The city that never sleeps, home to the Harlem Globetrotters, the Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Central Park, Times Square, more recently the poignant Ground Zero, the list of iconic associations is seemingly endless.  Add to that the New York City Marathon, which with due deference to Boston, was the first of the big city marathons setting the world wide running trend in motion, and which remains the biggest and arguably the best of them all. It was to this historic venue that myself, Philip Vint and Emer Moore travelled last week to experience the famous New York City crowd support and everything else that it had to offer.

I have always maintained that 26.2 miles is the same distance no matter where you run it and that it should never be taken lightly.  I should have known that in the USA, with its reputation for doing things bigger than anywhere else, it would be different.  At least that's what my Garmin concluded at the finish line as it recorded 26.6 miles – did I run wide on too many corners?  Is satellite technology accurate? I certainly didn't leave the course for a pit stop unlike one or two I could mention. But more about modern technology later.

On the way to the Staten Island Ferry at around 5.30am on Sunday we exited the underground station with thousands of others and paid little attention to a taxi pulling in alongside us until the occupant alighted and spoke to us – it was none other than the delightful Caroline Boyd from Murlough AC who had travelled safely all the way down from her present residence on Vancouver Island the day before only to fall in with the two of us.  This was amongst a crowd of over 45,000 runners. Some coincidence! So we shared coffee and bagels and discovered that not only do we hail from the same locality but we were sporting similar knee injuries too. Unfortunately we had to split up as we had been allocated separate start corrals and times.

The race started on the Verrazano Narrows Bridge, which links Staten Island to Brooklyn, one of the world's longest suspension bridges, measuring over 2 and a half miles (that’s narrow?) and providing spectacular views of New York harbour and which has 2 decks each carrying 3 lanes of traffic in both directions and copes with around 50,000 vehicles per day. They just close it, and all the roads and streets around the course for the duration of the race. And to think how hot under the collars motorists here get when Jimmy’s Ten delays their progress for 5 minutes!

The morning was sunny, without a cloud in the sky but bitterly cold and with a fresh breeze sweeping the exposed upper deck. There were no brass monkeys about that I could see, perhaps indicating that evolution was not always one way. While runners had been asked not to dump unwanted clothing on the bridge, but rather in designated areas for collection by charities, most were only to glad to retain every stitch they had until well across the bridge.  We discarded ours around mile 15 when we started to warm up!  Just after that Philip spotted wife Helen and nephew Darren along the railings and headed for them as if by radar.  I soon discovered that what attracted him was the black stuff. Now I always understood the black stuff to be what I had been running on all these years, as detailed in the 70s TV series,  but this I was informed was a different form of it as a glass full of dark liquid with a frothy top was pushed into my hand with the exhortation “ Get that down Ye”.  I was amazed at how they had managed to get to the front of a 6 deep crowd amid all the jostling and cheering, carrying 2 full, albeit small, glasses  and then attempt to coax a highly tuned and disciplined athlete to succumb to the temptation of the Devils Buttermilk. I didn’t even know where to rub it in! Philip had no such inhibitions but I merely sipped mine, handed back the glass and threw up – I didn’t really but I made sure to stay upwind of my partner for the next few miles.  The crowd support has to be experienced to be believed, as apart from the bridges where spectators are not allowed, both sides of the streets every yard of the route were packed with most of New York’s population, due in part no doubt to the road closures which imprisons them for a good part of the day.

We had agreed to run together, determined to soak up the atmosphere and enjoy the journey and to be honest it was hard not to, though by mile 20 the constant “high fives” meant our hands were sorer than our feet.  Philip finished Dublin 2 weeks previous in 2 hours 56 minutes and when we reached that time in New York I was ready to finish too – the only trouble being we still had 6.2 miles to go.  So with a combination of energy gels, drinks, wine gums (non alcoholic), coaxing and verbal abuse Philip kept me going – the last 4/5 miles have a gradual but noticeable uphill gradient, which use every last ounce of strength to overcome, but the crowds here are tremendous – we were spotted by Emer’s husband and friends at mile 24 and were joined by Donna Quail from Downpatrick but now resident in New York, who ran a great first marathon to finish in 4.03. And so to the Finish Line – an always welcome sight with the icing on the cake the sub 4 hour time of 3.58. I believe Philip could have gone around again! We even beat the mighty Gebrselassie!

Medals (and what medals these are) draped around our necks and goody bags presented we were wrapped in foil blankets and set off in search of the toilets. I wouldn't normally dwell on such mundane tasks but I do so on this occasion because there weren't any and when ya gotta go etc. Helpful marshals informed me they were at the end of the baggage lorries – considering there were 56 lorries and my belongings were at least 40 of those away this was not welcome news to my increasingly desperate bladder.  Just think about this for a moment, there were something like 45,000 runners arriving in Central Park and I'm sure at least two or three others were looking for similar comfort to me, so to be told we would have to walk at least another half mile to find a WC was not music to my ears. Luckily my goody bag contained a bottle of water, which when emptied, and discreetly hidden under the foil blanket meant that relief was literally in hand (is this invention worth a visit to the Dragons Den perhaps?) – I was just grateful no one came to shake my hand as they would have received a very warm welcome indeed! And I was able to continue walking as well, talk about multi-tasking!  This was the only black mark I would put against this great event, though it was a significant one.

But back to that technology comment earlier.  Race organisers had come up with a  scheme whereby you could programme 3 runners numbers into your mobile phone and it would record their progress every 5 kilometres, if you paid $5.   Naturally I signed up as it would help keep our supporters abreast of our whereabouts and duly left my phone with them.  Sure enough it sent a message saying Philip had passed through the 5K mark but didn't mention either me or Emer. But at precisely 6.00pm that evening, about 4 hours after we finished running up popped another message saying Philip had passed through the 15K mark! Surely he wasn't out there again? Such is modern technology – I'm looking for my $5 back.

Emer meantime was making a magnificent job of her first marathon, even talking by mobile phone to her family back home while running – nice to see the technology worked for her! And she looked as fresh as a daisy as she crossed the line with 4.32 to her credit. And what of Caroline – well she had some difficulty with her knee from about 18 miles but nevertheless crossed the line in 4.39 and is already contemplating the Vancouver marathon in May.  Well done to you Caroline and indeed to all who kept the Co.Down flag flying in New York.

MARGARET McGRADY – A TRIBUTE

We had an amazing experience in the Big Apple but the trip was tinged with sadness following the untimely death of our Junior Club Co-Ordinator, Margaret McGrady just before we left.  Margaret was a lovely girl, a person you were always glad to meet and who lit up a room when she entered.  She was an enthusiastic and conscientious Club officer and volunteer who gave her time generously despite her work and family commitments. On many a dank and dismal Winter evening she lifted everyone's spirits with her bubbly personality and cheerful approach – I never saw her cross with, or have anything but an encouraging word for, the children she came in contact with.   Margaret was always upbeat and  positive and faced her cruel illness with all these attributes and unbelievable courage. She has proved truly inspirational to all in the Club these past few years and I have to admit it was thoughts of her indefatigable spirit that kept me going to the Finish Line on Sunday. To me her philosophy was “You win if you just keep going” and she proved this to me and will continue to inspire, even if she is no longer with us physically.

Margaret, you made a significant mark while you were here and you will not be forgotten.

To her husband Niall, children Aaron, Ashley and Mark, her parents James and May, her brothers, sister and entire family circle, everyone at East Down Athletic Club extends their deepest sympathy

 
Joe Quinn

14 November 2010