Prologue

Training

It’s been a challenging climb returning to fitness since my disastrous New York City Marathon in 2019. I started medication for high blood pressure after that race, but then the COVID-19 pandemic derailed everyone’s racing plans for two years. Along the way, I moved in with my boyfriend and got a job promotion.

When racing returned, I ran the 2022 Erie Marathon in 3:52:29 (8:53 pace), qualifying for the 2023 Boston Marathon. I ran that race in 3:49:36 (8:46 pace).

I started training for the 2023 New York City Marathon using the Hansons Marathon Method on July 2nd – the day after my 52nd birthday! 

In mid-August, I took a work trip to Rotterdam in The Netherlands. I missed several days of running due to work demands and jetlag. But, I spent the weekend in Brussels, Belgium, and had one of my best long runs in Week 8 (August 20th to August 26th).

Back home, my workouts in September were going well until I caught COVID in early October. 

The following week, I ran the 2023 Army Ten Miler in 1:20:45 (8:01 pace).

My boyfriend and I cheered at the Marine Corps Marathon the week before, which was highly motivating. I made a sign that said “Believe” and another that read “You’ve got Ken-ough” – a nod to the Barbie movie.

The race weekend would be unique because my boyfriend, his daughters, and some of my college friends would all be joining me. I’ve never had so much support for an out-of-town race before.

Goals

Achievable (“A Goal”): Sub-3:51:00 (8:50 pace). I already have a qualifying time for next year’s New York City Marathon, but running it on the course would be sweet.

Stretch (“B Goal”): Sub-3:47:00 (8:40 pace). This time is what I got after plugging my time from the 2023 Army Ten Miler into the Race Equivalency Chart in Hansons Marathon Method and the McMillan Running calculator. However, I thought it might be unrealistic because my training was inconsistent.

Personal records

• Marathon & Course PR: 3:22:56 (7:45 pace) at the 2013 New York City Marathon.
• Most Recent Marathon: 3:56:40 (9:02 pace) at the 2023 Boston Marathon.

Course

The New York City Marathon touches all five boroughs of the city.  The terrain is flat except for the bridges separating the boroughs, an incline on Fifth Avenue, and two small hills in Central Park.

The course starts at the base of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge in Staten Island and heads into Brooklyn. It continues into Queens after crossing the Pulaski Bridge.  The steep Queensboro Bridge takes runners into Manhattan, where roaring crowds await along First Avenue.  Then, the course heads to the Bronx after traversing the Willis Bridge.  After a mile, the route goes over the Madison Avenue Bridge back into Manhattan and down Fifth Avenue.  Three miles later, runners enter Central Park for the finish.

Water and Gatorade stations are every mile between Mile 3 and Mile 25.

Boisterous crowds line the course except for the bridges.

Strategy

When I created my New York City Marathon pace band on FindMyMarathon, I selected an evenly paced start but a positive split pacing strategy because of the uphills on First and Fifth Avenue.

Playlist

I arranged 60 songs – 3 hours and 53 minutes of music based on when I wanted to hear them on the course. For example:

The Start: “Theme from New York, New York,” by Frank Sinatra.

Mile 2: “No Sleep Till Brooklyn,” by the Beastie Boys.

Mile 11: “New York Groove,” by Ace Frehley.

Mile 15: “Empire State of Mind,” by JAY-Z & Alicia Keys.

Pre-race

Friday

This year, my boyfriend and I brought his two girls with us. We left Washington, D.C., by Amtrak a little after 5 p.m. and at Penn Station in Manhattan a little after 8 p.m. The station had been renovated and looked so modern! After checking into our hotel on Central Park South, we all went to bed.

Saturday

My boyfriend went for a long run in Central Park, so I spent the morning hanging out with his younger daughter. I left the hotel for my “shake out” run in Central Park at 8 a.m. I saw the Dash to the Finish 5K, which energized me to run.

After breakfast, I went to the expo alone at the Javits Convention Center at around 11 a.m. I picked up my bib but didn’t get a T-shirt. [Edit: I did get a T-shirt!]

