Return - NYC Marathon

I've had a few conversations and read a few blogs recently that have reminded me of my running days. About a year or so after I graduated from college, I decided that I wanted to run the NYC marathon. My Uncle David had run it about 20 times (seriously!!!) and he encouraged me to enter the lottery so we could run it together. We even talked about it as we were dancing at my wedding reception. I was born in New York City so it seemed like the right place to run my first marathon. The first two years I entered my name didn't get picked but the third year it did. I am pretty sure if you enter three times and haven't been picked then you automatically get to run. At least, that is how it was back in the day. The marathon is in November so I had all summer and the early part of fall to train. Since I had run cross country in college, I was pretty sure of how I wanted to go about training for it but I picked a plan on a running website and basically stuck to it. The plan did allow for a little flexibility during the week and that helped since I was in a job that required some travel. One of my co-workers at the time was an avid runner so I joined her on weekends for the longer runs. I am not sure I could have done those long training runs on my own. The encouragement and motivation from others was key.

I get really emotional when I think about running that marathon. The plan to run with my Uncle David didn't work out because he was diagnosed that year with brain cancer and his surgery date was too close to the race date so he couldn't run. He did travel to New York that weekend and cheered me on and even paid for Damon and me to stay at a really nice hotel near where I would catch the bus to the start of the race. He warned me all about the parts in the race that were the hardest, like the lonely, steep bridge you run across before entering Manhattan and the hilly roads that line Central Park in the final miles of the race. He taught me the easiest way to grab the paper water and gatorade cups so you wouldn't spill. He advised I take a New York Times to read before the race because you have to sit and wait for a long time before it begins. I think he was living vicariously through me and that it was really tough for him to sit out that year. If you can believe it, despite the chemo and radiation he endured before his passing in April 2006, my uncle ran the NYC Marathon two more times. I am pretty sure he even did it faster than me.

My mom has a photo of my uncle and me from one of the first times he ran the NYC marathon. I was probably about 4 years old. He wore a t-shirt during the race that said, "Emily's Uncle." My mom had kids before both of her brothers so I was my uncle's first niece. When I ran the marathon more than 20 years later my mom had a t-shirt made for me that said, "David's Niece." It was fun to wear because the spectators in New York are some of the best so for 26.2 miles I heard stuff like, "Let's go David's Niece" and "You can do it, David's Niece." It was pretty awesome. It was clear that some people were really confused or thought that David was someone famous. When your knee is killing you and you aren't sure you can continue those little moments are priceless! I will never forget rounding the corner into Manhattan at around mile 16 and hearing the cheers from the crowds. People were lined up 4-5 rows deep to cheer you on. I will also never forget seeing my mom, D, my Uncle David and cousin Chris about 1/2 mile before the finish. There were times I didn't think I would make it and seeing them and knowing that I was about to cross the finish line was a really special moment. I definitely cried tears of joy and lifted my arms in celebration as I ran across the finish line.

I would love to run another marathon but my knees took a beating that day in November and have never fully recovered. I am really hoping one of these days I can devote some time to physical therapy and get running long distances again. I am David's niece after all!