on November 5th, 2006 - Reposted
Good Sleep, Cold whether and Ready to Go
Instead of getting up earlier to take shuttle bus I got more sleep on Saturday night. I left home 7:50am and took train, ferry and bus, arriving the Staten Island at 9:10 am. The temperature was around 40 to 50 F degree on the day. It was a perfect day for long run.
First few Miles – Slower Pace to Start
With 38 thousand runners marching on the Verazano Bridge I started with following the 4:00 hours pacing leader, Matt who had run thirty marathons in the past with best time 3:15 and also a pacesetter last year. In order to reach the goal we had to run an even pace with 9:00 – 9:15 per mile. When we crossed the starting line he reported that we were 6 minutes behind the official gun time. I did not feel well in the first few miles due to a stomachache problem. There was big congestion during the first few miles. Running about 10min per mile for the first two miles we were behind the schedule. This slower start was good to me so I had time to adjust myself to normal body condition.
To the Mile of 15th – Staying in a Good Pace
About 4 miles later I felt better and followed the pace leader who run at the normal 9 min pace and we caught up the time. We reached to the half way, 13.1 mile right on the schedule - 1 hour 58 min. I had been felt pretty good running with an even pace all the way in Brooklyn to Queens. I saw thousands of runners around the pacesetter who carried three balloons were marching on to the Queensboro Bridge with a same pace.
16th Mile - Feeling too Good too be True
Passing through quiet Queensboro Bridge (16 mile), turning to the 1st Ave, there was a big cheering zone where hundreds and thousand strangers and fans were lining on the street like a ritual. All the cheering makes you feeling really good. Speeding up, running ahead of the pacing leader, I passed many people around me on the 1st Ave. keeping the pace until reach 19th mile at 110th, there were TRD big cheering teams there. So many teammates with familiar faces were cheering on me and took photos of me. It was a one more boosts my emotional high.
Mile 21st – Getting Tougher
I had been kept sprint high until to the male 21st running through Bronx and may be getting slow down since then. The pacing leader caught me in Harlem at miles 22nd . He said “Hay I had been looking for you, how do you feel”. I had to say, “It is getting tougher!”
Last Three Miles – Body Was not with my Mind
I started to follow him again and run with him side by side about one more mile along the 5th Ave in Central Park east. While he were running strong in the crowd, passing the people around I just could not keep the pace and felt my legs and body were not with my mind. When I saw him carrying the balloon disappearing in the crowd I felt a bit sad because I wouldn’t able to reach my under four hours safety goal.
In the last three miles I had to take a couple of walking break when I got the water station. I tried to pick up the pace in the last mile to the finishing line but I did not reach my goal. I finished with time 4:07, which is beat the last year, my first Marathon time 4:15.
After finishing 4 hours run I went to Riverbank Park pool and swim one hour to cool down and to the Post-Race Party Presented by Clear Channel Radio to celebration in the evening and night.
Overall it was a challenge, exciting and fun day!
