Race Report

New York City Marathon

Sunday, November 4, 2001

It all started with my arrival to Newark and my shuttle into New York City. Checked in to the hotel. Message from Ron to wait for him and his nephew Ryan. Ron, Ryan, and I went to the expo to pickup our packets. Not much at the expo. Met Daniel, who was working. Waited for Julia,Harriett,her bother and sister in law. Off to look for a restaurant. Found a little one and was the lasagna good! Conversation was good, like the food.

On our way back to the hotel, my guides showed me Times Square and Broadway. Saturday morning we were off to meet and have breakfast with Ellen and Ken. Good pancakes and conversation again. Remembered that Ellen missed the Mardi Gras half after braking her ankle. It rained while we ate. Returned to the hotel to wait for call to tour ground zero. No tour so did our own. Very sobering. We took pictures and wrote a note on one of the signs. How could someone do anything like this?

Off to meet up for the Penguin/Dead dinner. Daniel did a great job of picking the place and the menu! Met and renewed many Penguins. Ron and Julia emailed each other from one table to the other. This of course would not stop all weekend!

Back to the hotel to paint the sign for the morning. PENGUIN BRIGADE and a PENGUIN on a pink bed sheet! Looked good, if I do have to say. Sunday morning up at 4:30. Still trying to figure out what, or how much to wear! Looked as it would warmup. Off to the buses about 5:30.

The sun was beginning to show as we setup the sign and ground cover. The crew started to show up. I will not try to name all, as I don't want to leave anyone out. Everyone was plotting the day. I have never started to run a marathon at 10:50 AM before, so was not sure what to do. I had a bagel, Power bar, water, and some Gatorade. Made a trip to the worlds longest urinal. Everything is big in New York! Someone pointed out that there were men on top of the bridge. As we looked around there were men on the light towers also. We counted 6 helicopters circling also. Time to get on the bridge. We had Ron, Ryan, Daniel, Mike, and Cheryl. The Mayor gave a speech of welcome and dedication. Then 30,000 of my closest friends and I sang. This really got to me, but the best was yet to come.

The cannon fired and Frankie started singing New York, New York! Along with my closest friends!

About 5 minutes to the starting line. Ron told me to move to the left side. As we crossed the bridge a fire boat was spouting red, white and blue water! Picture time! I will not be able to describe the sites and sounds that I saw and heard that day, but here goes.

Ron had us put our names on our shirts. I have never done this in any of my 28 marathons before. Well all I can say is "do it"! I have been know to play the crowd, but this was spectacular! The crowd was in it all day! We high fived little kids and some big kids too!

Ron and Julia had a running email going all day. We met and wet hugged the women in the scream team many times. By the way we have a GREAT scream team! Julia, Glenn, Ellen, Ken, El, and Peggy. I hope I got everyone. Ron was the camera guy, took two rolls and had Julia pick up another. I was running OK, but not the speed I wanted. The crowd and playing them was taking time. Not that I didn't enjoy them.

Cheryl had taken off, but Ron, Ryan, Daniel, and I stayed together all day Ryan had run Marine Corp last weekend and was doing very well. I will write more about him in another report. We were trying to run 5:30, but as I slowed toward the end we just wanted to finish feeling good.

We crossed the finish at 6:08:17, holding hands and smiling. My thanks to Ron, Ryan, and Daniel for pacing me all day. It's great to be a PENGUIN!

Missed the dinner with the other PENGUINS Sunday night. Ryan had a train to catch and we took a little long on the course. After Ron and I took Ryan to the train, we were HUNGRY! Ron remembered a restaurant in Times Square that had some good sandwiches. We found it, the Roxy. They served one pound of meat on the bread! Ron took pictures! Off to bed and up early to fly back home.

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