Congratulations to everyone who ran the New York marathon yesterday! Unlike Chicago two weeks ago, it looked like a tremendous day. The weather was perfect! I watched on tv, happy and comfortable that my marathon is over, and I don't have to start training for the next one for at least a month.
Watching as a fan (from afar) was an interesting experience. My family was able to track my recent run on computer thanks to the new technology with chips. This was the first time I was able to do that for one of my friends. My training partner Tom signed me up for e-mail alerts. I got them every 5k and was able to follow his progress in the race right here in Chicago.
The first alert I got showed he was off to a really slow start, which can be attributed to the mass of runners at the start and the bridge that they cross over pretty quickly. Tom was planning on running about 7:45-8:00 pace for the marathon, but his first 5k was averaging nearly 10:00 per mile. The subsequent e-mails showed he was able to get back on pace, and he finished within the range he was hoping for, 3:28. One of the lessons from the race, he said, is that New York is not the best place to run a fast time. It is however, one of the most enjoyable and memorable marathons he has run. I want to put it on my calendar for next year, if I can get in!
The elite race, with the top two Americans running, was of great interest to me. Unfortunately, Deena and Meb both had pretty bad days. The winning times from the elites were not very fast, despite the great weather conditions. Maybe that will help convince the top runners that Chicago really is the best place to run fast!
Tom saw Lance before the race in the VIP tent, chillin' out before the race. He said he seemed like any other normal runner. The difference, however, was the group of bodyguards surrounding him. It was neat to watch the NBC coverage of Lance's run as well. It pointed out another difference between Lance and the other runners. Most of them didn't get the advantage of having Alberto Salazar as a pacer! But I hand it to him. He ran it himself, and when he fell off his goal pace of breaking three hours late in the race, he had to make a great push in the last few miles to do it. He broke three hours by about thirty seconds.
Anyone who has tried to make a push in the last few miles of a marathon knows that is normally not something the body wants to cooperate with. I read that he said after the race it was the hardest athletic endeavor he has tried. That's obviously saying something considering he is probably the greatest endurance athlete who has ever lived!
So it was great to have Lance bring even more attention and fans to the marathon. It was great entertainment, and a great accomplishment for him and the other 37,000 or so runners. Now, we can all settle in to the winter running schedules and the various Turkey Trots, Reindeer runs, and New Year's 5k's.
See you on the trails!
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