Marathon Sunday

Today is New York City's most exciting and fun day of the year: Marathon Sunday. If you've ever wanted to experience New York at its best, spend a day cheering for runners through all five boroughs of the city.

When I moved to New York in 1999, I lived half a block from the marathon course. The morning of the marathon I grabbed a bagel and walked down the street into a giant party. Bands played, the crowd lining First Avenue was five people deep, people blared music from their fire escapes and hosted marathon parties on their terraces. It was exhilarating, and I wasn't even running! I stood for a couple hours and cheered myself hoarse, yelling for the runners and clapping till my hands went numb. It was completely awesome, and I think it was the first time I ever realized why people love New York so much.

I knew how important the cheering section was to the runners because I had run my first (and, to date, only) marathon just a week before, in Washington, DC. Here I am with my mom at the finish of the Marine Corps Marathon:


I was slow (finish time: 5:45) but I was so proud of myself for actually finishing a marathon, for keeping my body moving for 26.2 miles. I was at my skinniest adult weight, 162 or 164 can you believe I can't remember exactly? And I was about to pile it all back on as I scaled back my running and kept up my eating.

I actually enjoyed running the marathon, and I tried another one a year or so later but dropped out at mile 7 because I'd done a terrible job training. (Life lesson: Prepare or die.)

I've never run New York, and I'm told it's a tough course with a lot of hills. My father-in-law has run the last seven or eight NYC marathons, and we usually go in to meet him at the finish line. For the most part, you can't meet a friend at the finish line, but he takes so long (seven and a half or eight hours) that the police usually let us take the kids to see Grandpa's big finish.

I haven't run consistently in years but lately it's been popping back into my head now and again. I looked online, and the NYC Half Marathon is March 20, 2011, which would give me more than four months to train for 13.1 miles. I'm sure I can do that.

As far as I can tell there's a lottery system for entries, but I will probably sign up with Team in Training. I've done a couple other events with them, and their coaching is good, plus it's a big support source for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Who wants to join me?

PS It's Weigh-In Day for the first week of the Holiday Challenge. Don't forget to send your weight info!