eagerly anticipating the event - it's all superb. Yes, it's expensive, but boy do you get plenty for your cash.
quote:
Originally posted by StephenPrice
Interestingly, they have some pretty generous good for age criteria, which might appeal to some from this club. About a quarter of the way down this page...
http://www.nycmarathon.org/entrantinfo/apply.htm
Pricey - it's already in my diary (if only in heavy pencil, rather than ink) 
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"I just felt like running" - F. Gump |
Edited by - PeteStockdale on 05 Nov 2009 2:23:16 PM |
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lincsfella
1207 Posts |
Posted - 05 Nov 2009 : 4:06:38 PM
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Superb report mate. And a fantastic time on a mega tough course (well it broke my Paula ) excellent stuff buddy.
"Always aim for the moon...... because if you miss, you'll still land amongst the stars" |
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LittleBigMan
1055 Posts |
Posted - 05 Nov 2009 : 5:34:18 PM
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Great report and fantastic effort Kaycee!
I'm not sure which part of the course someone was referring to in a report I read earlier this year, but I recall them commenting that you had to be careful not be lifted too much by the crowds at one point of the course (by a bridge I think) because many up the pace too much when they encounter the roar of the huge crowds and consequently burn out.
I was considering this as my first marathon earlier this year, timing meant that Gill couldn't come with me due to work though, so I ditched the idea as she really would have liked to. It sounds like an awesome event though, judging from your report and Pete's comments, so I'll certainly keep it in mind for the future.
Well done for sticking with it on what sounds like a toughie and to get so close to your target is testament to the effort you must have put in.
Well done!
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"The will to win is worthless, without the will to prepare." |
Edited by - LittleBigMan on 05 Nov 2009 5:36:11 PM |
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colinhewes
181 Posts |
Posted - 05 Nov 2009 : 8:32:21 PM
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Excellent run Kaycee and great report. I ran this one in 1995 but reading your report has brought it all flooding back to me. It was very cold when I ran it, just 2 degrees above freezing point on the morning of the race, whereas the day before was 68f. I had no winter running gear and standing around for 3 hours in thin clothing on Staten Island was one of the worst experiences of my life.
Despite that, running through the 5 boroughs of New York was a fantastic experience. Of course when I did it the twin towers were still standing. They were the most immense structures I have ever seen and I still find it hard to believe that they have gone.
Also, as Pete mentioned I also did the International Friendship run and attended the pasta party and they were both great events.
Colin Hewes
Stage 4&5 vet. |
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Ian B
1334 Posts |
Posted - 07 Nov 2009 : 5:21:21 PM
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Cracking Report Kaycee, sounds to me like a pretty good run-Well Done!
Ian B |
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New York Marathon
