They entitled it ..... CHANGING LIVES
But getting to the start line was a major ordeal in itself! First New York dumped a freak snow storm, then Qantas shutdown, and finally a late transfer bus the morning of the event made getting to the starting line an event in itself! As if that wasn’t enough for my first international marathon, add the unknown impact of 30 hours flying, jet-lag, different beds and food and the idea of running at what would be midnight in Melbourne! A letter of encouragement from the Prime Minister reassured us that our charity team was actually going to make it happen – as well as making things happen for others.
Nine Aussies from all over Australia had made the trip to New York as part of Team World Vision. Each enjoying the irony of running in the world’s biggest city – home of power, liberty and money – to help those who have the very least of these things. To get there we’d collectively raised over $125,000 which got us a guaranteed spot at that Staten Island start line on November 6, 2011. We met and joined with local runners also supporting World Vision and I felt that, like the New York Marathon, we were part of something much bigger and truly international.
Standing there as one of 47,483 runners was a little bigger than the previous month’s Melbourne Marathon sold-out event of 6,000! When NY Mayor Bloomberg announces that this is the biggest marathon ever and the US national anthem plays you can’t help but feel pumped. Perfect conditions, 12 degrees and sunny, and then the cannon fires and the ‘other’ NY anthem plays; “New York, New York”. Wow!
The start is a cracking pace, despite charging the first mile uphill on the bridge. Helicopters are close enough to touch. In the distance the Statue of Liberty waves back and Manhattan Island’s finish-line looks a long way away. With high energy Brooklyn blurs past and its smiles and high fives all round. Every country is seemingly represented by runners and supporters alike. Lots of Aussie flags and fans makes you feel like you have your own cheer squads. 130 bands line the course and pump out tunes. The locals use their best creativity on signs and banners that make you smile. (My favourite came at the 26 mile mark: “If it was easy I’d be doing it!”)
Through New York’s five Burroughs – Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and the Bronx – the course is steeper and hillier than I thought. Even Central Park undulates and finishes up hill. The courses personality changes as often as each different neighborhood making it fascinating and enjoyable. The last hills are the killers, but my motto has been “short-term pain for others long-term gain” and now its time to push on and put that into practice. I wanted to run fast and set a PB. I felt I needed to have a red hot go and leave nothing in the tank. I owed it to my supporters to go as hard as I could on the day. But I still had marathoner’s fear of failing. I read Ryan Hall’s book about running with joy, going hard but not letting it crush you if you don’t get there, and seeking the delight of running with God. I found this on the streets of New York.
For New York it’s a huge running party that the whole town comes out for. Runners are everywhere, designated by great footwear, and the locals welcome them. After the event marathoners are congratulated freely by the locals and people proudly display their medals for days.
So without doubt my greatest running experience, but even bigger and better to think about those people we helped change their lives through running. I’ve enjoyed the ‘learning’ journey as much as the physical one. I’ve read about great people who happen to be top marathoners like Meb Keflezighi and Ryan Hall. I found the joy of running for others. Of taking your eyes off yourself and unlocking the power of helping others through something you love. Having been to Kenya and seen their need first hand, I had a passion for doing this and Team World Vision gave vision to that passion. The journey was a lot more than the marathon’s 42.2km and a PB 3:23. It was much more beneficial for me and obviously for those we helped. I can only encourage you to unlock your power of running to help others.
So it was fitting that a Kenyan won the race too. Geoffrey Mutai smashed the course record, with fellow Kenyan Emmanuel Mutai second. Celebrations in the dusty streets of Iten would have transformed it into another city that didn’t sleep.
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