The New York Marathon

I came to just ahead of the alarm and was down in the hotel lobby ready for the coach departure at 6.45. With the heavy volume of marathon traffic headed to Staten Island the journey took us just over an hour and as we motored further and further away from Manhattan the full 26.2 miles suddenly seemed very real. Last minute fears about the knee (and having to walk the majority of the distance) suddenly surged but I did a good job of blocking them out by listening to the nervous chatter and words of wisdom from the other people on the bus.

Luckily the rain had cleared overnght and left us with a cool but pleasant temperature and overcast skies. Excellent marathon weather. Exiting the bus the huge scale of the marathon instantly hit me as we joined thousands of other runners from around the world all making our way to the starting area. Alongside the multitude of Americans one guy proudly wore a shirt which said "I'm from Uruguay and I have a dream... this is it." A french guy was encassed in a miniature version of the Eiffel Tower and "Harry the German" was right up ahead.


The 40th ING New York Marathon was the largest marathon in the world ever with over 43,750 finishers. To ease congestion the organisers staggered the start with three different waves, placing runners in pens according to their estimated completion time on the application form. After some final stretching and rallying words of encouragement (and one final loo stop) M and I went our separate ways. My Garmin took ages to switch on and I began to worry that it wouldn't be ready as I crossed the start line. Irrationally I panicked that I couldn't possibly run a marathon without it but it reluctantly cranked into gear just in time. After about ten minutes of standing around everyone began walking forward towards the Verrazano bridge. As we turned the final corner before the race began open top buses were blaring out New York themed songs and already policemen and security guards were shouting my name and words of encouragement.

And so it began. Being positioned at the back of the second wave I didn't have any problems with congestion but as the runners spaced out and I reached the middle section of the massive 1.5 mile long bridge with views of New York spread out wide in front of me I suddenly felt a little overwhelmed. It wasn't until I had successfully navigated the steep downhill section of the bridge and crossed into Brooklyn at around the two mile mark that I began to feel much more comfortable. One of the very first people in the roadside crowd shouted my name and as the street closed in and the supporters swelled I settled into my stride.


At the 5k mark I was averaging an 11 minute mile - slower than I had planned, but my confidence was growing, the knee was holding up and so I started to crank up the pace. The fourth avenue was possibly the best section of the entire marathon for me. Each mile got a little bit quicker, I felt fresh and the energy of the crowd was really spurring me on. Suddenly I was at the half way point and back up to a 10 minute mile. I really wanted to etch on my memory every step, every supporter, every banner, all 128 bands who lined the route, the groups of firemen and policemen and church groups and charity supporters but there were so many other things to concentrate on too - and at that precise moment in time it was finding the nearest roadside facility.

Getting going again was a struggle and the next mile took me over the Queensborough bridge and into Manhattan. People were beginning to flag. Seeing fully grown men and women wretching their guts up and stretching out on the floor to stretch their cramping mescles was unnerving but I still felt like there was plenty of gas in the tank so I tried to get my keep down and plough on through. Turning the corner to see First Avenue stretched out in front of me (all 4 miles of it) New York came into full view.


Over the next seven miles I had a couple of gels, a couple of Ibuprofen and plenty of water and passed through the Bronx and over the last bridge back into Harlem. One banner made me smile - "If you're hurting now it's because your kicking ass!" I knew the last 5 miles were going to be tough but I was unprepared that the final three would be the hardest, mentally, I've ever run. The hills, surprisingly, weren't the issue but I swear the mile markers were getting further apart. Entering Central Park was fantastic and I knew I was in the home straight but then coming back out again to run the outside perimetre up to Columbus Circle threw me off and I had a bit of a melt down. The supporters were four or five deep and the cheering was almost hysterical as people screamed "You got this Rosanne", "You own it!" The race photograhers were everywhere and the runners were crowded but suddenly I had just had to stop running and take some time out. As I slowed to a walk people shouted louder for me to "Finish strong" I started running again but I think I'd well and truly hit the wall. There was less than half a mile to go - I should have been flying.



Luckily a guy came up behind me just as we were about to re-enter the Park, slapped me on the back and said "Lets go!" That was it. I was back in my groove. I kept pace with him for about half the way but let him sprint off for the final .2. Crossing the finish was brilliant and also slightly surreal. As I was herded through and given my medal... I stopped for a photo. Not having to run anymore felt strange. I'd had waves of every kind of emotion on the way round but now I felt a bit numb. It was a mixture of relief, joy, fatigue and nostalgia. But underlying it all was a sense of satisfaction - I'd done it and done it well. Walking through the finishers area and back to the hotel was in a daze and it wasn't really until the next day that I felt able to really get excited about and enjoy my success.

