Race Report

New York City Marathon

Sunday, November 3, 2002

RACE DAY - FORT WADSWORTH:       

We left the Portland Square just after 5am. Here are Mike and Sue walking down 5th Avenue to the Public Library, where we would meet Abe and Daniel for the bus trip to Fort Wadsworth. Sue said "I might as well go with you guys, I can't sleep anyway!"

We found a choice spot in the corner of the first tent - Abe and Daniel stand by our gorgeous Penguin Brigade banner. For the next four hours, runners would join us and share in the anticipation. On the right Kelly (from Canada) is helping Carol (from California) get her nametags in place.

Occasionally we would have incursions at the "borders" of our little community, but we just welcomed intruders and explained the philosophy of Running for Fun. Extra clothes and a few blankets kept everyone warm - and body heat was shared along with snacks and stories!

At 830am the Interdenominational Worship service was held to an overflowing crowd. This was started a number of years ago by a pastor from Albany , NY - who still heads it up. Good inspiration for the task ahead.

Abe and Ron show off what the fashionably dressed NYCMarathoner is wearing on chilly November mornings

Violet, Cher, MaryD, and Julia leave our group to head for the front of the Red Start. Meanwhile, Ron grabs Raul from Colombia and gets him to take our...

...group pictures!

ON THE BRIDGE - THE START:   

We hung a left out of our Condo and joined what we thought would be the tail end of the Red Start. The waiting continued - Mike and Lauren decided to be smart and wait sitting on the curb!

For some reason, we get to join the Red Start toward the front! We head out to the bridge, where we become a part of "The Most Exciting Start in Sports" - on the right Ron is with Eric - not of the famous ERIC thread, but Eric from Charlotte who is running NYCM2002 on his birthday.

The speeches were complete, the National Anthem was played (on the left is the view of the colors which were at the start line), and then The Big Gun fired. The crowd slowly shuffled forward to the sound of Frank singing "New York, New York", but we picked up speed quickly, taking only a minute to cross the Start Line. That's Carol and Lauren in full stride headed up the biggest hill on the course - the Verrazono-Narrows Bridge.

A grand sight indeed - to our left lay New York Harbor, the Statue of Liberty, and the southern tip of Manhattan. The FDNY fireboat was saluting us with streams of red, white, and blue. Even though you have just started a MARATHON, you have to pause and take a picture - as did Sue, Lauren, and Carol.

Jenn, Mike, and Sue climbing the biggest hill of the marathon - the first one to the top of the V-N bridge.

Yep, the camera will always be there. That's Carol and Lauren "de-hydrating" on the downhill side of the V-N bridge. Might want to notice the technique and try that in your training, ladies...