New York City Marathon 2014

Amanda Barlow

Running “destination” marathons has become an exciting addiction for me as I travel the world and run marathons in some of the most iconic locations on the planet. Mt Kilimanjaro, the Great Wall, the Inca Trail, Antarctica, the Amazon Jungle, along with some of the greatest road marathons like London and Boston, have all been ticked off my bucket list. 

The most well known of all marathons, the NYC Marathon, was definitely on my “been there, run that” list. Like the Boston Marathon, the NYC Marathon has a guaranteed method of gaining a registration if you are able to make a qualifying time and I knew from my “BQ” entry into the 2013 and 2014 Boston Marathons that gaining a qualifying time entry was a much more rewarding experience than just buying a place through a marathon tour group. The only problem was that the qualifying times for the NYC Marathon are tough – way faster than the Boston qualifying times, and much faster than I thought my old recreational marathoner's legs could run!

The Boston qualifying time for my age group of Female 50-54 was 4 hours, but the NYC Marathon qualifying time for the same category was 3 hours 49 minutes – 8 minutes faster than I had ever run before. I knew it was a long shot that I could possibly make that time but I gave it my best shot at the 2013 Brisbane Marathon (Qld, Australia) where the course is relatively flat and the weather favorable. With my 5km target time splits written on the inside of my forearm as a guide, I started off customarily above pace (because I’m hopeless at pacing myself!). Just after the 16km mark I was surprised when the 3:45 pacer overtook me with his helium-filled balloons floating above his head displaying the time I needed to aim for if I had any chance of getting a NYC Marathon qualifying time. I knew then that if I let this guy get too far ahead of me there was no way I would make my target time so I decided to stay on his heels and try to keep up with him all the way to the finish line. This worked a treat and I know I wouldn’t have been able to push myself as hard as I did if I had been on my own. Although I had to ease my pace off at the 35km mark due to a stitch, I was still able to maintain the lead I had gained by pacing at 3:45 time instead of the 3:49 time that I needed and I managed to cross the finish line in 3:47:45.

Although I had secured a registration in the marathon a year before the actual event, I was unsure if I would actually be able to go to New York due to unpredictable work commitments. I wouldn’t know until last minute if I would actually be able to go to NY. As the time drew closer it was looking like I wouldn’t have been able to go but 10 days before the big race my work situation looked favorable so I committed to booking the airfares. I was going to be working right up until 2 days before the event so could only make the long trip from Brisbane, Australia, to New York on the day before, arriving in New York at 5pm on Saturday, November 1^st – the evening before the marathon.

With so little time to prepare for race logistics, in a city I had never been to before, I contacted a fellow destination marathon addict, and New York resident and friend, Howard C of the NY Flyers running club, who I had met initially at the Antarctic Ice Marathon in 2012 and again at my home town marathon on the Gold Coast in Australia in July 2014, and asked for some help with last minute accommodations and assistance getting to the start line.

My Ride to the Start Line?
If Only I Had Met Him Before the Race
Instead of While Playing the Tourist :)

Howard put a call out to his New York Flyers friends asking if anyone could help me out with a place to stay in NY for the weekend of the marathon and within 48 hours he had gotten back to me with generous offers from two different people who were prepared to extend their hospitality and host a total stranger in their home. Given the time difference with our communications between the US and Australia I missed the mad flurry of messages he sent as he filled me in on the options that had now become available so in the end he accepted an offer on my behalf at the home of New York Flyers member Sungwon H and her husband Joe J. Their apartment was conveniently located in Manhattan and was walking distance from the finish line – perfect!!

Another equally generous offer was received from New York Flyers member Dave K who graciously extended his hospitality for me to share his home, kids and cats for the weekend! While Howard had made the accommodation decision for me, I was very fortunate in securing Dave’s extra generous offer of ensuring that I made it to the start line safely by meeting me at Sungwon’s apartment the morning of the marathon and accompanying me on the 2 hour taxi, ferry and bus rides to the start line on Staten Island. With my two biggest dilemmas solved – where to stay and how to get to the start line – I was now able to relax somewhat and start getting excited about my trip to New York.

The flights from Brisbane to NY took over 21 hours, stopping for a couple of hours at LAX on the way. My flight was a few minutes ahead of schedule and touched down at JFK Airport at 5pm on Saturday, the day before the marathon. Travelling with only carry-on luggage meant that I was able to get off the plane and into a cab quickly and make my way to the race expo at the Jacob Javits Center in Manhattan so I could pick up my race number.