Apart from having my family there to celebrate with I wouldn't change a thing. Running a marathon has given me so much more than a medal and respectable finishing time (I crossed the line in 04.33.22) I've genuinely enjoyed every minute of it. I carried the words and images of so many people along the course. I listened to everyone who told me to run harder, run faster, take it easy, stop, keep going, stride out, drink more, keep calm, suck it up, enjoy it, use it, smile. To all the people who sent me messages and called me, texted me, sponsored me, told their friends about me and listened for hours as I obsessed over injuries, routes, pace, blisters,what type of energy gels were best and what I could be doing differently - thank you. To all the people who joined me on the training runs or offered to cycle, walk or meet me at the finish - you were fantastic. I couldn't have done it without each and every one of you.

Arriving in the Big Apple

It's already been a week since I ran the New York marathon (yes I am now an official marathoner - hooray!) but I think that it will stand out as one of the best days ever for a long long time to come. M and I landed at JFK on the Friday before and from the get go the buzz surrounding the marathon was palpable. We checked in to our hotel, dumped our bags and headed straight to the Expo. Our excitement built as a steady stream of runners with their marathon bags kept passing us on our way. Registration was much easier than I had anticipated and once we had collected our race numbers and timing tags we were free to browse the array of stalls with ING branded running gear and accessories galore. Having sung the praises of The Stick throughout the training, M was excited to find a stand dedicated to the device and bought a slightly shorter and stiffer version of the one I have had on loan. The best thing about the Expo was the massive map which showed the route and how the course takes in the five main boroughs of New York City. Beginning on Staten Island, the race starts out with a 1.5 miles bridge crossing (the first of four) before taking in Brooklyn, then Queens, heading on to Manhattan at about mile 16 before nipping over to The Bronx and then using the fourth bridge to re-enter Manhattan in order to finish up in Central Park.


The following day we decided to loosen our legs with a 3 miler round Central Park, taking in the marathon finish line and trialing my ITB strap for the first time. It was raining and everywhere there were joggers of all nationalities taking their last run ahead of the big one. Despite being slow and slightly achy (these were my first post Cabbage Patch injury miles) it was a great feeling to be running again and the Central Park backdrop was very cool. What was not so cool was the stiff knee that developed less than an hour after the run. I was nervous about my ability to go the distance the following day without significant pain but luckily too excited to let it worry me much. I already knew that it was going to be an awesome day regardless of whether I had to run, walk or crawl round the course.


On Saturday evening we layered up against the rain and took the metro down to Brooklyn to meet up with some of M's family for a really decent pasta dinner and slice of Haloween inspired pumpkin pie. We found a lovely french bakery and bought some croissants for breakfast plus we stocked up on water and bananas to see us through to the start line. Once back at the hotel we spent the time before bed laying out all our gear and attaching our names and numbers to the front of our tops. Knowing I was staring pain in the face I calculated the maximum Ibruprofen it would be safe to consumer within a 24 hour period and then stuffed my running pouch full of the anti inflammatories, vaseline, gels and dextro energy tablets. Having been warned of the long wait at the start line in the cold early hours, and looking out of the window at the pouring rain, we lined up our additional clothing (which would need to be discarded on the roadside) and packed our last minute poncho purchases into the regulation see-through marathon bag.

With the clocks going back an hour that night (daylight saving) and feeling pretty content I settled down for a solid 7 hours of kip ahead of the 6.45 bus pickup from outside the hotel lobby.

It's The Final Countdown

Excited is an understatement as there are now only four days to go until the New York marathon. I leave on Friday and barring one very gentle jog to loosen up the legs upon arriving in the Big Apple, I've got just 26.2 miles left in my marathon journey.

I found this video of the course a few months ago on YouTube and thought I'd share it here.



My running number is 28654 and i'm starting in the blue section of the second wave at 10.00. If you want to follow my progress via email on the day you can sign up for runner alerts here.

Ready, set go... i'll see you on the other side.

Week 15 - Home Stretch

Considering I haven't run a single mile this week there's a lot to report. The knee wasn't feeling any better by Tuesday and I was beginning to panic so I booked an appointment with a physiotherapist to chat aches and pains. My hope was that they would confirm it was indeed ITB (not something more serious) and recommend the best possible stretches and exercises to relieve the symptoms and strengthen the muscles connecting the band.

After much discussion, poking, prodding and hopping on the offending leg the conclusion was reached that it was indeed an IT Band problem. The physio was cheerful enough and didn't seem to think it was too serious. She gave me a number of things to focus on (see below) and didn't tell me I couldn't run the marathon, just that I should take it easy and listen to my body. She ended the session with a bit of massage and I left the surgery feeling much more positive and virtually pain free.



Earlier in the day a friend had suggested I give Hot Bikram Yoga a whirl and having just been told by the physio I was pretty tight through my calves and hamstrings I decided now was as good as any time to give it a go. That evening I drove over to Fulham, met up with two girls I used to go to school with and signed up for my first class. HBY is the latest trend sweeping London and with a special offer of £10 for an unlimited 10 day pass the centre was ramos. In fact the first challenge was finding enough space on the floor to lay down your mat and strech out straight.

Bikram Yoga consists of a series of 26 postures, carried out in a room heated to approximately 40 degrees centigrade. I love the heat so wasn't worried about how I would handle that but I wasn't at all prepared for sharing my personal space with so many dripping wet strangers - enduring a foot in the mouth and some betty swallocks right up my nose was not very pleasant. The class lasted 90 minutes and afterwards I felt very loose and relaxed but despite all that I won't be rushing back as it just wasn't really my cup of tea.

For the rest of the week the knee kept stiffening up and then easing off again. Sometimes it felt great and other times pretty painful but it's definitely a lot better than either Sunday, Monday or Tuesday. I kept to my early decision that I wouldn't try to run on it until at least the end of the week and distracted myself with a bit of retail therapy. Firstly I purchased a strap which applies pressure to the area on the outside of the knee and works by shortening the band and relieving the friction of it rubbing against the bone. It's not too scary looking and reports from marathon running ITB sufferers are encouraging. It won't treat the cause, only the symptoms but anything to help me cover off those 26.2 miles is very welcome.




Next up was the all important New York Marathon top. I know it's advisable to train in the clothes you intend to wear on marathon day but my current tops aren't working out too well and i'm getting a lot of rubbing, so figured it couldn't get any worse. In the end I went for a purple racing back sports top from Nike which is breathable and has integrated support. Ideal - now all I need to figure out is how to get my name and number on there and i'm good to go.



All things considered I've managed to remain reasonably calm. I'm reassured that I got all of my long runs done and dusted before hurting my knee and so my fitness and endurances level are where they should be. Friends and family have been supportive and I've had all kinds of brilliant recommendations to put me back on the road to recovery. In the end I didn't risk running at all this week - suffering pain on a short run would shatter my blissful ignorance and, whatever happens, I will be lining up at the start in New York next Sunday. It's at this point in time that I am thankful (again) for the Non Runner's Marathon Guide which told me from the outset not to set a time goal. I listened and it's been my saviour because as long as I cross the finish line in New York (and run as much as I am physically able) I will have achieved my main objective. One thing is for certain... you can be sure that I'll have as much fun as possible along the way.

Week 14 - Transferral of Pain

It was Wednesday before I hit the streets again after my sixteen mile Sunday run. My 'race pace' had left me slightly stiffer than usual but otherwise I felt fairly good... or so I thought. Come Wednesday I set for the usual 5 miles but it seemed like someone had attached a concrete breezeblock to the underside of each of my trainers. The first 3 miles were some of the toughest yet which was frustrating because at this stage of the game they should be easy. Thankfully the weight in my legs just seemed to melt away after 3 and a half miles and I finished up ok.

I planned an easy 8 miles for Friday evening and that's what I got, it was the usual riverside route with Wes but we started off with a lap round the park which made it feel a bit fresher. With just over two weeks to go I figured the less eventful the remaining runs the better. So I just had one more run to do - a 10 mile race around Twickenham on the Sunday.

With a much more leisurely start time of 10am I rocked up to The Cabbage Patch pub at 09.30 and spent the final minutes ahead of the start in a seriously long queue for the loo - another good preparation measure for New York. With time to spare I lined up with about 1500 others and waited for the gun. The atmosphere was very friendly and there were groups of runners from various clubs in and around London all chatting away. The route meandered around Twickenham and then followed the Thames down to Kingston before turning back and hugging the other side of the river back to the start. Once again I started off fast but was genuinely surprised when my first mile came in at just under 8 and a half minutes... way too fast. I slowed up and let hundreds of runners pass me by.

As I settled back to a much more manageable 09.30 pace I was enjoying the run and was thinking about how I really want to keep up the regular running after New York. And then something pretty unusual began, I felt a niggle in my right knee. Employing the Non Marathon Runners Guide technique of 'but it doesn't matter' I carried on but it wouldn't go away. And then it got worse. And it got more painful. I began to worry, enough to slow to a walk. In Kingston I felt like I was bringing up the rear and The Cabbage Patch 10 was no different, especially when I slowed down, but as I limped along hundreds more people passed me by. Many of them shouted words of encouragement to get me going again. I tried a couple of times to break back into a jog but this was a pain like I hadn't felt before and a 10 mile Twickenham race was not the event to jeopardise my plans for New York.

To cut a rather long and boring story short I spent the remaining 3.5 miles walking (interspersed with a few short trots) and managed to lurch over the finish line in a blur of snot and tears. Nice. It was frustration and worry more than anything else. I queued to see the physio but it was really long and I was getting cold so I opted for a KFC, a Yorkie Bar and a shower when I got home. I rested up for the remainder of the day and stretched and massaged my legs with The Stick.

The Cabbage Patch Finish Line

It's Monday today and I'm still in quite a bit of discomfort. It's the outside of my right knee (not an previously troublesome area - but then again I've had a new pain nearly every week) and it bloomin' hurts when I extend it and bend it. I'm pretty sure it's a mild (fingers crossed) case of runners knee - similar to the niggle in my left knee I experienced back in Week 3. I'm confident that if I rest it (i'm not going to try running again until the end of Week 15), ice it, talk to it and play it some Jack Johnson it will respond favourably and make a full recovery. I haven't really thought about the alternatives. There were some worried looking faces when I hobbled into the office but hey - a little drama is always entertaining right?!?

Week 13 - The Breakfast Run

By the time the first outing of Week 13 came around the running blues were firmly behind me. Even torrential rain couldn't put me off my mid week 5 miler and dodging the puddles and central London traffic splashback was both entertaining and a refreshing change from the outings in the milder weather. I managed to shake off my sore right hip and achey left knee after a couple of miles and surprised myself with a speedy sprint section past the Peace Pagoda in Battersea Park on the home straight. I'm almost certain this is the fittest I've ever been.

Week 13 is the last of the BIG weeks and Sunday's 16 miler was the final hurdle before I officially entered the taper period. Brilliant. Very early on after deciding to train for the marathon I signed up to the Kingston Breakfast Run on 11 October. At the time is seemed so far away and the thought of running even 6 miles, let alone 16, brought me out in a cold sweat. Who would have thought that less than four months later I would be viewing a 16 mile run as middle distance!!!

With the exception of the three early summer 5k fun runs, which I did before my training programme proper even started, I haven't entered a single race. All of my training has been done alone or with one or two other people. The multitude of logistical complications that come with running an organised route alongside 41,999 other people haven't really crossed my mind up until now but three weeks before New York seemed like a pretty good time to try distance running in a pack. How would I handle the intial jostle over the start line, would I manage to negotiate the water stations with any success and how would I cope with having to turn up on time?!?

I didn't exactly spring out of bed when the 5.45 alarm call went off and as I ushered my two running buddies into the car the drizzle began. Navigting my way around Kingston Town and to the start line tested my mental agility pre 7am. The 16 mile (mainly flat) route involved two laps around the town centre, along the tow path by the river and on the surrounding roads. Huddling in a shop doorway sheltering from the drizzle I didn't feel much like a committed runner as all the seasoned pros (and lets be honest who else would turn up pre 8am on a cold wet Sunday to run 16 miles around... Kingston) did a very lively warm up lap around the block or strutted around in their de rigueur bin bags, keeping out the wind and rain. An event photographer commented that we looked like rather unwilling participants and when I mentioned we were running a marathon in three weeks time he looked visibly shocked - a now familiar reaction. The gun went off and so we left safety of the doorway and crossed the mat to activate our timing chip.


Bos was serious and had started up front (elbows out) so I knew I wouldn't see her until the finish line but M and I had settled for a more leisurely back of the pack position. My aim was to get round in just under 2hours 40 minutes (10 minute miles). The gang mentality at the start line swept me up and I immediately knew I'd set off fast so I wasn't surprised when my first mile came in well under 9 minutes, but what I was concerned about was running out of steam too early on. The second and third miles I slowed off a bit and felt more comfortable as the other runners really helped to keep my rhythm. After about the 5 mile mark I was still feeling strong and so I began to overtake a few of the people in front of me.

I crossed the half way stage in just under an hour and a quarter and felt confident I could achieve a little bit faster than my original target. After taking an Ibuprofen fix, chewing on a Dextrose energy tablet (my preferred alternative to Jelly Babies) and mastering a gel on the go I settled into the final six miles in a positive frame of mind. Waiting until the sixteenth mile before activating the turbo booster I sprung over the finishing line with a massive grin on my face in under two and half hours. Despite the early morning start and foul weather, once the race was underway I enjoyed myself a lot and began to imagine how amazing the atmosphere on Nov 1 is going to be. Up until now I haven't really thought about the actual day itself in too much detail but my mind is beginning to wander... and it's exciting.

