A Dream Realized

Thank you everybody who donated to the Multiple Myeloma Foundation in my name and to everybody who supported me over the last 5 months in preparing for the 2010 ING New York City Marathon. Yesterday was one of the greatest days of my life.
The entire experience was amazing.
At the start of training 5 miles was a lot. 10 miles seemed insurmountable.
Nearly every weekend I pushed my limits. 10 miles, 13, 16, 18. The Bronx Half Marathon and Staten Island Half were so much fun and integral to getting into full marathon shape. The 20 mile training run and 18 mile tune up w/ the New York Road Runners were vital as well.
Yesterday was amazing from start to finish.
My dad dropped me off at the Izod Center at 6:00 a.m. The bus driver didn't know the way to the Verenzanno Bridge- the start of the race! We got there an hour and a half later- and got stuck in a huge traffic jam. So me and a bus of 50 Spanish runners walked along the highway until we reached the racing village. There I had to wait 2 hours in the cold before race time. I ate bagels and wrapped myself in a blanket. The temperature was in the low to mid 40's.
I was in the 'Orange Second Wave Coral #33'.
The Marathon is a huge spectacle, almost a carnival atmosphere. Runners from around the world are there. People dressed up in crazy costumes. There are blind runners w/ guides. The amount of people on the course make it difficult to go fast. Thousands ahead and thousands behind. The course is not easy especially over the bridges. The terrain is difficult w/ a lot of uneven pavement. The aid stations are treacherous w/ thousands of cups and water and gatorade splashed everywhere. An inch thick sludge develops there. The race officials cannot clean the area because more people are running through.
The cheering crowds are amazing. Nearly the entire course is packed w/ spectators cheering the runners on. Rock bands are on nearly every block. DJ's spin records every block too! Children hand out fruit and candy. A little boy saved me at mile 11 w/ an apple slice and banana. I was getting hungry and it is impossible to distance run on an empty stomach. I made sure to drink gatorade or water at nearly every aid station.
The race was so emotional. So much time and effort put into one day. I ran hard and weaved in and out of the racers trying to keep my pace up. At mile 18 I noticed I was passing many people. The crowds up 1st Avenue are truly incredible. Thousands of cheering people urging on the runners. At mile 20 I started to pick it up. The crowds in Harlem and the Upper East Side are amazing too, constantly shouting encouragement and holding signs. At mile 25 the crowds are so intense packed up to 10 people deep on Central Park South. The last mile is uphill and that support is awesome. I tailed a fast runner the last half mile and blazed through runners. I made a sprint for the finish line up Central Park West and it was finally over. 26.2 miles in 3 Hours 49 minutes and 51 seconds!
I am incredibly sore now.
More to come later ...