"Just Say Yes" - Tales from the 2006 New York City Marathon.

The 2006 ING New York City Marathon

This was my entry into my log book.

With a major injury to my right calf muscle. While at my highest weight - 165 While wearing my old, reliable, and HEAVIEST training shoes - 18 oz each.I ran. I asked God to help me through. I asked him to let me finish this race, and do so without irreperably injuring myself. I also took with me 5 energy gel packs, 4 potassium supplements (to curb the spasms in my foot), and 3 Naproxyn's (for pain).
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Every year I forget something (last year my watch), this year was my cellphone. It was really cold at Fort Wadsworth in Staten Island. And when the race began, I had to jump over endless piles of clothing left behind on the road by fellow runners that are in front of me.
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The Race:I had to shut out the crown in Brooklyn. They were incredible, and I did not want to let their cheering drain me of my adrenaline. 10th street and 4th avenue was unbelievable to the point that I took off my headphones, and nearly broke out in tears from being cheered on so much!!!

The Hasidm section, typically where the locals walk down the street and dont even acknowledge what is going on, was better this year. Lance Armstrong's NIKE cheer squad was perfectly planted in that area. So the negativity there was suppressed (God Bless Lance). Incredibly, I ran without stopping (except for water breaks), for the first 15 miles. At the Queensboro, I slowed down to a walk. Saved my energy this year to run along 1st avenue. Wild crowd. I love this race! A bunch of runners from Italy, made an extra wide turn at the junction of 59th and 1st, and gave hi 5's to all those watching from the distance. That was nice of them.


Manhattan was where I started to believe in myself that I can actually finish it, injury and all. I had asked God and stayed focus enough, that if I made it out of Queens I would have a chance. Then, somewhere around 90th street, more problems occurred. My quadriceps in both legs locked up. That slowed me down more. Then at the 20 mile mark in the Bronx, my right hamstring, started to tighten and convulse. Further slowing me down.

Back to Manhattan, in Harlem, and around Marcus Garvey Park, my left hamstring went. The only leg muscle left without feeling like it was on fire was my left calf, and that was already on its way. At least my bones (knees and shins) we're going strong.

As I continued in a daze down along 5th Avenue, the pain was almost as great, as the inspiration of knowing that I was going to finish this damn thing, even with my legs 3/4's gone.

The massive roar of the crowd as I turned up Columbus Circle. Followed by the 800 meters to go, 700 meters to go....so on and so on.....

Outrageous finish, as I strolled down the center isle, to my 2nd straight medal....I would have cried, if I hadn't been so damn wiped out....The Stats:Overall:Place: 26608/37954 - 70%Gender: 19474/25618 - 76%Age: 3958/4924 - 80%Official Time: 4:03:3905k Time : 0:30:0010k Time : 0:59:1115k Time : 1:28:4920k Time : 2:00:291/2 Mar.Time: 2:07:5025k Time : 2:37:1130k Time : 3:15:1035k Time : 3:52:2840k Time : 4:30:58Pace/Mile : 10m59sMile 01 : 08m53.5sMile 02 : 10m28.7sMile 03 : 09m37.4sMile 04 : 10m16.2sMile 05 : 08m54.4sMile 06 : 08m54.5sMile 07 : 09m11.2sMile 08 : 09m31.3sMile 09 : 09m57.0sMile 10 : 09m41.0sMile 11 : 10m16.9sMile 12 : 10m14.4sMile 13 : 10m38.5sMile 14 : 11m32.7sMile 15 : 11m22.5sMile 16 : 13m16.6sMile 17 : 11m38.0sMile 18 : 12m29.8sMile 19 : 12m29.6sMile 20 : 12m26.6sMile 21 : 12m06.1sMile 22 : 11m32.4sMile 23 : 11m48.9sMile 24 : 13m03.4sMile 25 : 12m32.6sMile 26 : 12m07.6sMile .2 : 2m42.3s (13m31s pace)


But the best way to sum it all up might perhaps be this: