My first marathon experience in NYC

willywonka
willywonka Posts: 743 Member
edited September 20 in Fitness and Exercise
Hi guys,
I have just came home from the best weekend of my life. Running the NYC marathon has been a dream come true for me. No other day in my life has made me feel the way that I did on Sunday.
I ran with a team of 22 runners for the Ronald McDonald House for charity. from the beginning, we were given a special opportunity to be driven by they NYPD to the start line, it was awesome!!

As we waited to start a million things ran through my head, "will i be able to do this, how bad is my foot going to hurt, etc" after the second mile all of those thoughts were gone and replaced with, "oh my gosh i am actually doing this!!"
The crowds were unbelievable. On every corner there were seas of supporters, screaming our names, giving us high fives and making us feel like a million dollars. I would have never wanted to wear an ipod for this, I wanted to soak in every second.
The Verrazano bridge at the start was a steep climb but it seemed as if I was floating up it. Before I knew it, we had gotten to mile 10, 13, and then... the Queensboro Bridge. Whoa, that was a tough spot, I believe it was mile 15 or 16 and it seemed to last forever. I saw a lot of people walking, collapsing and peeing off the bridge :laugh:
In my training, I went to 20 miles so as I got closer to twenty, my heart was racing with excitement. Something kicked in me at mile 21 and I told my cousin that I was running with that I just had to go for it. He encouraged me and told me to go ahead so I felt like I was able to finish strong. I ran those last 5 miles quicker than all the rest and the feeling that I had inside of me in Central Park at mile 25 was very emotional and life-changing.
Anyway, thank you for reading my book, I could talk about it all day long but here are a few pictures that we took along the way. My husband and friends met us at three stops along the way, 8, 14 and mile 20 in the Bronx, it was just what I needed.

So, when I first started training my goal was to finish in 5 hours but then about a month ago my foot pain became worse so my goal switched to "just finishing!" Well, I am so happy to report that my official finish time was 4:34. Here are some of my favorite pics

Running with the Empire State Building in view = pretty darn spectacular!
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One of the happiest days of my life
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All done and wrapped up with my cousin and best friend
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Replies

  • ceecee1977
    ceecee1977 Posts: 12 Member
    Way to go!, what an inspiration!
  • amaline
    amaline Posts: 84
    That's an amazing achievment well done!! You write about it so well, I could picture myself there. You have inspired me to get my running shoes on :happy:
  • alf1163
    alf1163 Posts: 3,143 Member
    :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: I got chills and teary eyed reading your post. What an amazing journey this has been for you and your body and mind have rewarded you with this great experience!!! WAY TO GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!! :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :flowerforyou:
  • SatelliteCrush80
    SatelliteCrush80 Posts: 3,575 Member
    Jenny, I'm so proud of you!

    Reading your story put tears in my eyes this morning...felt like I was there reading this. Hugs and congrats from Maryland!
  • lisaisso
    lisaisso Posts: 337 Member
    LOVED reading this!
    you are a true inspiration and i want what you have :flowerforyou:
  • mscocoa30
    mscocoa30 Posts: 104 Member
    Jenny I am so proud of you. I was smiling and hanging on to your every word. This must have been an awesome experience for you.
  • beckyi88
    beckyi88 Posts: 604
    Jenny,
    I am so happy to hear you had a wonderful experience! :bigsmile: :bigsmile: :bigsmile:
    Your time is amazing! WTG!!!
    I must say, you look like you're having so much fun, even at the end that you're seriously making me consider a full next year. You look nothing like the horror stories I've heard of people puking, crying, or passing out across the finish line!!!! You look awesome!!!!!
    Woohoo!!!!!!:drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker:
    Yeah Jenny!!!!!!!!!!:bigsmile: :bigsmile:
    Becky
  • emorym
    emorym Posts: 344
    I read your post twice:smile: I am training for my first marathon in February so your post was inspiring, thanks. Glad to hear you had a what sounds like a very good race. Plus you look great in all your pictures. Like you are out for a short run, not running a marathon. I am training with a galloway group and we have a 24 mile run on Saturday morning. I have run this distance once before so I am looking forward to the coming weeks as our runs start getting longer. Awesome job on your race. That is a great time as well. I would be very happy with a time approaching that.

