If you have something to say...
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If you have something to say...
Say it on the Huffington Post
The Blog
It's official. I'm running my first marathon this year: the ING NYC Marathon 2012. Up until three weeks ago, I had never run more than a 5K. So how did I get here?
Last Saturday at the North Face Endurance Challenge outside of San Francisco, I encountered more than one unexpected surprise.
I am running a marathon. How many times did I have to repeat this to myself during the race for it to finally sink in? I am running a marathon... and I'm almost done.
From the lingering chords of the starting line's "New York..." to the crowds lining every street, there's really nothing quite like the New York City Marathon.
I worried I was going it alone at the New York City Marathon. I was wrong. I had the help of more people than I can possibly thank. From the stranger who gave me pre-race Chapstick, to the volunteer who let me lean sweaty and unstable against him post-race, I was not alone.
All soon-to-be, first-time NYC Marathoners, like me, know that the training is complete (through heat, rain, an earthquake, and a hurricane), so now it's time to get ourselves excited for the race and as prepared as possible.
Before I decided to run the marathon earlier this year, I had no idea what tapering even meant in terms of running and how decreasing my training two weeks early was actually going to help me be as fit as possible for race day.
The AOL Marathon Team and other running enthusiasts got some major one-on-one time with the "Mayor of Running" when we hosted Bart Yasso at our office for a group run through the city and fundraising for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
I can't remember exactly when my hip started hurting. All I know is that a few days after my 18-mile run and trip to Chicago, I was having trouble walking. Walking -- not running -- just walking.
There's something gratifying to physical labor and pushing your body beyond a perceived limit. What was once a ceiling becomes a springboard.
Back on that clear September day in 2001, Stephen Siller ran all the way through the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel, straight to the South Tower. The Tunnel To Towers 5K race retraces his heroic footsteps.
It's official. I've become one of those people. A "real runner." I am obsessed with logging my miles. I feel strongest when I'm climbing big hills. And I am seriously addicted to chocolate milk.
One of my favorite storytelling devices is the use of the countdown. The days tick by and the NYC marathon is less than two months away.
It's Saturday morning at 6:15 am. My alarm is piercing my ears. But I can't seem to move. Every single part of my body hurts. And Friday was an off day from all this running.
It all started a few weeks back. It was 5:18 a.m., the sun was far from rising, and I was sitting alone in my Hoboken apartment... eating candy. That's when I knew I was a little insane.
Last week, I learned there is no such thing as a vacation from training for the NYC Marathon. Even though I left NY for a week-long family trip down to Long Beach Island, NJ, the running sneakers came with me.
On Tuesday, The New York Times published a lengthy article on...
