Nov. 2, 2008 NYC Marathon Race Report

Age: 55, BD January 9, 1953

19^th Marathon since 1999.

Best Marathon – Houston 2006, 3:33:25

Current Marathon Training pace – 8:00

Goal pace for NYC – Start and Finish with my daughter

Boston Bib#: 16248

My Wave #1

Our Wave #3

History

Following the 2007 Boston Marathon my daughter, Dana, decided to train for her first marathon, the 2008 NYC Marathon. In order to gain entry I needed to qualify with a sub 1:40 half marathon which I accomplished at The Half and the 2007 Dallas White Rock Half marathon.

Her goal was a start/finish and I planned on running the entire distance with her at what ever pace she desired. I began training in July and she started about 16 weeks out from the race date.

Training Summary

NYC was week 18 of a 24 week schedule that targets the December 14^th Dallas White Rock Marathon as my goal race.

My main goal was to experience Dana’s first marathon through her eyes and help her have an enjoyable experience.

About 3 weeks out from the race I developed shin splints on my right shin and during that 20 mile long run I felt a slight pull in my right calf. Later that week I could hardly run or walk without limping.

Things did not get better and as race day approached I backed off of my training hoping to get some relief. I was concerned as to whether I would be able to finish the race.

Friday, Oct. 31, 2008

We left Ardmore for DFW at 4:30 AM and arrived at 6:15 AM. The flight was scheduled for about 7:35 AM and was scheduled to land at LaGuardia by 11:40AM.

When we arrived Dana picked us up and we immediately headed for the Expo. Traffic was heavy and there was no parking near the Jacob Javis convention center. After about an hour we found a parking space about 6 blocks away.

I think Dana was quite excited to get her bib. I was thrilled for her and knew that soon the gun would go off and the race would begin.

While roaming around the Expo we saw Ryan Hall, winner of the US Olympic trials.

We both picked up some goodies and after about an hour or so we were in the car and on our way to Brooklyn.

Upon arriving at her place we ordered some Italian take out and settled in for the night.

At bed time it was 40 hours and counting before the big day. The excitement was building. And, privately I hoped my calf would not take me out of the race.

Saturday, Nov 1, 2008

Normally my schedule would call for an easy 2-3 miler the day before a marathon but since I was having some problems with my shin and calf I opted for a walk and a Starbucks with a muffin. The NY Times had some interesting articles about the marathon.

After breakfast I went to a grocery store and picked u p some Gatorade, water, bananas and Bagels.

I returned to the apartment and prepared for a long day’s rest.

Dana was up and had a waffle for breakfast. Soon she started reading the Marathon guide: I think she memorized the entire book including the course map.

After 18 marathons I still become anxious waiting for the starting line and the beginning of the race. With time and experience my nerves have settled but the excitement is still there and it is what so many of us crave.

I think we watched all the sports shows, read magazines, books, anything to fill the time.

As the hours passed the nervous excitement began to build until it was finally time to go to the pasta party at the Tavern on the Green.

Runners approached Central Park from all directions. Many were taking pictures of them selves at the finish line and wondering what the next day would have in store for them. Would they finish strong or finish at all. It is something we all wonder.

The line for the Pasta was long. As we arrived in the glass walled Tavern I was impressed at the decor. Surely this was the only circumstance where I could afford to be here.

We found a nice place to sit and soon met the Race director, Gary Allen, and the marketing director for the Maine Mt. Desert Island Marathon. They were quite nice. After a long discussion I figured out that Gary Allen was the same person that was featured in an Article in Marathon and Beyond. He ran with Lance Armstrong until about mile 20 when he decided that Lance might not get in under 3 hours, something he had accomplished for 5 decades. I was duly impressed. What an incredible accomplishment. I also learned that every January 1^st he runs the Boston Marathon course…..alone. When Runners World found out they decided they would run a feature article about his New Years ritual in the January 2009 issue.

He offered Dana and me some wonderful advice.

When we made it back to Brooklyn we prepared ourselves for the big day. Just like on Christmas Day where we hang out our stockings we do the same by laying out all our apparel for the coming race. After setting everything in place we look upon it, over and over again. All in an effort to make sure that nothing has been forgotten and it is just something else to pass the time.

Our original plan was to take the subway to the Staten Island Ferry but Dana decided that it might be best to take a cab. She even changed the departure time from 6:30 AM to 6:00 AM. Now this is a big…big…deal, since she hates to get up in the morning.

We discussed our race plans. A Power gel every 5 miles, every 4^th mile we would warm-up the gel with our hands. We would walk through every water stop and then move on. I would keep track of the pace in order to finish right under 5 hours.

We watched the OU Football game. When it became obvious that OU would win, we switched to the Texas/Texas Tech game hoping that Texas Tech might win. We hung in until the end of the game (11:30 PM) and watched a last second Texas Tech win which was great for OU and it gave us something to do while we tried to get to sleep.

A final check of the weather reveals a forecast for cool, 40 degree temperatures with gusty winds early in the morning.

Finally it was time for bed.

Sunday, Nov. 2, 2008

It was Sunday morning and time for the BIG day in NYC.

The alarm went off at 4:30 AM, time for a bagel and Gatorade. Usually I take a shower but this time due to time constraints I skipped the old routine in an effort to get out of the bathroom as soon as possible.

Before we knew it the Cab had arrived and we were out the door and on our way to the Ferry. I told Dana that it was too late to turn back now. The BIG day had arrived and the race was just hours away.

The trip to the Ferry took about 20 minutes and it was nice to get dropped off right at the front door.

The crowds of runners were all walking toward the same destination. I brought a portable camera and Dana began taking pictures. At this point everything was new and every step was a new experience and takes you closer to the starting line.

The Ferry arrived and we were on board, wall-to-wall runners, all in nervous conversations, different plans, different goals, and different backgrounds.

On a typical day we would having hardly anything in common, but today, we have all traveled the same road to the same destination. Now we shared a common goal and it was all that mattered.

We left the Ferry and boarded the busses that would take us to the Fort Wadsworth National Park. It really sinks in we you take that step off of the bus and pass through the security check point: you are going to run the NYC marathon!!! The park was filled with PA system announcements, signs, everyone was coming and going. The porta potty lines were still short but not so for the coffee and food lines. They were already backed up.

By the time we found a spot in our designated area to call our temporary home it was about 7:45AM.

We made our final preparations and Dana took our stuff to the baggage area and then within a few minutes they announced that it was time for us to go to the starting corrals.

We never found the corral area: everyone just lined up and we were all very confused about where we needed to go. As the crowd started to move toward the starting line Dana and I took one last break at the porta potties. During this time the gun fired and the race had begun. We dropped off our jackets and began the slow jog toward the bridge. It wasn’t long and we were off and running.

The 2008 NYC Marathon had begun for the third wave.

Mile 1 - It was quite exciting as we began our run up the Verazano Bridge. I stopped a couple of times to take some pictures, and then I handed the camera to Dana so she could do the same. Not doubt she was nervous because she kept telling me that she could feel her heart pounding. I told her that her adrenaline was pumping and that soon she would calm down.

Mile 2 - The sights were incredible: off in the distance we could see the Statue of Liberty. Dana said that she had never seen the city from this angle and of course she had never run on the bridge. She would experience a lot of “firsts” today.

Mile 3 – Dana took a “stretch” break at the first water stop. It would impact out splits but that didn’t matter since it was a “start/finish” day. The view down the road was fantastic, runners as far as the eye could see.

Mile 4 – I think we had finally found our “groove”. The pace was consistent. I ran ahead and took some pictures of Dana. She stopped and had me take a picture of her with some NYC Firemen. She was having a great time.

She excitedly said, “They are shouting my name!!!!” It was time to start warming up the Powergel for mile 5. It was time to warm up our first Powergel

Mile 5 – Dana punched me on the shoulder and said “I can’t believe I am running the NYC marathon with my Dad!” After a Powergel she mentioned that her right knee was starting to bother her. I told her that she would have all sorts of pains during the race and not to worry, she would run through the discomfort and soon would feel fine. We were consistently hitting an 11:45 pace with short stops at each water station.

Mile 6 – Her knee was still causing problems; we walked a little longer through the water stop. She told me that she had not experienced any knee problems during her training runs.

Mile 7 – Dana’s knee was hurting more often and we had now stopped a couple of times to try and walk it off. I was beginning to get a little concerned and wondered if we would finish.

Mile 8 – We meet up with Georgia and took some more pictures. I wanted to tell Georgia that Dana was having problems but the opportunity did not present itself. We moved on.

Mile 9 – The walk breaks were more often now: I was now convinced that this was going to be a long day for her. We stopped at an aid station so she could get some Tylenol. They stamped her bib to alert other aid stations that she had already been medicated. I explained to Dana that she could not get anymore Tylenol. They could pull her from the race if she demands more Tylenol. The walk breaks were getting longer. We begin to warm up our next Powergel.

Mile 10 – It was time for more water and Powergel. I ran ahead to use the Porta Potty which gave Dana an opportunity to take a longer walk break.

Mile 11 - As we ran along I tried to get Dana to tell me about the sights just to help get her mind off of the pain. It gave her something to talk about. Any diversion would be helpful. The Tylenol was having no affect on the pain.

Mile 12 – Some how we missed this mile marker.

Mile 13 – When we saw the 13 mile marker we realized that we had missed the 12 mile marker and it was such a welcomed surprise.

When reached the halfway point in the race, I told Dana, “Let’s concentrate on getting across the Queensboro Bridge. Dana, what are going to do at the next mile?” She replied “We will warm up our Powergel” “Right”, I said. “I told her to concentrate on the next mile.” Then we will focus on the next mile, and so on. A DNF was imminent.

Mile 14 – At mile 14 we saw the Queensboro Bridge: it was a daunting sight with such a steep incline. By now we were walking more that running. As Dana walked I jogged next to her.

Mile 15 - The walk down the bridge was excruciating, even so, she was so excited to have made it this far. The crowd was thinning and there were far less runners around us as earlier in the race. It was getting cooler. And, to make matters worse, now BOTH knees were bothering her.

Dana had a Powergel but I skipped mine.

During the last few miles I was really wondering what to do. Should I suggest that we drop out? I was desperately trying to decide the next course of action. It was awful seeing her in such pain.

Mile 16 – Dana stopped on the side of the road and said, “Dad, if I don’t bend my knees, they don’t hurt”, I felt so bad for her, chuckled and said, “You can’t walk stiff legged all the way to the finish line”. Georgia called on the cell phone, I told her we were in trouble and that I would call her as we approached Central Park.

Mile 17 – We were only walking now, I told Dana, “OK, you can walk to Mile 20, but then we are going to try to look like we are running.” I tried not to show it, but I was really getting concerned. I asked her “What kind of pain are you experiencing? Is it sharp or dull? She says “it is dull.”

OK I was a little relieved. If it was a sharp pain I would have to suggest that we drop out.

Mile 18 – For a long time now Dana knew that a sub 5 hour marathon was out of the picture. Even thought she was in such pain we managed to make some fun of it. It was ironic that we had discussed the night before that she did not want to have the street cleaners catch up with us. We looked around, no street cleaners, but the volunteers were already dismantling the race fixtures. There were still spectators and they shouted her name as she passed. I gave thumbs up.

Mile 19 – Time to warm up another Powergel. “OK, Dana, time for a new goal: Let’s finish the race in less time that it takes for the winners to have finished it three times!!!” I reminded her that we were going to try to start running at mile 20.

Mile 20 – Time for another Powergel. Mile 20 came and went with no running. She tried to jog every now and then but it didn’t last for more than a few feet.

Mile 21 – Soon we would be running parallel with Central Park, so the new goal was to try and run when we reached the entrance to park.

Mile 22 – We arrived parallel to Central Park, but there was no running, just a slow painful walk. I said, “OK, we can wait and start running when we arrive at mile 23: when we are actually IN the park”: She said, “OK”. I told her to concentrate and get mentally prepared for the final few miles.

Mile 23 – We entered the park, there was hardly a soul left but the few remaining spectators offered a lot of support. Dana tried to go from a walk to a run, but the pain was too severe. I could hardly believe she had made it this far. I told her, “Just a few more miles to go and we will cross the finish line” Georgia called on the phone and was obviously concerned. I told her that we were in the Park and we would be at mile 25 (where she was standing) in about 35 minutes.

Mile 24 – The miles were so long, each mile seemed longer that the mile before, the crowd was thin, and it was dark and cold just as it was when we arrived at the Staten Island Ferry 12 hours ago.

Mile 25 – As we approached the final turn where we would re-enter Central Park I spotted Georgia. I had to grab Dana and point her toward her Mom other wise she would have never noticed her. She had been in a trance for many of the last 5 miles. Dana, “We need to try and run this last mile, believe me, you don’t want to walk across the finish line”, Dad, “I can’t right now otherwise I might not finish but I will run the last .2 miles.

Mile 26.2 – With the last .2 miles in sight, Dana went from a walk to a very quick run, I know the feeling, you see the finish line and you know you will finally make it. We ran the last .2 miles hand-in-hand and as we crossed the finish line I held her hand high for victory, and then grabbed her as she almost collapsed in my arms. I said, “Dana, you finished, I am so proud of you, I would have never been able to finish a marathon in such pain”.

There were so few volunteers remaining that we had to hunt for our Finishers metal.

We walked to the Photo area and had a nice picture taken of the two of us. I told her that she could get an individual picture afterwards but she declined. We gathered up our belongings and met Georgia and were on our way to the Victory Celebration.

We had beat the street crew and finished before the winners could run the race three times.

It was a GRAND Victory.

Results: Pace : Who cares, we finished!!!

Official Time: 6:27, we beat the street crew.

Summary

You never know what life will dish out: it is how you handle the “dish” that demonstrates your character.

Dana did not complain about her pain: she never suggested dropping out: she stayed focused: she finished a difficult race.

It is the difficulties in life that teach us the most valuable lessons..

We learn answers to questions like:

What are we really made of?

When the going gets tough, do we keep going and stay tough?

Do we persevere?

When things don’t go our way, do we focus on the positive or the negative?

While visiting with Gary Allen at the pasta dinner he told Dana that she would be a different person after she finished the marathon; she would learn that she could do anything she puts her mind to. The experience can transform you, if you let it.

Who would have known that Dana’s marathon would be the ultimate challenge of mental and physical fortitude?

Instead of complaining about the result and concentrating on disappointment, Dana explained what she learned: in her own words, she discovered that she was able to get through the pain and that it was a far more valuable a lesson that if the race had been easier. All this was said with a smile as she was still in severe pain. There was not a single complaint about the race results, disappointing, sure, but no complaints.

She says she will run another marathon and that she has experienced the worse and the next one can only be better. Better? I am not sure. How can it possible be better? Less painful, sure, but better? No, different? Yes, absolutely different.

The Marathon can be a very cruel event and today it was mean and cruel but Dana stood tall and conquered and demonstrated a supreme attitude. It was not finishing the race that was important but the attitude demonstrated. A DNF would have made me no less proud to be her Dad!!!! She taught me a lot that day as she moved forward.

If she accepts the marathon challenge again, well, good for her. If not, well, that is OK too.