Although the number pick-up was meant to close at 5pm I had made inquiries about how to pick up my number knowing I couldn’t be there by that time and I was relieved to see a stall set up for late-comers like myself. Although the Expo displays were already being pulled down and packed away with military precision by an army of forklifts and de-construction teams who obviously had deadlines to meet, the NYRR had set up a desk away from the war zone (which would have had hundreds of thousands of visitors over the previous few days) where us late-comers quickly exchanged proof of ID for our race kit. Being late meant that we were allocated a different race number from what our original registration showed we would have but that was a minor and insignificant issue. I was sure I would have missed out on the complimentary race shirt but to my surprise I still received one – albeit slightly bigger than my ideal size. Now I was excited - I had made it…and had the shirt to prove it. There was just one thing left to get – the finishers medal around my neck!

With the pre-race logistics out of the way I started getting excited about catching up with Howard and two of his New York friends who I had also met at the Gold Coast marathon earlier in the year. We had organized to meet at Bistango Restaurant so I caught a cab there and arrived about 10 minutes before the rest of the party of about 15 people. It was so exciting catching up with Howard, Nancy and Kino on their home turf this time – and not just any old city... I was in New York – the home of “Friends” and “Sex In The City” – I felt like I already knew the city even though I had never been there before!

It was great catching up with old friends and making new ones the night before the marathon. The marathon community is such a fun group of people and it’s what I love most about the sport. Some were indulging in a glass or two of wine while others were playing it safe and only drinking water but everyone was unmistakably super excited about running the marathon the next day or cheering on from the sidelines. Runners and supporters are equally important on race day – the cheering crowds are what make the big city marathons so amazing and seeing the faces of supporters light up with excitement when they finally spot their loved one amongst the runners is priceless.

By 10pm everyone started bundling up and prepared to leave the warmth of the restaurant to pour out onto the street in the bitterly cold wind and light rain. After a group huddle to have our photo taken by the waitress from the restaurant I jumped into a cab with Howard and we headed uptown to Sungwon’s address where I was dropped off while Howard continued on to his hotel. 

Stepping out of the cab, I felt like I had just stepped into an episode of Sex and the City, with Central Park on the other side of the road and a welcoming green canopy supported by brass poles extending from the curb to the front doors of the 5^th Avenue apartment block where I would be staying for the next two nights. Only 48 hours before I had been working on an oil rig in the Indian Ocean wearing steel-capped boots, and orange coveralls and now I was being greeted by the welcoming doorman of a 5^th Avenue apartment in uptown New York City – what a contrast!

I felt really bad arriving so late in the night at my hosts' apartment but Sungwon and Joe were understanding and made me feel welcomed into their lovely home. It was already about 10:30pm so we just had a brief introduction as I was shown my room and bathroom and any things I’d need in the kitchen for my early start the next morning. It was warm and cozy in my bedroom and after spending about half an hour preparing my running gear I headed to bed. Despite travelling for 24 hours from the other side of the world I fell asleep with no problems and slept soundly until my alarm woke me.

I had pre-arranged to meet Dave in front of the apartment at 6:30am where I would join him in the cab, which would then take us to the Staten Island ferry terminal. As the start of my wave wasn’t to be until 10:10am I knew I had to eat a small meal to sustain me before, and throughout, the race so I boiled two eggs and ate them along with a piece of bread and an apple.

It was then time to leave the warmth of the apartment and see what the weather had served up for us on race day. It only took one step out of the big brass-framed glass doors onto the street to realize my worst fears – the gale-force winds that had been predicted for the past few days had arrived right on cue. I was quietly hoping the Bureau of Meteorology had got it wrong, but unfortunately they were spot on. But I was at least prepared for it. Along with a few layers of my own clothes I also had a throwaway fleecy jacket and white disposable windproof pants and jacket that Howard had kindly provided. I may have looked like I was trying to avoid Ebola contamination but at least I was warm! I was only waiting for a few minutes before Dave arrived in the cab so as it pulled up in front of me I joined him in the back seat and introduced myself before the cab peeled away from the curb and we headed towards the ferry terminal.

Not only was Dave running the marathon but he was to be a 4 hour pace setter – providing a steady pace for runners who wanted to try and run the marathon in 4 hours or less. Under ideal conditions of a flat course and favorable weather I would normally be aiming for around 4 hours but I knew there was no way I would make that time today given the strength of the wind and that there were hills over all the bridges that we had to cross – with a headwind!! I would be starting in a different wave to Dave as well so once he got me to the start line where I met up with Howard he went on his own way to prepare for his start. I was extremely grateful for him taking the stress out of getting to the start line for me.

