Early November of 2015, I decided after running the NYC Marathon that I had to come back and run the course again. While I hadn't quite finished in the time I had hoped to run, I loved the struggle, the course, the whole experience. The energy of the crowds, the challenging course, the sights and sounds of the Big Apple, everything was just better for me to enjoy personally, NYC far exceeded the enjoyment of any other marathon weekend. I knew right away I wanted to come back again.
Shortly after NYC 2015 I decided to run a marathon whilst raising funds for a worthwhile charity. I found the event, now I just needed to find the right charity! I do my homework/research and pick a cause where I can immediately find a sense of attachment, either through a parallel empathetic memory, or sometimes something as "selfish" as a lean towards personal gain... for example work with Habitat For Humanity to learn how to build houses...win win in my book!
As we were wrapping up the year at work, and looking at challenges for the firm and how we could improve our own personal contributions in more meaningful and tangibly significant endeavors, I thought why not combine my love of running with my self-assigned obligatory sense of responsibility towards the improvement of the lives of veterans after their service to our country? I just needed to find the right veteran charity organization and sign up. Fast forward to 2017 and I had picked Team Tillman as my charity, and NYC 2017 was going to happen! Didn't know if I was going to be going with a group of friends, a coworker, alone...didn't care. I knew I was going back to run a great course and I was determined to enjoy all of it.
Training
Training officially started 18 weeks before that first Sunday in November. I needed to raise the minimum of $3,500 before the race. I waited until about 8 days before the race itself to actually hit the threshold. Because I wasn't exactly sure of the logistics of being a charity runner, I had assumed that I would be assigned to a corral "way in the back" and that I'd be running hoping to finish before it was dark, after all daylight savings time "falls back" that same morning. Because I was going to be way in the back I consigned myself to enjoying the course, hi-fiving all the little kids with their arms out, looking around at everything, not falling into my usual pattern (after about mile 20) of tunnel vision survival mode if things started heading south. This time would be different. I was going to be "THAT GUY"...the one who looks like he doesn't care about any of the OCD details. The guy that looks like he's having a great time and doesn't have a worry about place, pace, splits, food, water, etc etc etc. And then they release the corral assignments and I find out I'm in the first wave, Blue, B. Or so I'm told. I assumed that's where the charity runners will be at...typically worrying about the placement of where I will be or who's going to be near me is the least of my concerns. Whatever happens happens, and there's no sense in stressing about things we can't control. Accept, acknowledge, move on! I was ready for anything, and knew that with decent training all coming together at just the right time I'd be ready for anything from 2:55 if I felt like racing, and completely willing to accept 3:59 if that's all I felt like giving that particular morning. There was zero pressure to perform and I was loving it.
Expectations
Cut to the conversations you have with your friends about who's running what pace, and the different levels of expectations that people place upon themselves I felt like I could contribute in some small way to a friend of mine who was taking on NYC for the first time, and had no idea how difficult the course was in comparison to other courses they had run. During CRIM Clint Verran and I were talking about "adjustments" for certain races, and NYC came up. Without flinching he said "look, for me I know that I can be in my best shape and I'm still going to run a few minutes slow...that's just the nature of that course....extrapolate out for people running slower than a goal of sub 2:18 and cut yourself some slack...that course will wear you down". We both agreed that NYC was one of those courses that really doesn't seem like it's that hard, but just kinda keeps you honest and a little slower than you think you're traveling along. When you finish you feel like you gave it your best, and the time on the piece of paper doesn't reflect how you feel....something very hard to reconcile mentally when you "feel" a 3:04, but SEE a 3:09 in front of you.
Get to the village and go through the layers of security, keep that bib out for the 10-500 law enforcement / security personnel making sure you stay safe. Bring some cardboard if you can, you'll need to find some ground to sit on and if it's cold or wet, you'll be able to stay warm and dry. Find your Wave and Corral and keep on ear out for the announcements as to when they officially open. More important is to know when they officially close! You miss the close for your wave, you get to run in the next one!
In 2015 myself and the two guys I was with stayed tucked up against a large van that was blocking some of the wind and some of the rain that was coming down. It was just outside the corral opening. It wasn't actually IN the village. Having so much less stress this time around and wanting to go see more things, I had more time to explore the actual village including the free bagels/water/hot chocolate/coffee/DD hat area. Sitting in the actual village and hearing the same 7 sentences in 4 different languages for over 2 hours you quickly find out that therapy dogs would be present. In the midst of all this chaos, I was able to take about 15 minutes and just hang out with four dogs that were super chill. If I was panicking or stressed out, that would have helped me find my center and calm down. Whomever came up with that idea, thank you very much.
In the actual corral for my wave, was delighted to have it pointed out to me that Dean Karnazes was in the same corral! Kinda cool to be lining up with someone like that. He officially went 3:45, but I'm sure he was doing something spectacular like running it twice, backwards. As it turns out, also ran into Dean later in the day. I didn't notice him at all, but in fairness to myself, I don't have eyes in the back of my head. Good catch to those that did notice him. Yes we bothered him for a fan foto, and he most graciously posed for it.
The race itself was mostly amazing. I would however recommend to the Race Director of NYCM that you get together with your crew and figure out how to have people who go "faster" be in front of the people who do not. This is the second time I've run this event and the same exact thing has happened. People who either aren't capable of going a certain speed, or choose not to go that speed, create road blocks for those that wish to start out at a steady pace without compromising their race plan too much. Much could be improved simply through a reduction in the "free for all" opportunity once you get up onto the bridge. Everything is very well controlled and organized until you get on that bridge. At that point, whatever the motivations may be, every Tom, Dick, and Harry is pushing their way up to the front of the first available corral. If you want people to be in Corral A/B/C/D.....keep them in corral order under the same type of control you demonstrate during the rest of the process.
My race would have been perfect had I not had too much to drink and eat before the race. Not sure why I did things a little bit different. Life lesson I suppose. Somewhere between my 10K and 15K splits I had to do something I've never had to do in any other marathon. Apparently I drank nearly a minute's worth of hot chocolate. Catching back up to my pace group/friend made for an interesting interval. The second half of the race is much more challenging than the first half. I find that Central Park itself, and the mile leading up to entering it is probably the toughest part of the course physically. How a person performs here, how well they conquer the road is a true measure of their mental toughness, and a demonstration of the depths of their passion for overcoming adversity. I would highly recommend to anyone considering NYCM to come do a shake out run in Central Park. Be able to visualize yourself finishing the run because you literally just did it the day before! Know where those last few steps will be taken so that when you get into tunnel vision mode you can worry about one fewer thing.
Felt entirely in control of my pace and never like I was suffering from over exertion. Didn't have any phantom hamstring issues. Drank fluids at every water station and took in salt tabs from about the halfway point in to the finish. Even if I don't think I need them, I feel as if I'm benefiting during the recovery phase.
As it turns out, I didn't need to "help" anyone crush their own goal. From the very beginning I basically said three words and ran my own race. I saw the sights and sounds of NYC and felt the energy much stronger than I had in 2015. I will be back again. I might race it, I might not. It's NYC and I love it regardless.
I ran for Team Tillman and I hope I did them proud. If I get invited to run for them again I would gladly do so in a heartbeat. Team Tillman NYCM 2017 raised over $70,000 to better the lives of veterans who proudly served our country.
