Running the NYC Marathon one month after the fifty-mile Midstate Massive Ultra Trail, I didn’t have any expectations. I just wanted to finish and soak in the race, seeing the city come to life after the pandemic would be the real treat. I thought, if I felt good I’d try for a sub-five-hour pace, but I hadn’t been training for speed. Also, after 6 years, I’ll be moving out of the city to Massachusetts, so the marathon felt like a nice send-off for a new chapter.
About three miles in my feet felt numb, ever since running the ultramarathon, every time I ran more than ten miles, I felt pain in my feet. Through my internet research before the race, it looked like something that is caused by overuse – no surprise here – and that resting and stretching will fix over time. I took it slow, I didn’t want to cause a long-term injury. I was still able to finish the marathon in under six hours, just had to go a bit slower than the sub-five-hour time I was hoping for. Looking forward to fixing up my bike and keeping off my feet for a bit while I recover.
Starting at noon and running into the sunset to finish in the dark was a new experience. In past NYC Marathons, I was used to rushing to the Staten Island ferry before sunrise and starting in the crisp morning air. This year felt almost leisurely, as I left the house around seven and then relaxed in the sun at the starting line, watching the elite runners on the big screen as I waited for my start time. The staggard start was more spread out this year and there were around thirty thousand runners instead of the over fifty thousand in a normal year. Although it was a smaller group of runners spread out over a longer period of time, the crowds were out in full force to cheer, which honestly is the best part of running the NYC Marathon.
At the start the excitement kicked in getting ready to run across the Verrazano Bridge, I had already watched a few waves run over the bridge since we got to the start and was ready to get going. Once we started the first mile flew by, as we settled into a 10:30/11 minute pace. An NYPD helicopter kept flying by the bridge – and seemed to cheer us on as we went. Getting into Brooklyn, I realized that my Bay Ridge half marathon shirt would attract more attention than my name that I pinned to my shirt. Throughout the whole race, I would have people yelling “Go Bay Ridge!”. I wore the shirt because it was my first race in NYC and thought it was fitting to wear it for my last race in the city, but inadvertently ended up representing Bay Ridge throughout the course. I don’t live in Bay Ridge, but I’m pretty close, so I guess it works.
Around mile eight I realized I wouldn’t be able to hit the sub-five hour time and I told my boyfriend Mike to run ahead so he’d still have a shot at it. From that point on I walked the water stations, hills and whenever the pain in my feet felt bad I stopped to stretch my feet and calves. I broke down the race into smaller sections, first I just had to make it to Queens, then to the roaring crowds in Manhattan, a quick run through the Bronx, back down through Manhattan, a quick jog through Central Park and around the corner to finish strong. At each milestone, I mentally checked off the different sections as I made it closer and closer to the finish. Running in the dark through central park, was by far the biggest struggle, and had some of my slowest miles with a lot of walking. As I exited the park and turned on 59th street, I got a burst of energy knowing that the finish line was just around the corner. Once we turned back into the park to run to the finish, I sprinted – as best as I could – to the finish. My legs felt good, they actually felt like they could have carried me farther, but as soon as I stopped I felt the pain in my feet again.
Shuffling to the exit with my medal and race poncho, it felt like a perfect race. I had done what I set out to do, take in the city along the way, and finish.