After battling the cold and flu over the past week, I woke up at 5:30 a.m. Sunday morning and got down to the breakfast area at 6:25 am. I don't eat anything marathon mornings except Power and Gu gel bars. No bagels or fruit for the Tank -- only saying the prayers, eating the vitamins, and hydrating.
After a 6:30 am group photo, it's time to load the buses and go to Staten Island. One of the many great things about being on Fred's Team is we are some of the last vehicles allowed over the Verrazano Bridge to maximize rest and stay out of the elements. Fred's Team rules!
While on the bus, I received an e-mail from my fellow Church parishioner and friend Zoran who is serving in Iraq. I am relieved to hear from him as I haven't heard from him in a while except through Tom in Tanzania who is on a similar time zone and Instant Messengers him. Stay safe and get home soon Zoran!
I spent a few anxious moments looking for the Fred's Team tent and finally found Jeff and Kal near the UPS Trucks. Kal and Jeff graciously watched my UPS bag while I stepped away for a moment to go to the restroom. I saw a Today reporter filing a report. She has a group of people behind her hamming it up more for the camera than Steve with the ten year old Mets fan during the race. Go Natalie!
There is a pretty good blues band, Blues Barbecue, playing in the background.
I thought Jeff and Kal were going to a special Fred's Team start and followed them. I am a decent runner but lucked out and got into the special elite local runner start. As David quipped, who is going to mess with the Tank? My thoughts exactly.
There was an Air Force airman lined up behind us carrying an fire extinguisher tank (no pun intended) on his back. There was also an English firefighter wearing a real helmet. We're not elite for nothing, more like a crazy clique -- at least me anyway.
After a stirring version of the Star Spangled Banner, it's time for the starting cannon. My shoe gets caught in the time mat but I get it back on in the nick of time being being trampled by the rest of the runners. After a couple of miles over the Verrazano Bridge, it's off to the best borough, Brooklyn, because of its diversity. Where else can you have African American schoolchildren playing their instruments all out to Hassidic Jewish families quietly observing the runners? (I can relate because neither applause nor musical instruments are allowed during our Orthodox Christian services.) Sandwiched in between are Williamsburg new bohemians who have their own cheers. It might be caused by the not so legal smelling smoke in the air. Whatever they are smoking, their's and everyone's support is greatly appreciated.
As for my race, my goal was to run around 4 hours and 15 minutes. I paced well and used the
Galloway run/walk method to walk through water stops, rest my legs, and properly hydrate.
The race went great for the first 16 miles where I was on pace for about 4:15-4:20 at 2:38 at 16 miles. However, the IT Band on my right knee flared up (from the uneven roads) just before Sloan-Kettering, I jogged/shuffled the best I could for the kids. I walked from miles 17 to 20.5 and wanted to borrow a car from
Bronx Auto for a few miles and then return it after the race. As my aspirin kicked in, I got a great surge of music from the
Gipsy Kings and I shared my musical gift with my fellow runners singing Volare, Baila Me, and other great Gipsy Kings songs. I walked/jogged/electric slided and finished in 4:56. I am disappointed in my time but I finished faster and healthier than last year's 5:38 and a slightly torn right hamstring. Speaking of the hamstring, I had some pain but it thankfully held up okay, touch wood.
I went to physical therapy on Monday and my main issues are only the following: (1)
the Gastroknemious (spell check doesn't even pick it up) near the IT Band on the lateral side of the knee, (2) a strained co-lateral ligament, and (3) a little water on the knee. However, the meniscus is thankfully okay and I don't have to have it scoped as Kal, Linda, and I discussed as a possibility at Kal's party. Whew!
Speaking of parties, my first was the Fred's Team party was very inspirational as Jeff, Eileen,
Aubrey, and a research scientist thanked us for our support and hoped to be out a job some day. It's rare to hear that but he really meant it. I want to thank everyone again for sponsoring, encouraging, and cheering me on. I am in pain but nothing compared to what the children at Sloan-Kettering go through everyday. Not even close.
I finally get to Kal's party. After discussing the marathon, Steve and I start discussing the lunchtime renewable energy conference that we attended on Tuesday (Halloween) at Baruch. Like my parents, Kathleen noted that I should get a girlfriend. How much did they pay her to say this? I am under enough pressure. Speaking of Halloween, my Dad left me a terse voicemail on Halloween 2002 to "get married before I die" as he has been in declining health. And A-Rod thinks he has pressure of playing for the Yankees. I can unfortunately relate and I telepathically communicate with him. I invited A-Rod to my parents' house for Thanksgiving so my Dad can lecture him on his poor season instead of lecturing me about not being married. A-Rod has yet to RSVP but I will blog if he makes it.
After hanging out with the Antarcticamaniacs, I remembered that the Colts and Patriots were playing the Sunday Night Football game. Energized by the Colts awesome victory, it's time to close out the evening at the third and final marathon after party at the world famous Copacabana. No cover -- boo yeah!
Whenever I go out to a club, I normally do my own thing in TankLand, i.e. check out the women, dance, sing karaoke, etc., but I started a new and somewhat humorous tradition as I watch my fellow runners try to dance after the marathon. The French are the most entertaining in their own unique way because they'll smoke cigarettes outside (not good) and then go dance like crazy inside. Speaking of cigarettes, I saw a Japanese runner smoke after last summer's Run Hit Wonder. Quel Dommage!
The push-rim (wheelchair) athletes are always the most inspirational athletes on and off the course. I saw one guy twirling women around the dance floor with ease. Awesome! It was also fun at the Copa because they had footage of the winners and
Lance Armstrong. Though I was slower than I wanted, I finished just less than two hours behind Lance. Congratulations to Steve, Kathleen, and Linda for their great times and fulfilling our mojito fueled goal after Taste of the Square!
Posted by a hobbled and humbled Tank in NY.