After Running Over So Many Bridges
It Was Lovely to Visit the Brooklyn Bridge
On A Leisurely Walk....

The start line at Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island is divided into three colored assembly areas - blue, orange and green. Your previous marathon times or type of registration (qualifying time or running for a charity) determine which color, wave and corral you start in within these assembly areas. My qualifying time registration originally had me starting in wave 2 in the orange area but because I picked up my race number late I was given an alternative start in the blue area. But that worked out in my favor because that was also where Howard was starting from so we could wait together.

Waiting with Howard -- Brrr!

With a race involving more than 50,000 participants the logistics at the start line are immense. Although our wave didn’t start until 10:10am we had to leave the apartment by 6:30am to allow us plenty of time to make it to the start line. Although the prospect of having to wait around in the cold wind was not appealing you couldn’t take the chance of lengthy delays in the public transport on the ferry and buses and arrive late and miss your start. Howard passed up on the opportunity to wait out the start in the warm VIP tents where his friends were comfortably waiting and instead stayed with me so I could experience the real NYC Marathon experience out in the cold wind with the rest of the thousands of people. I don’t think you can truly say you have completed the New York City Marathon without sharing the bitterly cold wind, insane line-ups for the pre-race pee and the general confusion that all adds to the excitement at the start line.

My feeling of dread at having to run in the strong wind was only made worse by Howard telling me that he heard the wheelchair athletes would not be starting on Staten Island because the organizers deemed it would be too unsafe for them in the strong winds that would be even worse along the exposed lengthy span of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. I tried to reassure myself by being grateful that at least it wasn’t raining!

As the start time for our wave drew closer we packed up the warm clothes we wanted to be taken to the finish line and left them at the baggage drop-off UPS trucks that were numbered according to race numbers. We headed down the road and followed the crowd in the general direction of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge but Howard became concerned that we may have been heading to the wrong start location so he asked one of the many volunteer race information people where the blue start location was. Unfortunately we had in fact been following the wrong people and we had to go back past where we had started from and now, with no time to spare, we had to run to avoid being locked out of the starting corrals.

We managed to get to where we were supposed to be just in time and then inched our way towards the corral’s gates with the rest of the thousands-strong crowd. One positive of the crowded conditions was that we were protected from the cold wind and now that we had shed some of our layers every bit of protection from the wind was welcomed.

It wasn’t long before our wave was called to enter the corrals so Howard headed off ahead of me as he was to start from a different corral than me. As everyone passed through the gates onto the starting area on the approach to Verrazano-Narrows Bridge the race volunteers manning the gates checked that we all had the proper race bibs for the wave we were about to start in. I wasn't sure how stringent they are about starting in the right location but I didn’t want to take the chance of being told I couldn’t start – that would have been devastating!

Once in the starting corral it was time to shed any remaining layers of clothing that you didn’t want to run with and these were deposited in designated bins plus anywhere else along the ground or fence line. There were mountains of discarded jackets, pants, scarves, gloves and blankets along with garbage bags that people had been using as wind shields. It was certainly going to be a good day for the charity organizations that all of these clothes eventually get donated to. They must pray for really cold conditions so they maximize how much clothing gets discarded at the start line!

Unlike most marathons I had run where the start line is very congested, this start line was the exact opposite. Once we got past the start line timing mats the road stretched out into several lanes heading over the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.  Over fifty thousand people streamed out over the double-decker bridge and headed onto the unprotected 2.5km stretch of road over the Hudson River. With the crowd of runners now very sparsely spread out on the immense area of roadway the wind battered us with all its fury. There were large plastic garbage bags flying through the air and I was terrified of one getting tangled around my legs and tripping me up. I was to hear after the race that this actually happened to a number of people and they were injured as they fell to their knees and face on the hard road surface. As well as trying to avoid flying debris I also had to concentrate on not tripping myself up as the wind blew my front leg across the path of my forward-striding back leg. The unpredictable gusting of the wind made it very difficult to predict where each foot strike would eventually land on the ground. At this point in time I was already thinking that this was going to be a long tortuous marathon! With only 1km covered I was already having to fight the voice in my head telling me this was not fun and maybe I should just give in to the conditions but as we crested the top of the bridge and finally started to run downhill it all felt just that little bit easier to cope with the wind and I was able to block out that voice in my head and convince myself that having that finishers medal placed around my neck after crossing the finish line would make it all worthwhile.