I checked in with my boyfriend and realized I was late for brunch. I quickly bought a few items (New Balance NYC Marathon Impact Run Luminous Heat Jacket, New Balance NYC Marathon Impact Run Tank, New Balance NYC Marathon Watchman Beanie, Oofos Recovery Sandal.) Then, I rushed to meet him, the girls, and two of my college roommates.

Afterwards, we went to see Wicked. Unfortunately, my boyfriend’s youngest daughter didn’t feel well, so we returned to the hotel. Nothing on the menu was rich in carbohydrates, so I just had salmon for dinner. I was in bed by 9:30 p.m.

I laid out my kit for the next day – the same as my first New York City Marathon in 2013.

Race Day

I woke up at 5:00 a.m. My boyfriend went out for coffee, so I played an online game for about an hour before getting ready for the race. I left the hotel at 5:15 a.m. 

I rode a crammed subway train, infuriated by runners in later waves. 

This year, I took the Staten Island Ferry to the start. The bus from the New York Public Library Schwarzman Building is fine, but I missed the views of Lower Manhattan from the water.

I arrived at the South Ferry/Whitehall Station at 7:30 a.m. After about a 15-minute wait, a ferry arrived. It was about a 20-minute ferry ride to Staten Island. I went outside for a few minutes to admire the view, but realizing I’d been on my feet a lot, I mostly sat down.

I got in line for buses at 8:15 a.m. They didn’t seem to be moving, and I got frustrated. Talking to fellow runners in line, they remarked how much better it was than last year.

I arrived at Fort Wadsworth at 9:15 a.m. and sped to the Blue Wave Start Area. When I got to Corral 1, a volunteer told me they were still on Wave 2, so I had some time. So, at 9:30 a.m., I used the porta-potties and sat down.

At 9:45 a.m., the corrals for Wave 3 opened. Immediately, I used the porta-potties again. The corral closed at 10:00 a.m. Shortly after that, we walked to the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.

At 10:20 a.m., we were off!

Weather

At the start of my race, the temperature was around 60 degrees, with some clouds. And the temperature didn’t rise much – it was near the mid-60s when I finished.

The Race

Miles 0 to 2 (Staten Island – Verrazano-Narrows Bridge)

I climbed the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and listened to  “Theme from New York, New York” by Frank Sinatra through my headphones and from the Start Line grandstands. I looked to my left and marveled at the Lower Manhattan skyline. I’m back!

I came to the Mile 1 marker at the top of the bridge and saw I was running too fast. I tried to slow down, but the bridge’s downhill caused my pace to drop even more. 

Splits (by Garmin): 9:18, 8:10.

Miles 2 to 8 (Brooklyn)

We arrived in Brooklyn, and a crowd at the base of the bridge greeted us with music and loud cheering. I couldn’t help but smile because I knew it was just the beginning of the support we would have on the course.

After a few quick turns, the course went north on Eighth Avenue. I saw the Orange Wave runners on the left side of the street, separated by plastic tape. We came to our first aid station, but I opted to run through it to avoid the crowds.

Now that I was off the Bridge, I checked my Garmin to see how I was running. It showed I was xx seconds faster than my goal. I didn’t panic, though, because it was still early.

At about Mile 3, the Pink Wave joined us to the right, bringing additional excitement as all three Waves came together.

I was still running too fast, so I tried to slow down. But I seemed to be naturally slipping into 8:45 pace.

Along this stretch, I noticed I was running behind a woman with “Chicago” on the back of her singlet. I wondered if she had just finished that marathon.

I also noticed my favorite sign of the day: “Why is this parade so fast?”

At Mile 5, I checked my Garmin and realized I should have started my Crank Sport eGel (Vanilla Strawberry Slam), so I gulped it down quickly.

The aid station next to the Barclays Center was mayhem! The road was a bit narrower, so there was a lot of congestion, but I managed to grab water.

I took in the noise from the crowds, which was just incredible.

