26.2 Finished; Thousands Fed

Mile 24 of New York City Marathon before making the turn into Central Park.

Technorati Tags: New York City Marathon,Friends of the World Food Program,world hunger,my marathon for hunger

Forty five donations, 9280 meals raised and 26.2 miles run. Successful? I think so.

The first part here needs to be a big thank you. It’s a big thank you to the 45 people who donated to the Friends of the World Food Program for what I called my marathon for world hunger.

It’s a thank you for more than the over $2000 raised. It’s a thank you for joining me on my marathon journey, a thank you for believing in a cause so dear to my heart and a thank you for the 9280 meals that caused that much less hunger in the world. A big thank you is much deserved.

To join with so many people did complete my marathon experience. So once again, thank you. And, like my mom always says, just say you’re welcome.

The second part of the marathon experience goes like this: 19 miles of exhilaration, legs floating and confidence followed by 7.2 miles of possible the worst pain of my life.

For 19 miles everything flowed. Click, up and over the bridge off Staten Island. Click, 10K long gone. Click, rolling though the halfway mark. Click, steady up the long clime of the Queensborough Bridge. Click, feeling the energy of the 1st Avenue crowds. I was clicking off the miles and, for the most part, felt damn good.

Then, Bam.

I’m thankful it wasn’t an instantaneous wall. Thinking back on it, it came on gradually. I felt it coming, but pressed through. My left leg – the troubled knee leg – started getting tight early, around the half mark. I still felt good, though, and thought I could get through it.

Up the incline was the first real test, but it’s a hill, it’s supposed to be hard. The bridge is the longest climb on the course – about a mile – before coming down off the bridge amidst spectators eight deep. Forgive me for not stopping to think about the hurt setting in with the deafening roar around me, I just ran.

The pain didn’t hit until after 1st avenue. After I cleared the thousands of adrenaline pumping spectators and after the pack splintered – the pack of anywhere from five to 20 of us that latched on together since mile three.

Then it hurt. Legs tightening more with every stride. Wanting to enjoy the final stretch into Central Park, but knowing the beauty of the finish line will mask the vibrant colors of the changing leaves.

I made it. I knew I would. But it did hurt, more than I expected.

Rounding those final bends in Central Park I felt in slow motion. Thankfully the miles times kept more at medium motion pace.

And to think, I just wanted to sit down after crossing the finish line, but wouldn’t get to for a mile of walking. Then I sat. Lips blue, but out of my racing flats and wet cloths and into warm-ups. Then I sat.

Parents, roommates, a few DC friends and a few more NY friends all came out. The experience – the day – was impressive to say the least. The organization, the fans on the course, my first 26.2 miles.

But again, getting back to DC and looking at the donations made it just that much more worth it. So this is a thank you to the experience, my friends and family, and everyone that joined me on my marathon for hunger. I say we do it again sometime.