Running the ING NYC Marathon

Last Sunday, November 1, it all came together. My training over the last 5 months, getting rest in the last week before the event and living like a saint, practically since the day after my birthday on October 1.

Getting up at 5.15am on marathon Sunday wasn't difficult, the excitement made it very easy and walking through mid town with my gear I already saw other participants on their way to Staten Island, where the marathon typically starts at the beginning of the Verrazano bridge from where the runners come into Brooklyn. In one of the many buses I was brought from Manhattan to the start village, this was it, I was going to run my first marathon!

After a long wait in the start village, nervously eating and drinking the necessary breakfast, the moment was there...surrounded by 43,000 other participants in 3 wave starts it was the time for wave start no. 2 to gather at the start. While 'New York, New York' by Frank Sinatra was blaring above us, we heard the big bang, the sign for us to start running, a moment I won't forget easily.

The rest is one big blur of the many, many great supporters screaming your name, live bands along every mile of the race, avoiding other runners surrounding me, concentrating on my pace and schedule, drinking enough, eating at the right time and fighting while walking and running on and off in the last 4 miles of the race...it all ended in Central Park after 3 hours, 57 minutes and 40 seconds. Passing the finish, I was overwhelmed by feelings of achievement, pain and happiness the race was over, tears came out of nowhere and I couldn't do anything about it. I had never gone so far and deep before to find every fibre of energy in my body to get there.

A friend emailed me before the race. He wrote: "If you are in pain, think about it this way. The pain is temporary, pride is forever!" And it's true, it was painful for one or two days after the race (I was limping around the city with my medal around my neck), but now I can only feel the pride of running the 26.2 miles in less than 4 hours!

A big THANKS to all who have supported me along the way and those who taught me how to prepare best for this adventure.