    You Rock!!!
  • Marla64
    Marla64 Posts: 23,120 Member
    what an incredible experience-- and I loved how you wrote about this--

    Congratulations-- !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • debmac63
    debmac63 Posts: 459 Member
    Wow! I'm just starting to train for a 10k after running my 1st 5k a few weeks ago. I'm hoping to progress up the ladder to a half and then a full marathon someday. You are truly an inspiration. Congrats!:flowerforyou:
  • Wecandothis
    Wecandothis Posts: 1,083 Member
    That is so amazing! Your post made me cry!! What beautiful pictures too!! I hope you celebrate your success and remember that for the rest of your life! Many blessings on you and all that you do in the future.
  • Channing
    Channing Posts: 617 Member
    Incredible. What an emotional experience... I can only imagine, but your post and pics really took me there!
    I am so happy for you!!!! :drinker:

    :heart: Channing
  • LandBsdotingchauffeur
    LandBsdotingchauffeur Posts: 237
    That's so awesome!!! Congratulations!! :)
  • MyKids04
    MyKids04 Posts: 178 Member
    That was great. Really great. And you pics are beautiful.
    Thanks for your story its what I needed this morning.
  • MyKids04
    MyKids04 Posts: 178 Member
    That was great. Really great. And you pics are beautiful.
    Thanks for your story its what I needed this morning.
  • iRun4wine
    iRun4wine Posts: 5,126
    Jenny, you're a true inspiration. I hope to one day run a half marathon, never mind a full. I'm so happy for you- what a high you must be on! And, I think you SHOULD write a book- I'd be the first one in line to buy it! :drinker:
  • gmvanloo
    gmvanloo Posts: 100 Member
    Jenny -

    You've heard this before...I'M SO PROUD OF YOU!!!! The feeling is amazing and your pictures definitely show all your hard work. You look amazing!!! I'm so happy it went well for you! I knew you could do it!

    YOU'RE A ROCK STAR!!!
  • hessied
    hessied Posts: 460 Member
    Jenny,

    You are truly an inspiration! Thanks for sharing your story. It's sounds so amazing. I love that you soaked up and appreciated every single moment. And to have such an awesome race time-wise to boot! Wow! What an accomplishment!

    You certainly rock!:drinker:
  • itsmenatalie
    itsmenatalie Posts: 190 Member
    That is so amazing - you brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for being an inspiration!
  • willywonka
    willywonka Posts: 743 Member
    Thank you all SO much!! I really don't think I would have been able to do it without this website and the support of you guys.
    For anyone out there thinking about doing a run, whether it's a 5k or a marathon and everything in between- just GO FOR IT!! You can do it. Before the marathon the farthest distance I had ever raced officially was only a 5k, anything is possible if you just believe in yourself.
    Love and hugs to all of you, now I am getting teary eyed.
    I am so proud to be a part of this wonderful group of people. :heart:
  • MyKids04
    MyKids04 Posts: 178 Member
    Good morning, this is my second time replying to your post. But I am really amazed with you and how good you did on your first NYC marathon. You really gave me hope.

    I am a Phlebotomy Instructor and my students came in today like the world was ending because Philadelphia is in the middle of a melt down. Well Septa our public transportation system is on strike and more than 90 % of my students depend on them and its been rough for them.

    So I had to log on and show them you pics and let them know anything worth getting is worth fighting for. And they were like oh she looks like she always ran, look how she looked at the end like it was a breeze.

    Then I continued down and showed them but look she was almost 50 lbs heavier so she had to fight to look like that and I explained to them it may not be directly related to their situation but a fight is a fight.

    Oh and by the way several of my male students think you are a hottie. LOL
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