By this point in the race, I was faster than my goal by about 40 seconds!

Splits (by Garmin): 8:39, 8:38, 8:34, 8:28, 8:36, 8:40.

Miles 8 to 13 (Brooklyn, cont.)

The course turned right onto Lafayette Avenue, and my favorite part of the course – Clinton Hill/Bedford-Stuyvesant.

Suddenly, I was falling to the ground! I heard the gasp of spectators, and I extended my arms to catch my fall. My hands and left knee made contact with the ground, but I quickly sprang back up. A runner next to me asked if I was okay. I said, “Yes,” while looking behind me to see what I might have tripped on. All I saw was asphalt. A few steps later, she passed me a paper towel. I realized it was to wipe any blood off of me. Am I okay?! I passed it over my knee, but it came back clean. I inspected my hands, which were red but appeared uninjured.

How much time did I lose? I checked my Garmin. I was a little off-pace, so I pushed a little harder. Then, the overwhelming urge to cry. How quickly this could have been over! Every time a spectator cheered my name, I almost burst into tears. Emotionally, I was a wreck.

By Mile 10, the crowds had thinned, and the road was more open. It helped me settle down emotionally and concentrate on regaining a comfortable pace. 

But then, I reached Greenpoint, where the crowds were tremendous. They were spilling so far into the streets that runners could only pass three abreast at points. It led to a lot of bobbing and weaving, which was irritating. I was happy to leave them behind when the course turned north towards the Pulaski Bridge.

Splits (by Garmin): 8:54, 8:13, 8:50, 8:41, 8:48.

Miles 13 to 16 (Queens)

The half marathon marker is on the Pulaski Bridge. When I reached it, I had about a 40-second cushion and wondered how I had lost so much time in Brooklyn.

Coming into Queens off the bridge, I felt a surge of energy but reminded myself that the most challenging part of the course was coming up.

I turned left on the Queensboro Bridge. After almost two hours of nearly constant crowd noise, the silence of the bridge was shocking. I focused on my music to drown out the sound of runners panting in exhaustion. Then, I started noticing them walking. A little after the Mile 15 marker, I could feel the incline soften and my pace quicken. I spent some time eating my second Crank Sport eGel (Juicy Watermelon.)

When I heard the faint roar of the crowds on  First Avenue, I let my legs roll on the downhill into Manhattan.

Half marathon: 1:53:29 (8:40 pace). Splits (by Garmin): 8:49, 9:03, 9:05.

Miles 16 to 20 (Manhattan – First Avenue)

Coming off the Queensboro Bridge, the crowds were massive! Still, I searched for my college roommates amongst the hoard. Giving up, I turned left and headed up First Avenue. (It turns out they saw me and took a picture.)

Suddenly, “Chicago” pulled alongside me. She thanked me for helping her run up the bridge. I said something like, “You’re welcome.” 

I started my third Crank Sport eGel (Vanilla Strawberry Slam, again) and visited the next aid station for water. The crowds were thick, too. 

At Mile 18, I fixed my eyes on the crowd, trying to find the BELIEVE sign I knew my boyfriend and his daughters would be holding. After about a half mile, I saw the sign, and my spirit lit up instantly! Unlike my 2019 New York City Marathon, when I wanted to quit, I felt confident I could finish today. I ran to them, gave them high-fives and kisses, and continued.

Over the next mile and a half, I vacillated between feeling tired and incredibly strong.

On the Willis Avenue Bridge, the 3:50 pacer passed me. In an instant, I told myself to go with him. I picked up my pace and joined the back of his pack. I passed “Chicago” on my way into The Bronx.

Splits (by Garmin): 8:49, 8:53, 9:01, 8:56.

Miles 20 to 21 (The Bronx)

The course turned left off the Willis Avenue Bridge in The Bronx. At the Mile 20 aid station, I grabbed water while trying to stay behind the 3:50 pacer. In the ensuing turns, he slipped away. By the time I reached the Madison Avenue Bridge, I was exhausted.

Splits (by Garmin): 9:08.

