And I also voted in my first Presidential Election. Just like I had visualized in December 2022.
I fucking did it. I am ridiculously proud of myself. I haven’t been able to look away from my medal. The feeling I got when I achieved this – I cannot express it.
Saturday Night
I ate some pasta and went to sleep. I didn’t seem to have jitters. It was a good night.
Sunday morning – Getting to the start
I got up after a good sleep. Started having breakfast. Took the train to South Ferry (saw some of the marathoners on the way). Got to the ferry early. Ferry was packed. I was annoyed that I had to stand the whole way. The ferry went to the place where we disembarked for the Staten Island.
I went to the restroom there, and then waited in line to get onto a bus, which would take us to the Village. I had some biscotti with me, which I was eating. I got on the bus, and we went to the village. As soon as we got off the bus we got security checked. Then, I just walked to the village area.
Village
I went to my village area, and just chilled a bit. They had food there. I ate bagel. Drank water. The village was pretty awesome. All kinds of people doing all kinds of things.
Eventually, my start time came up, and we walked to my corral. Inside the set of corrals, there were no barriers. So I could move up a bit.
The start and first few miles
Got lined up. They played the anthem. Then they fired the fucking cannon. With the song “New York” playing. Started to run up the Verizanno bridge.
I started too fast. I was excited. I was keeping my 10k time. Probably bad idea based on what happened later. I kept my face and I felt good for the first 8 miles. My HR was at around 160ish. Maybe that was a bit too much.
Reaching the half
By the time I got to the half, I was getting tired. I decided to walk the half marathon bridge.
Queensboro Bridge
What the fuck. I was SO DEAD. My headphones ran out of battery. I walked the whole way. Probably should not have.
Manhattan
This was a LONG. My legs were really cooked at this point. I was trying not to cramp up. Walking too much. Got to the bridge
Bronx
At this point, I was loosing it. Felt like I would cramp up at any point.
Manhattan
Took the bridge back into Manhattan. I broke down here. I got pretty emotional. “You are doing this for your youngerself, to make that person proud. For not achieving the goals younger me had set for myself. At least giving myself this success.” They say you have to “run with your heart” and my god, how true that is.
It was getting dark now. That felt annoying. Everything in manhattan was HARD. Very fucking HARD.
Everything people said was true: the marathon is a 20 mile warmup for the last 10k.
Central park
“This is familiar territory” yet it was SO HARD. I was now mentally loosing it. Body was gone. Absolutely gone.
The last mile
Now it felt like it was never ending
Crossing the finish
What a feeling. And to get that medal. My word
After
I collapsed. Ate an apple, drank the gatorade. I sat down for some time. Eventually just went home, had a beer and burger. And it was done.
My toe nails are fucked up! The next day I could barely walk.
But by day 5, I felt fine.
My toe nails are still messed up so not sure if I can run yet.
Nutrition:
- I took many gels. One to two an hour. The coffee one was great.
- Biscotti to help me
- I had to take some salt. It felt like my leg was giving way a bit.
Other thoughts:
- It didn’t feel long. I mentally turned myself off. The energy of the crowds was great too
- The energy of the crowd was AMAZING. It felt like I was a celebrity, especially in Brooklyn. My god, it was so much fun!
- I touched a tree in every borough
I am definitely dreaming of the NY Marathon. I feel like that is when I will truly become a New Yorker. What will be the state of the world by then? Will I be married? Have a child (or on the way)? Will I be leading my own team? Will I even be in New York?
No matter what, I will run the marathon in 2024. This is the goal.
And then, 2 days after the marathon, I will vote in my first presidential election.
This marathon will be associated with such a crescendo of memories.
-- Jan 2023
The Rolex Life 
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