NCY Marathon (the race)

I know this post is 5 months late... but it is a must to include this post in my blog.

The NYC marathon experience is something I would never ever forget. Memories of it still runs fresh in my mind, almost half a year later. I am hoping that through this blog, I could share this experience to the whole world ... and strongly praying that I get to influence a reader or two to start running and joining a race.


Blaring in the speakers as we approached the start was Sinatra's version of New York, New York! … “If I can make it there ... I'll make it anywhere ... It's up to you! New York! Neeeew York!”


Verrazano- Narrows Bridge. This is the bridge connecting Staten Island to Brooklyn … the coldest 2 miles of my life!!! I couldn’t concentrate running, and taking pictures kasi SOBRANG LAMIG!!! 50F plus icy cold wind chill ... brrrrrrr.

Notice that there are 2 decks. Urban legend says that if you ended up in the lower deck, make sure not to position yourself near the edge. Because there will be "peeing" runners from the upper deck, and I'm sure you wouldn't want to get peed on.

I think at this point, I was the only one with 3 layers of clothing. Everyone already discarded their extra clothes, but I was still freezing cold.

Hello Brooklyn. Very homey. Very personal. Reminds me of Sesame Street.

Houses ... shops ... churches ... had their bands/ large speakers put out in every corner. They weren't the official "entertainment" commissioned by the race. They just volunteered to put it up to provide entertainment for the runners. So cool.

By this time, I already threw away my jacket. I really felt bad having to throw it away at Mile 15. But they said all the clothes discarded during the entire stretch of the race will be collected and given to charity.

Hello Queens!

This is almost half way through the course.

The most BORING part of the race ... 3/4 mile long Queensboro Bridge connecting Queens to Manhattan.
Wala kasing fans!

The start of the Manhattan leg! This was the most fun part of the race!!! The whole 1st avenue ... from 59th st to 125th st was jampacked with people cheering!

See the guy in stilts? See the guy in orange with 2 guys in red beside him?
They are part of the Achilles running club... A running club started by Dick Traum in Central Park in 1983 for people with any kind of challenge ... missing limbs, multiple sclerosis, visual impairments etc. Every now and then, I hear someone from behind me say, " Coming through. Blind man running. Please move to the side." ... Then we all politely move to let the man pass us by.

Mayhem in Manhattan! Imagine 3 1/2 miles full of cheering supporters!
Totally amazing! You really forget the pain at this moment.

Motown and Soul music... and some occasional rappers entertained us during this leg.
Welcome to the Bronx baby!

I love this smile!

If I remember correctly, this is already inside Central Park on my last 2 kilometers. Everyone was dead tired. I was the only one who posed for the camera, and the cameraman shouted, "Nice smile!!!"

Didn't take much pictures anymore. By this time, on my last 3 miles ... I already felt a CRAMP starting. Kilometer 40 in Central Park ... by this time I am already feeling cramps in both calves! I also knew that I could finish this race in less than 5 hours (to be able to see my name in the New York Post! Hehe!) ... so I just concentrated on running (and praying the rosary, asking the Lord to help me get through and not get a full-blown leg cramp) and stopped taking pictures.

Almost there.
Running with a cramp, running with a big smile, and running with a huge desire to finish.

Yehey! Finished!
My official time is 4 hrs, 59 mins, 30 sec

I made sure I get the first prize for the Best Finisher’s Smile.
One of my favorite images seen are these 5 runners finishing ahead of me. Nakakatuwa. You could see the sweet taste of victory on their faces and body language.

Posing with my medal

We still had to walk 2 kms through Central Park to meet our loved ones outside.

Loving my Heat Sheet

Mga fans club ko! Dave and Pats prepared a sign and positioned themselves by columbus circle, 30 meters before the finish. They could've seen me pass by ... but they didn't 'coz they were busy looking at all those "cute" runners! Hahaha!

Proud to be Pinoy!