New York Marathon!! 3rd Nov 2024

I’m not sure you all know, but for several months I’ve been training and fundraising for NYC marathon. Well, it happened!! And it was epic. 

It took a while, but I did manage to secure some help from Hollister Incorporated. They really came to the party and helped me immensely. 

Meeting up with Mike and several others from AchillesNZ at the airport, fostered a team environment. I chatted a bit to Mike Lloyd as this was his 11th time competing this iconic event. Needless to say, he loves it. 

After a wonderful AirNz flight (where I had 3 seats to myself) I found myself in New York! The city that never sleeps, the big apple, etc, all true! The streets almost hummed and vibrated with energy. Seemed like something was happening every 5mins within a 5 block radius of our accommodation!

Oh right, the marathon. We landed Thurs 31st Oct, yes there was lots going on. Friday 1st November others in the team went to the expo, but I needed to wait till Sat and drop off my racechair at the same time. So, I caught up with fire station family friends, or I should say, Fire House. Great team and really welcoming. Followed by an international Achilles dinner at Hard Rock Cafe, Times Square! The camaraderie was beautiful to see, and wonderful to feel. 

Sat, the expo was massive, I didn’t expect anything less. So much going on, everywhere. Dropped off my chair and they (NYRR) allowed an approved my squirrel-tastic costume, excluding the tail 🙁 Anyway, it’s still a costume, and still the first. 

Sunday, race day morning, I had a wonderful lay-in till 330am. We had to catch bus couple of blocks away by 430am! Eek, and the race doesn’t even start till 820am. There were so many chairs at the Staten Island start line, just beside the Verrazano Bridge. Cold, still, and looking like a perfect marathon day.

Nerves and excitement while getting set up cost me my running fuel gel. I completely forgot them! Worked out fine later, when I stopped at 15 and 18mile marks for some SiS gels! That was fortunate!

As we all started, the head of the race pack were the named races. The rest of us numbered chairs were just the main pack, waiting on the line, on the slight incline at the base of the Verrazano Bridge. The plan from my coach was always to push out fast off the start line, through Brooklyn, until reaching 5th Ave. At least I think it was 5th Ave. I just enjoyed the whole event!! Stopped several times, for drinks, for SiS, and for chats! 

I got overtaken by so many hand cycles I lost count, but I do recall the Race Director’s car overtalking me just before I entered the Brooklyn Bridge (about 1:38min on my YouTube video). Super cool, because it was a yellow taxi cab!! 

The finish line felt like it was his couple miles before the actual end. The crowds were amazing and the enjoy was incredible. I can understand why so many people come back and do New York marathon multiple times. It’s easy to see why Mike has done this 11 times now, either you’ve done it and know, or is hard to explain. 

Got the medal, got the finisher poncho, got back into my day chair and got into a car to get back to my hotel. I just wanted to shower, get changed, and have a nap! Haha. 

Next 3 days were a blur and tourist stuff, Staten Island ferry, MiB building, One World Tower, WTC memorial, 9th battalion fire house, Times Square, Michael Jackson musical, Karen & Achilles International office, Rockafella Centre, and more… so much to see and do. 

So basically, an incredible event (thanks to AchillesNZ, Achilles International, and NYRR) and incredible place. If you get a chance to get yourself to NYC, do it!