I Ran, I ran so far away.....

Okay, my wish came true. It is the night after the NYC Marathon! I survived!! I actually ran the whole way, I actually finished under 5 hours like I wanted to!

I left off yesterday with my fall down the stairs I think. I do not believe I mentioned dinner last night which was okay. We had an amazing antipasto misto, too delicious, and I had ravioli with vodka sauce. My husband did too, he wanted pizza, why he got the ravioli, I don't know, I guess so he could keep saying, "I should have gotten the pizza" and he did so frequently. We were sitting shoulder to shoulder with the other patrons ala NY restaurant. The ladies sitting next to us were a hoot. Such typical New Yorkers, I have to do the voices for you to truly appreciate the whole experience. But at one point the daughter (who was around 50) is swearing at her mom for holding her purse and actually called her a drunk for dropping her fork. "You're like and alcoholic with the way you're dropping things Ma." Like I said, you need the voice over from me to appreciate the whole experience.

We got home, ate these two little pastry that we got at a near supermarket, drank our cawfee (and there is nothing like a "regular" NY cawfee, again, you need my NY accent for that) and hit the hay. Let me tell you 5AM came way too early. But we got up, I dressed in my fleece lined running tights, two long sleeved t-shirts, the top one said "I know I run like a girl, try to keep up", put my race number on, grabbed my running belt with the pouch for my GUs, and off we went.

We walked down to the Staten Island Ferry terminal with thousands of other runners. We got into the terminal, sat for a few seconds and hopped on the next available ferry. We got a good couple of seats and marveled at the Statue of Liberty as we went past it. It truly moves me every time I see it. It is such a symbol, I almost broke out into God Bless America, but controlled myself.

After we go off of the ferry, we were in the terminal on Staten Island, here is where we needed to catch a bus to the race start. I got breakfast for us and Brad stood in a line for many minutes to take a whiz. But here is the best part of our breakfast, we found this quiet corner to sit and eat and drink our Gatorade. Well more people start coming into the terminal and started surrounding us. Here comes this guy, he takes out a little towel and places it just so on the floor in front of him. Then he sits down and gingerly removes his sneaker. Then he took his sock off and folded it neatly. Before you know it, the guy pulls out a pair of toenail clippers and starts going to town. He groomed those damn toenails of his while I tried to choke down my biscuit. I kept begging him, in my mind, to brush his teeth and shave next. Hell, he should have taken a sponge bath to complete my whole experience.

We decided we needed to take the bus to the start after the show, so off we go. It was nice and toasty on the buses. It was about 30 degrees with the biting wind. I felt like I was naked the wind bit through all of my layers of clothes. We got to the Verranzano bridge, found the Team for Kids tent and there we sat with 2000 or so other freezing folks. We did manage to go find some coffee and before you knew it, it was time to line up and make our way to the bridge.

At this point, I was with butterflies the size of lunar moths banging around in my tummy. We kept moving up, moving up, we heard the cannon sound to start the first wave of elites, we saw the throw a way sweatshirts flying off of the bridge, and they were off. It seemed like two seconds later and our cannon blew, off we went, there goes swifty! Brad and I ran together for the first 10k.

I have never experienced anything like the crowds at this race both running and cheering. There were 2 million spectators, and they were screaming like we were all their favorite rock stars flying past. There were some points that stunk, like the bridges especially the 59th street bridge. That sucker was about 10 miles long (really it was about 2 miles long) and had a 45 degree grade. Okay, I know I am exaggerating, but that is how it felt.

Brad teased me and said I had my very own fan club. Everyone loved my shirt! Everyone called to me as I made it past. Imagine hearing "Yeah, you run like a girl!" in the Bronx or Harlem. I made friends with load of people as I ran, it was fun. The music was out of this world. There were bands set up and playing all over, you definitely didn't need an I-Pod. My favorite were the Bagpipers in their kilts. Men in skirts are way too sexy!!

I did fine for the first 13.1 miles. I have run the distance a billion times, and my legs were great through that distance. Miles 14 and 15 I was still okay. Mile 16, I was starting to fatigue. Miles 17 and 18, I was fatiguing even more and I'm thinking I have 11 more to go??? Oh sh*t. I made it to mile 20 and I think I hit the proverbial wall. But I pushed through, and you know mile 21 and 22 were okay. I made it through alright. Miles 23 and 24, how would I describe them? Hmmm, I think they sucked. If it weren't for the cheering crowds, I think don't think I would have made it. I kept telling myself I only had two miles plus a little until I finished. I made it through mile 25, I was hurting by now. My left knee was so painful, I can't begin to explain it. Here comes mile 26. I was never more thrilled to see a sign in my whole freaking life. It was at least 10 miles long, really, it was undoubtedly THE longest mile of my life, but I made it through, and then it was down to the .2 miles, then 200 yards, then 100 yards, then 50. I posed for pictures as I ran past the photographers, I laughed out loud, because I was delirious at this point, I crossed the finish line and said out loud, I DID IT! And I did didn't I?