At 11:10 the gun went off, but we stood there and

watched the elites run by.  Then we were off, the

entire red corral, and for the first 3 miles on the

bridge I didn't dare take any walk breaks to do so

would have meant being run over.  Connected with Jess,

Dom & Maggie around 3.5 miles, unloaded my gloves, got

my hugs, and went on.  From that point on I was able

to take my walk breaks pretty much on schedule.  My

foot was already hurting.

Miles 3-12 were in Brooklyn.  There was an amazing

diversity of people in those neighborhoods, all

cheering loudly, proud of their community.  We got to

see them at their best, I'm sure.  I cheered back at

them, high-fived a million people, received and

accepted a marriage proposal, and did what I could to

let them know how wonderful they were.  The only

exception was in a very strict Jewish neighborhood,

where children and adults lined the streets in total

silence.  This had me thinking about my mother-in-law,

and how terrifying our mainstream society must be for

her, having been raised in such a closed one.  At this

point I realize that my cell phone is not receiving

calls, but is instead funneling all of them to voice

mail.  I check my messages and hear Julie Wobb's voice

from Toronto, encouraging me on.  I can't explain how

much that helped.  By then I was hurting, big time.

At mile 12 I see Jess and Dom again.  They tell me

that Millard and the rest are miles ahead of me, so I

send them on to the Bronx.  But first I take back my

gloves and hat, because I'm freezing again.  Just

after this I see Kathryn Lye and El Fernandez, and I

feel more buoyed than ever.  Then I called my friend

Jean and let her tell me about how strong and capable

I was.  I dont know what I would have done without my

friends out there, with me.

I catch up to Paulette Chellis around the

half-marathon mark, in Queens.  Were both in bad

shape.  Paulette remarks that she has never felt so

badly so early in a race.  I agree.  Fortunately, she

finds her supply of ibuprofen and gives me 3 of them.

(PAULETTE YOU SAVED MY LIFE.)  Soon afterwards we were

on the 59th Street Bridge.  This is a real wasteland;

dark, quiet, and enormously UPHILL.  Im feeling like

I will hit the first subway back to the hotel as soon

as I get off the !@$##%$% bridge.

Sunday, 11/3, 2:15 p.m.: After two miles on the 59th

Street Bridge, feeling lost and despondent, I hit the

ramp into Manhattan. The noise of the crowd rises up

to greet me, and I feel a whole new surge of

adrenaline. The noise and music carry me all the way

up First Avenue into Harlem. In Harlem I encounter

another great crowd who shouts back at me. One man

yelled It aint safe to walk in Harlem! and I

replied Hey, Im from Detroit, Ill walk wherever I

want! He feigned fear, then laughed and wished me

luck. Here the children ran with us for a while,

offered us orange slices, and played their music as

loud as possible so that the rhythm carried us along.

I crossed the bridge into the Bronx and soon found

Jess, Dom, and Maggie again. They told me that

Millard was probably finishing at this point, and also

that my sister was trying to get me but couldnt get

through. I called her and she was so excitedshe was

watching our progress on the internet and could hear

the roar of the crowd behind me. I sent the kids on

to the finish line and took off. About a mile later,

the phone actually rang (the first time!) and it was

Kathy Flippo. She told me to dig down and finish it,

that I could do it. And for the first time that day,

I thoughtIm going to finish this. Over the bridge

and back into Harlem. Now Im hearing NOT MUCH

FARTHER YOURE ALMOST THERE and YOU CAN DO

IT!!!!!!!

Somewhere around mile 24 we reenter the park. Its

getting dark now, and Ive been on the course for

nearly 6 hoursa PW for me, for sure, but it just

doesnt matter. I check my phone messages again and

theres another message from Julie in Toronto, telling

me that the group has been watching and cheering us on

all day. What a lift! THANK YOU JULIE, I OWE YOU BIG

TIME!!! At 59th Street, we leave the park for about =

mile, then reenter the park for the last 400 yards or

so. About 200 yards from the finish, I stopped, took

out my cell phone, and called my friend Susanne, who

faces daily challenges with rheumatoid arthritis. I

tell her that I want her to go with me across the

finish line. As I enter the chute, an announcer calls

out my name, people in the bleachers cheer; I raise my

arms (and the cell phone) and cross the mats. Someone

is putting a medal around my neck; Im crying; I put

the phone to my ear and Susanne is speechless; someone

wraps a mylar blanket around me; I cant believe Im

done. Im done. In all the chaos, I forget to stop

my watch. Later I find out that my chip time was 6:07:57definitely a PWwho cares.

My only complaint about the race is the finish.

People cant get there to wait for you, and you end up

walking, cold and hurting, for a long time to meet up

with others. I never made it to our meeting placeI

called Millard and had them meet me at the subway.

Back to the hotel, showered, and off to get dinner. A

great filet mignon, garlic mashed potatoes, and two

glasses of red wine. Its all falling into place now.

To all my friends, in NY, on the group, and everywhere

elseyou got me through it. I love you all.

Violet in Ann Arbor