My First New York City Marathon 11/05/2003

“In 2005, 87,000 applications from around the world applied for the marathon coveted 3,700 start-line positions. With more than two million spectators lining the course, with millions raised for charity through the marathon, … the ING New York City Marathon has become a powerful, worldwide celebrations of the human spirit.”

I have received many congratulations on my attending and completing the ING New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 6th, 2005. Thank you for all the congratulation and supports!.

Here is a brief report for my racing day – The temperature in the morning was 54 degree and humidity was 97 percent and it reached to 72 degree in noon. The weather was good to spectator and not to participant. Runners come from more than one hundreds nations. More than two millions spectators and volunteers were along the 26 miles course. It was more like group festival than a competition. Most of the runners were about enjoying the atmosphere and finish.

Experiencing months training my goal is to complete course, compete to my personal best, and test my physical and mental ability.

My target time is four hours. Starting with following four hours pacing group. After Passing the starting line I ran side by side with the pacing leader, Cathy who carried a three color balloon with few hundreds runner following her on the bridge. Having a brief chat with her in the first mile she told me that she had run marathon five times with the best time 3:40 and has run this race as a pacing leader for two years. If I follow up with her and she will lead me to the finish line in two min to four hours. Marching on bridge with big crown runners I enjoyed spectacular view of Hudson River from the Verrazano Bridge. Looking through spread fog I saw there were huge water fountains coming from five and six boats in the river, creating multiple colorful rainbows in the sky. It was so beautiful that I have never seen!

About thirty minutes later while runners pouring into the streets of Brooklyn I saw thousands and thousands is lining up the streets, cheering, chanting, live band playing all kind of music. It was all the way in the 26 miles course. Running on the course I felt that I was in a street party and watching a big show. We are runners that were treated like hero. Thousands of Volunteers standing on street side were to serve with water, gatorade, banana, paper towers, sponges….whatever that can make runners comfortable. Everyone wish you good luck. With pacing group at 9:15 a mile steady pace we passed many people in the first thirteen miles. I was so exciting, enjoying run, show, party and all services. When we cross 13 mile sign I saw my time is 1:59. I had never felt so comfortable and easy to complete the half marathon distance. I thought that I can do better and may be a negative split. So I decided to speed up a bit to catch up to 3:50 pacing group. I did pass many 3:50 pacing group runners since then. At about 14 mile I see my club teammate, Riyad, who is twenty something, faster then me in club training and completed Ironman race at Lake Placid in July. I spoke to him, Hay, come on, let’s go together and then just passed him.

I had been keeping good pace and spirit high to the mile 20, but it may be slowing at about mile 21 at Central Harlem and had to take a first walk break. One guy, Adam, another club teammate who were accompany by another two guys caught on me. I run with them about a mile and felt exhaust. My legs were going to fall off in the last few mils in Central Park. All the people cheering on the runner to finish it just didn’t work to me. It seems that everyone were passing me. My final completed is time 4:15:44 at pace 9:45.

After crossing to the finish line I walked into a lawn at 72nd street and took a break. Sitting on the grass, drinking a lot of water, Gatorade, coffee, eating bagel, apple, talking with the runners around me to share the feeling and experience, we were all happy whatever met or not met person time goal! . Walking back home, I took a weigh and found I lost more than 5 bls comparing my pre-race in the early morning.

One day later I checked my running club website and found there are total 30 people of the club in the racing, from fastest time, 3:31:32 to slowest 5:19:11, my time is on the 10th. I did better than many teammates who are faster in the regular training and racing and much younger than me.

Overall it is a great experience!

I had hated run about 2-3 years ago and never run a mile since my high school. Starting to serious train on running with a running club in Central Park a year ago I have been tremendously benefit from the regular training and racing.