So the last long run is done and dusted and I'm officially entering into the taper phase. Over the next three weeks I decrease the mileage to fine tune my body ahead of the big day. The long runs have enabled me to experiment with drinks and gels and to practice focusing the mind on the task in hand. I'm raring to go and worried that the taper phase is going to have a negative impact on my fitness and make me feel sluggish but all my research reassures me these fears are both natural but also unfounded.

The Race Stats:

Distance = 16 miles
Time = 2 hours 27 minutes and 30 seconds
Average Pace = 9 minutes and 13 seconds per mile
Booty = One medal, lots of Lucozade Sport and some grim Power bar thingy
PLUS The Glory

Lessons Learned:

Don't get stuck in a running rhythm anywhere near a heavy breather - they are freaky and annoying
Running harder hurts more but I can do it and I need to stop being lazy
Stretching and obsessive use of The Stick go a LONG way to post race recovery
Carbohydrates come in forms other than pasta - I need to find out what other forms and start consuming them because mixing up the shapes isn't making it any more interesting

Week 12 - 200 miles and counting

So I was going to devote part of this week's post to my running blues. After the high of Week 11 (which was always going to be unsustainable for the next month) I was floating around in a haze of self confidence before coming back down to earth with a bump on Wednesday with a slow, slightly sore and generally dull 5 miles around the bridges. Week 11 had been the best week of the training so far but at the start of Week 12 I felt like running was becoming a chore and yet I still had another three weeks of high mileage ahead of me.

Researching an appropriate image to capture this mood effectively on the blog I typed 'depressed runner' into Google and what should pop up on the front page but a picture of the delectable David Beckham! I kid you not - any doubters (read David Beckham fans) try it for yourself. That was reason enough to lift my mood and then, after chatting with a few people about my Week 12 downer, it dawned on me that I'm actually pretty lucky. Week 12 of 16 is not a bad point in the schedule to encounter your first 'i'm over it' vibes, in fact the Non Runner's Marathon Guide predicted I would have hit 'the emotional plateau' a good couple of weeks earlier... So the first 5 miles of the week were a struggle, and maybe I didn't quite make the full 8 miles of the medium run... and ok so I might have missed out the second 5 mile run of the week but once I'd kicked the 21 miler into touch it was all downhill (in mileage terms) until the big day.

But back to earlier in the week. Having got two long runs under the belt I had a better idea of what to expect for the coming Sunday and so for the first time I was not only apprehensive but also had a feeling that I just wanted to get it over and done with. Not ideal. Training for a marathon has made me fitter, stronger and generally more positive (not to mention all the mini highs along the way) but this week I felt a bit obsessed with running, bugged by muscle pain, tired and bored with pounding the pavements on my own. I still hadn't shaken off the running blues by Sunday morning and was unconvinced about my ability to complete the 21 miles even on my drive to Richmond.

Three laps of the Park meant three lots of seven miles (more manageable mentally) and two stops for water, gels, painkillers and any other necessary paramedic assistance. I took a deep breath and got going. The serious runners were out in force, sinking gels like tequila shots and I swear at least one of them lapped me. The shuffle battery life was going to be tested to the limit. On the third lap I had to remind myself that running a marathon isn't supposed to be easy and just because I felt a bit like giving up didn't mean I should. A worrying niggle in the top of my right thigh gave me reason enough to walk the hills (up and down) on the last lap but I still managed to finish with a strong last mile. Chalking up the 21 miles didn't give me the sense of satisfaction that I got from ticking off the 19 miles or the 16 miles. I just felt a bit numb - probably the four Ibuprofen.

The Non Runner's Guide really has been invaluable in the training. I've known what to expect and it usually been spot on and it has also reassured me that what I am feeling is completely normal. It's made me look back to all of the reasons I chose to run a marathon in the first place and forced me to acknowledge just how far i've come in the past five months (about two hundred and something miles so far). I'm swinging back into the happy camp for Week 13 when I'm going to turn my attention to the most important aspect of the pre marathon preparation... what to wear!

The Long Run
Distance: 21.01 miles
Time: 3 hours 31 minutes 27 seconds
Average Pace: 10 minutes 04 seconds per mile
Calories Burned: 2313

Lessons Learned
Tropical flavour SIS gels taste great but Apple flavoured caffine infused ones sound even more up my street
The last 5 miles of the marathon are going to be tough as hell
Too much marathon chat can send people to sleep