Miles 21 to 24 (Manhattan – Fifth Avenue)

Back in Manhattan, I pondered what I needed to do to get back on pace. I thought about taking caffeine but wondered if it was a lost cause. I would also throw my last Crank Sport eGel (Juicy Watermelon) on the ground.

Checking my FindMyMarathon pace band at Mile 22, my cushion was gone, and now I was behind by almost 30 seconds. 

I took the letters off my singlet because I was disappointed in myself and didn’t want the crowds in Harlem cheering my name.

Rounding Marcus Garvey Park, I checked my Garmin and thought I wasn’t running terribly.

In the final mile, I kept my eyes on the crowd, searching for the BELIEVE sign to find my boyfriend and his daughters, but I didn’t see them. The 3:55 pacer would pass me on this course section, confirming that I had slowed significantly.

Splits (by Garmin): 9:35, 10:03, 10:19.

Miles 24 to 26.2 (Central Park)

I turned right into Central Park, where rolling hills would challenge me for the final miles. 

The crowds were massive, and I felt overwhelmed by their cheering. In parts, they overflowed into the road, which caused some issues getting around slower participants. 

The course exits the Park for a block on Central Park South. I occasionally scanned the crowd for my crew in case they decided to cheer for me outside the hotel, but I didn’t see them.

In the final stretch, I saw “Chicago” run past me. I felt the instinct to catch her but ignored it. I had achieved my goal – returning to the New York City Marathon.

Splits (by Garmin): 10:11, 10:12, 2:16 (9:52 pace).

Post-race

Result

Time: 3:56:45

Pace: 9:02

Log Details

I was 13,147th out of 51,344 finishers (top 26%), 3,453rd female of 22,807 (top 16%), and 219th of 2,251 in my age group (top 10%).

On the elite side, Tamirat Tola won the men’s race in 2:04:58 (4:47 pace), and Hellen Obiri won the women’s race in 2:27:23 (5:38 pace).

Finish

There was a blockade of runners, but I navigated through them. I saw “Chicago” and congratulated her on the race. (My musings were confirmed – she had just finished the Chicago Marathon!) We talked as we got our medal, food bag (which contained water, Gatorade Sports Drink, Gatorade Protein Shake, pretzels, a Science in Sport (Sis) protein bar, and an apple), and poncho (which was orange this year.) 

After a longer walk, I found my crew in the Family Reunion area. We walked around Columbus Circle, which was gridlocked, to our hotel. I soaked in the tub, and then my friends came over for a post-marathon champagne toast. 

My boyfriend, the girls, and I returned home the next day.

Epilogue

Looking back on the race in the following days, I was disappointed with my time. But – Wow! – I fought hard to return to this race I love – high blood pressure, COVID-19, and increasing work demands! At any point, I could have decided, “You’ve done enough of those,” but I kept stoking the flame. And I had very little muscle soreness, which made me think I didn’t work hard enough. I guess I just ran out of energy.

The only negative of the race for me was the parts of the course where the crowds spilled into the roadway.

Next Goal Race

When I missed the cut for next year’s Boston Marathon, I registered for the Ottawa Marathon on May 27, 2024. I’ll start training for it in January.

My Complete Racing Schedule

Abridged Version

After a disastrous race in 2019, I fought hard to return to my favorite race – the New York City Marathon!

I trained using the Hansons Marathon Method but missed key workouts due to a work trip to the Netherlands and catching COVID-19.

Getting to Fort Wadsworth was frustrating, but I arrived with plenty of time to spare.

In the early miles, I’d built up a 40-second cushion. During Mile 8, I tripped and fell but luckily was uninjured. Unlike my 2019 New York City Marathon, when I wanted to quit, I reached Mile 18 feeling confident. On the Willis Avenue Bridge, I decided to go with the 3:50 pace, and two miles later, I fell off the pace.

My time was 3:56:45 (9:02 pace).

When I missed the cut for next year’s Boston Marathon, I registered for the Ottawa Marathon on May 27, 2024. I’ll start training for that in January.