It is 12:38am, and I am finally finished getting everything ready to go for an early morning alarm! This will be my third New York City Marathon to participate in, and my goal is to get in the paper! The New York City Times paper that is.
Funny story…I thought everyone made it into the NYT whenever they finished the marathon. I ran to the marathon pavilion the Monday after the race. Which meant, I took a bus to a subway to a taxi from Hoboken on that particular morning. Finally, made it there to find out…only really fast people make the cut for the paper. There are a certain amount of pages that are allotted for the race finishers names and finish times. Apparently, not enough for me to have made it. So, I tell myself, “Maybe, next year.”
The next year came around quickly! I had attended a friend’s magical wedding the night before the big race, wore heels (no big deal), and MAYBE had a few drinks. I wasn’t even sure I was going to race the next morning, but I decided I couldn’t miss it! Even if I hadn’t trained. Even if my ankles felt like they had been broken from wobbling around in those heels the night before. Even if I my pre race dinner was wine. I crawled to the finish line last year. lol
Note to self: next year train a little harder and prepare just a bit more!
Sooo…This year I decided to use the Runtrix Virtual Training program to get on track for the race in 2015 so I didn’t repeat the mistakes from 2014. I am hoping to knock an hour off my best marathon time.
If you read my second post, you will see I ran my first marathon for my grandma Betty and my Uncle Butch. Since that very first race, my grandmother has finished the breast cancer treatments and is in remission!
But my sweet Uncle Butch passed away recently due to pancreatic cancer. He gave the fight of his life! I told him that I was running this marathon for him! I will think about how hard he fought to come to our family dinners even when he couldn’t stand the pain to eat even a bite of food, about his service to our country (I will be wearing red, white, and blue to honor a Veteran.), I will think about all of the people he touched during his time with us, how grateful I am that he went fishing with my dad and listened to his MANY stories (I get my gift of gab from my daddy lol), how honored I was when he passed my grandfather’s fiddle to me to keep in the family, and his wonderful laugh! I will be thinking of all of the family and friends that are still grieving his loss every minute of the race.
I’m running this for you Uncle Butch! You were a fighter! I hope I have 1% of your fight in me! I love you and miss you very much!
GOOD LUCK to all of the runners!!! And THANK YOU in advance to all of the NYRR workers, the amazing volunteers, and to the NYC police or keeping us safe today! I’ll be ready for high-fives all day! 🙂