Once we came off the bridge and entered the streets of Brooklyn we were slightly protected from the wind by the buildings but it was still uncomfortably windy and cold enough for the need to keep my gloves and beanie on. It wasn’t until the 10km mark when I finally threw my beanie to the side of the road but I was to keep my gloves on for the entire race. I was also grateful for the long sleeves I was wearing under my New York Flyers singlet because it definitely wasn’t singlet weather!

As I ran along the road I passed at least three people in the supporting crowds with signs saying “Go Amanda!” It would boost my spirits and make me smile each time I saw one even though I knew it wasn’t meant to be for me.  My spirits were boosted even more when someone in the crowd yelled out to me by my name and when I turned to see who it was I was surprised to see one of the ladies I had met the night before while out for dinner with my friends. By the time I realized she was actually cheering for me, and not some other random Amanda, I was already past her and feebly turned to her and waved in an act of grateful recognition. It gave me a little extra spring in my step as if I now had an obligation to do my best in appreciation for the sacrifice of the supporters standing out in the freezing cold wind to cheer us on.

Although the course isn’t very hilly the constant headwind made even the slightest undulations in the road feel like mountains. I just forced myself to maintain a slow jog and keep moving forward knowing that every step I took was another step closer to the finish line and my warm clothes!

When the entrance to Central Park came into sight I felt like I was finally going to conquer the New York City Marathon. I knew there was still a painfully slow steady incline as we worked our way through the park but the end was getting closer and I just had to keep my legs going for a little bit longer. A much needed boost came when all of a sudden Sungwon jumped out on the road in front of me with her arms flying over her head as she yelled at me to keep going. I was so surprised I yelled back at her in grateful recognition and in an effort to capitalize on her boundless energy to help get me to the finish line. It was such an amazing feeling to be running on the other side of the world with over 50,000 people and to have someone cheer me on as I passed them in Central Park. I didn’t realize until later that day that Sungwon had also cheered me on from the gel station that she was volunteering at on behalf of the New York Flyers running club but I must have not heard her. I guess she realized after that that she was going to have to run out on the road in front of me if she was to get my attention!

It was an incredible feeling to finally cross the finish line in the famous Central Park with thousands of other exhausted runners. But my legs still had a bit further to go as I walked the extra kilometer or so to where my bag was stored on the UPS truck. Like a line of sheep, the now-exhausted runners slowed to a painful stagger as we walked past a never-ending line of UPS trucks that delivered our warm clothes from the start line to the finish line. Howard had finished half an hour ahead of me and was sitting on the ground in front of the truck where our belongings were stored. It was great to find him there and not have to search for him amongst the immense crowd of people. After putting on some warmer clothes we headed off to Sungwon and Joe’s apartment where they were waiting with a bottle of champagne to help us celebrate completing the marathon.  We watched the replay of the men and women who won the marathon being shown on TV while we recounted the highlights of the race.

Continuing to Wear My NY Flyers Gear Back in Australia.
Am I Now NY Flyers Australian Amabassador Amanda?! ;)

As an honorary New York Flyer for the day I was blown away by the generosity and genuine friendship of my New York hosts. It had been less than 24 hours since I landed in New York yet I felt like I was a local. No stuffy hotel rooms and strangers just the great company of locals in their own home and passionately talking about our common interest in running marathons. It was honestly the best post-marathon experience I have ever had.

I was to be made even more grateful the next morning when Sungwon showed me the fantastic race photos that Flyers member Bob C had shot during the race. He made me look so good when I felt so bad! 

Thanks Bob for the great race day memories. And I’d like to say a huge thank you to Sungwon, Joe, Howard and Dave for extending their amazing hospitality and friendship in making my short stay in New York an extremely enjoyable one. You all helped to turn the logistical nightmare of the New York City Marathon into an amazing experience for me. 

I have finally ticked it off my bucket list and have the medal – and the New York Flyers singlet – to prove it!

-Amanda Barlow

Blogmaster's Note: Amanda Barlow is an accomplished ultramarathoner, advernture runner, and author.  Her book, Call of the Jungle: How a Camp-Hating City Slicker Mum Survived an Ultra Endurace Race through the Amazon Jungle is a fascinating story.  If you want to add it to your winter reading list, you can click here for the synopsis or to order it.