The ING New York City Marathon 2005
If you are of a mind to enjoy the glitz and atmosphere of a big city marathon, the ING New York City event will be bound to thrill. Even if you are not, this is a race which cannot fail to be memorable. For a whole weekend, this crazy high-energy city of neon-lit skyscrapers and 24/7 adrenalin-rushes turns its spotlight on the race to conquer 26.2 miles of tarmac; from Staten Island, via five bridges through Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, the Bronx, and back (at a gasp!) through Harlem to the finish in Central Park; this is a course whose every turn seems somehow to conjure excitement. For me, running this course was the fulfilment of a dream: the one I had always wanted to do. It did not disappoint.
We arrived the Friday morning prior to the race on the Sunday, giving us ample time to negotiate the biggest ‘expo’ I have ever seen, complete registration, and generally get our bearings. A big thrill for us was getting to meet World Record holder, Paul Tergat at the expo. (Paul Tergat would go on to record his latest triumph 2 days’ later, in the cl
osest finish in race history). Marathon (pronounced, note, with the emphasis on the final syllable) mania was everywhere; Asics and Niketown (a regular ‘shop’ or ‘store’ would somehow seem insufficient in this city) had taken over. The priority for us, however, was to navigate the bustle, complete pre-race formalities, stretch jet-lagged muscles, and rest.
On the Saturday, my partner, Alison and I headed out early to participate in the International Friendship Run - a four mile fun and warm-up run from the United Nations building across Manhattan to Central park. Along with several thousand other marathoners from around the World, we donned our ‘Friendship run’ t-shirts and wound our way at a steady jog to the breakfast (bagels and several litres of coffee, of course!) which had been organised for us in the Park. We were pleased to note that ‘Scotland’ was accorded individual recognition (in addition to ‘Great Britain’!) on the t-shirt. As we approached the finish (which would also be the finish line for the marathon), we passed under the ’25 mile’ banner, already set up for the following day. I remember wondering how I would feel passing under that same banner a little over twenty-four hours later; somehow I doubted that I would feel quite so relaxed! Then it was back to the hotel to rest, in anticipation of the 6am bus out to Staten Island (not such a problem, however, if you are still operating on a UK body-clock!).
The operation to transport us all out to Staten Island was executed with military precision. Row upon row of buses duly delivered this army of runners (37,000 in total) to ‘base-camp’, where marquees offered more bagels, coffee, energy drinks, even cooked breakfast, I believe, if that was your thing. I p
assed the comfortable bus ride listening to my mp3 player, and watching New York coming to life (not that it ever went to sleep!) through the mist, at that time of the day shrouding the East River, which separates Manhattan from Queens and Brooklyn. Once deposited onto Staten Island, it was just a matter of relaxing, stretching, and trying to warm up amongst the hordes of fellow runners, before we were shepherded in our designated pens to the start line, at the foot of the dramatic Verrazano-Narrows suspension bridge.
Following the inevitable bustle at the start, I was into my stride quite quickly and taking in the drama of this famous landmark which immediately leads the course across the mile or so of water separating Staten Island from the Borough of Brooklyn. Later, New York’s long inclines would feel less welcome, but at this stage I was just enjoying stretching my legs, soaking up the morning sunlight as we passed up to the bridge’s crest, before the long fast descent into Brooklyn.
There followed around six miles of enjoyable running up the near-straight Fourth Avenue, a noisy tree and crowd-lined wide avenue heading North through Brooklyn, then round a dog-leg section for a couple of miles, before the first significant incline and over the Pulaski Bridge into Queens, at around the halfway point. Rejuvenated by the sight of Alison, screaming encouragement as ever, we headed on through what seemed a more industrial district for a mile or two, before turning to the water and the long grind up the Queensboro Bridge to Manhattan, at 16 miles.
Up until that point I felt strong in New York. It is funny however how quickly your physical disposition can change in the roller-coaster of marathon running. By 17 miles, pulling up the long haul of First Avenue, I found myself fighting a stitch and, for the first time, the crowd, which was by now deafening as we headed north, up through Uptown Manhattan towards the Bronx. To ease my stitch,
I took a risk on skipping my second gel pack. The stitch eased, and I hoped my fuel levels would hold out.
I ‘dug deep’ in the short mile loop through the Bronx at 20 miles, before turning south again into the ever-growing crescendo of Fifth Avenue. Somehow, Alison managed to catch up with me again in Harlem, where a swig of honey drink, and the vibe of a blues band lifted my weary legs towards the final undulating approach through Central Park.
Exhausted, dehydrated in the uncharacteristic heat, I threw my arms aloft at the finish. Thirty seconds off a pb, but I was ecstatic; happy just to be finished. Drunk on endorphins and tiredness, in the transcendental moment which accompanies a hard-fought marathon, I felt excitement at completing this course, in this most exciting of cities. Having found Alison, we headed out, a couple of hours later, to explore its sights.
Report Ben Kemp
Photos Team KempChip time 2.45.58
Gun time 2.46.10
Place 187th
