Track and Field Blogs - David Flaugher

Back from Gotham. It was an incredible experience. So get something to drink and settle in while I tell you the story.

I passed through the seven layers of the candy cane forest, through the sea of twirly, swirly gumdrops, and then I walked through the Lincoln Tunnel.

No wait, that’s not the right story.

Many of you sent me cards, email and messages of encouragement. They all meant a lot, and believe me you actually think of them while running. It helps strengthen your resolve. Many of you also asked what I wanted to run (time). To nearly all I dodged the question. So now that its over I’ll let it out. I intended to go to NY and run well. But, I also knew that the course did not produce fast times because of its difficulty. I intended to run a solid race that would get me re-qualified for Boston. That was the goal that I kept to myself. So a slightly conservative race plan was on the agenda from the outset. I did not want to blow up. Mission accomplished.

Upon arriving in NY on Saturday we quickly saw that the race is a city wide event. Our Hotel was located at the south entrance to Central Park where the runners near the 26 mile mark of the race. On Saturday morning the streets were closed for a pre-race race. The weather was beautiful and it immediately struck that this event was international. Our Hotel (Park Lane) was 40 stories tall and appeared to house nothing but runners. Nearly all of whom were from a different country. Just to name a few; Spain, Denmark, Japan, Argentina, Finland, Scotland etc… . In our locale there were quiet a few Italians. (with who I had the opportunity to showcase my very poor Italian skills). The race Expo is held at the Javits Center in Manhattan. This too gave you a feel for the enormity of the race. The center was absolutely packed with runners and security. Because of our club’s connections with Asics I was treated to a brief tour of the Expo where I was able to meet a few former Olympians. One of which may be coming to Louisville to speak to our group in the future. (I also met the COO of MTV in the Asics VIP area).

On race day we were bused to Staten Island at around 7 am. The weather was cold and very windy. Runners are encouraged to wear “throw away” clothing that they can discard right before the start of the race. (the clothing is then donated to the homeless). The other option is to place your things inside a bag that you are given. The bags are collected and can be picked up after the race. Well, I lost my bag on race morning. Although there was nothing in the bag (I had yet to put my pants and top in it), I had nothing to do with my nice Asics top and pants. Just before the start I reluctantly pitched my clothing to the side of the road. Somewhere in NY there is a homeless person decked out in new DCAC gear.

There are many things about the day that are memorable to nearly everyone. One of those is Sinatra. As corny as it sounds, Sinatra singing “New York New York” signals the start of the race. And to my amazement it was, well… amazing. I knew about beforehand, thought it was cheesy, and was actually moved by it. Go figure.

The race begins on the Verrazano Narrows bridge which connects Staten Island to Brooklyn. The first mile is up a pretty steep incline and was into a sharp wind. To the runners left is Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty and the end of Manhattan where Ground Zero is located. It is a breathtaking site to behold. Accompanied by your already swelling emotions (and 40K of your closest friends) it is a strangely patriotic experience.

After zooming down the other side of the bridge I settled into a comfortable rhythm on the streets of Brooklyn. The crowds were large and very supportive. I never went very far without hearing a live band playing or someone yelling “good job Derby City”. Brooklyn is very pretty and lined with trees and brownstone apartments. Although I previously would not have thought of this area as attractive I will recall it as some of the most pleasant on the course. The running is also very tolerable with only gentle rolls. No big ups or downs. That all ends when you leave Brooklyn and head into Queens. Crossing the Pulaski Bridge you reach the halfway point. I remember thinking “this isn’t that bad so far”. If the first half of the course is a 5 in difficulty the second is an 8 or 9. Partly because it’s the second half :~). But mostly because the flat ground is now history. Nearing mile 14 you begin climbing, with an occasional roll down. But as you near the Queensboro bridge the grade becomes steep. It also continues a long way because this bridge is huge. It was nearing the bridge that I had one of those rare magical type moments. A band was on the left side of the course before the bridge approach. They were playing The Allman Brothers “Blue Sky”. I have no earthly idea why it affected me. Maybe just fatigue, but whatever it was, it was powerful. For a short time it all seemed right. Like it was the best thing anyone could be doing anywhere. Right then and there. It was beautiful.

Don't fly, mister blue bird, I'm just walking down the road,
Early morning sunshine tell me all I need to know
You're my blue sky, you're my sunny day.
Lord, you know it makes me high when you turn your love my way

(OK that’s enough sappy nostalgia)

Then comes Manhattan for the first time. First Ave is a torturous stretch of mostly uphill. It is also mostly concrete, very straight and you can see a long long way. The course is deceptively hard here, but is buffeted by the spectators. It is easily the loudest part of the course as people line the streets outside of bars and restaurants. They must average 10 people deep, many of whom are offering water, oranges and sponges. You need the support because it is getting to the point where it starts to wear on you. This climb goes on for about 70 block as you reach the bridge to the Bronx.

The Willis Ave. bridge is one of the easiest. The floor of the bridge is metal and covered with an orange carpet. As you descend the bridge into the Bronx there is a Giant TV screen showing the runners. Very Cool. The Bronx is a short stretch of something like 1.5 miles. The last .5 mile of which is up a pretty steep ascent to the Madison Ave Bridge. Which takes you to Manhattan. Again. The start of Manhattan is in the neighborhood of Harlem. The crowds are large but not as boisterous as the East side. Again the course begins to take its toll as you have many long climbs. There are no huge hills, but the climbs seem to go on and on (and on). Upon nearing 20 miles I was beginning to think about picking up the pace. From Mile 20 to 23 I cut the pace from 7:50 to 7:34. The 24^th mile though is nearly all uphill. Although my effort stayed the same it produced only an 8 minute mile. Coming down the other side though was easier and I got back onto the 7:30 pace. By then I was entering Central Park and the crowds are urging you home. My 25^th mile was 7:00 and I eked out a 6:46 on the last full mile. The final stretch is lined with bleachers and people yelling in every language under the sun. The finish is stunning and emotional. But the worst part of the event lay ahead.

What people don’t tell you about the NYC Marathon is this. Its not over at the finish line. When you cross the line you walk. Then you walk and walk and walk. And when you have walked, you walk some more. Lined by fences and volunteers there is no escape. You walk for 23 city blocks before you exit the park and reunite with your family. From the time I finished it was well over ½ an hour of walking just to get out. Needless to say I did not want to walk, but you have no choice. Then it was another long walk back to the Hotel. A total of 1.5 hours of slow walking to get to the Hotel. A British man walking beside me likened it to the Bataan Death March.

The experience was worth the pain. Like Barry often says, “running can take you places you never thought you would go”. He is right.