New York City Marathon – 2016

 

It’s official. I will be running the 2016 TCS New York City Marathon on November 6, 2016. However, unlike last year, this year I will be crossing the finish line with my three best guys. I cannot wait for my husband, my dad, my brother and I to take on the five boroughs together as a family. The lottery drawing was Tuesday and it was exactly as I remember it being last year: stressful! Constant refreshing of the computer screen. All. Day. Long. By day’s end, Adam was the only member of Team Wegner that had been accepted into the race via the drawing. But within about 10 seconds, we decided that we were going to run the race and so the three of us signed up to run for charity.

 

I have chosen to run for Team For Kids. This is how I got my entry last year and I could not be more excited to support this wonderful cause for a second year in a row. Team for Kids is a team of adult runners who raise funds for services provided by New York Road Runners Youth Programs for children from grade school through high school. These programs encourage healthy lifestyles, combat childhood obesity, and empower youth development by promoting running and character-building programs in low-income schools and community centers in New York City and across the country.

It is not a secret that I was blessed by growing up with parents who taught me how to live a healthy, active lifestyle and I think that is important for every child to experience. Someone said to me this week, “It’s funny that you’re family doesn’t say ‘oh, let’s go get dinner and hang out’, yours says ‘let’s go run a marathon and hang out’.” And truth be told, I wouldn’t change that for anything.

Deciding to run this year was really a no-brainer. As I sat here on Tuesday hoping that I would be accepted in the lottery (or that all 4 of us would be accepted), I reminisced on last year’s event. Some of my favorite moments from 11/1/15 had to have been the runners village, the bridges, entering Queens, Harlem, and of course Central Park.

• The athlete’s village was amazing. You could tell the first timers from the seasoned marathoners for sure. I was quiet and kept mostly to myself but I did chat briefly with a first-time marathoner from Texas. Texas A&M had just beaten South Carolina the day before so we bonded over that. He started before me so the conversation was short. But it was definitely nice to know that there were many people just as nervous as I was. The part I remember most is the very first runners starting (not the elite athletes but the “regular runners”). We didn’t hear Frank Sinatra or the starting gun down in the village but we all simultaneously saw that wave of people begin their journey over the Verrazano Bridge. For a brief moment, there was silence, and then everyone that was sitting down rose to their feet as the entire village gave those runners a round of applause. The runners on the outside of the bridge threw their arms in the air in excitement and gratitude as everyone had the same one thing on their mind: it was finally race day.

Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

Don’t mind the throw-away clothes! (Which actually all are given to the homeless of NYC after the race)

 

• The Verrazano bridge was just as I had hoped. Breathtaking. I was on the left side at the very edge because I wanted views. I remember someone hopping on the sidewalk passing me saying to his friend “I didn’t know it would be like this, with everyone slowing down to take pictures here.” Sir, what are you thinking! But first, let me take a selfie. This bridge is 1 mile up and 1 mile down and the time flew. I held a slow, steady pace and just breathed in every second of that beautiful city in the distance.

• Brooklyn was awesome. There’s not much more I can say. The crowds and bands were non stop the ENTIRE way. Each neighborhood had it’s own personality and it was a gift to be able to experience them all.

• However, I would say that Queens beat out Brooklyn. Coming off of the Pulaski Bridge into Queens was phenomenal. The crowd support was outstanding and I simply was not expecting this. Most people talk about the “wall of sound” when runners exit the Queensboro Bridge onto 1st Avenue in Manhattan (the first time runners enter Manhattan). But for me, it was Queens. They were so welcoming and genuinely excited for you to be running through their part of town. Queens was a blast all over and it was the perfect buildup to the dreaded climb over the Queensboro Bridge. (Though, it did not even seem that bad to me. I put in my headphones, listened to 2 songs, took a lot of pictures because again – the views were incredible, and it was over before I knew it).

 

• The truck up 1st Avenue brought us through Harlem. I LOVED Harlem. The crowd was not filled with as many people but boy did they have personality. The bands were incredible and there was just a positive buzz the whole way. It was great support before entering the Bronx. Side note: The Bronx was not bad. Though the crowds thin out, we are there for about a mile, I had a banana and listened to like one song and then we were back in Harlem. Back in Harlem for a second time!

• The 5th Avenue stretch was just as good. The fans and music had not let up for a moment. This is also where I met up with the Team For Kids coaches and mentors. They took one look at me and knew I was okay. All of them applauded my high spirits and smiling face and told me how exceptional I looked for being 22 miles in. This moment re-assured for me why I chose to run with Team For Kids in the first place. One coach jogged beside me for a few yards, told me I was doing great and sent me on the the last leg. It made me feel that I had people, besides my family of course, the entire race who cared that I made it to that finish line and had an absolute blast getting there.

The Team For Kids photographer snapped this shot of me around mile 22 – It’s a statement to how much fun I was having!

 

• The last 5k of the race is Central Park. YES! There is amazing support the entire way and honestly, at this point, I did not want the race to end. As someone who’s spent my entire life visiting New York City, I love Central Park. I’ve made countless memories there but this by far topped them all. Though a gradual uphill climb, this last stretch of the race was unforgettable. I was excited to exit the park because I knew the Central Park South crowd would be huge. I had seen the set up the day before (though I kept the finish line a true surprise for race day), so I knew it would be spectacular. And it was. I had dropped my race belt to my parents at mile 25 but kept my phone in hand for pictures. With a half mile to go, I was on cloud 9. I was running next to a woman with no head phones in and I couldn’t help but shout out to her “this. is. awesome.” She said she had not had a good race day. I tired to assure her that we were almost there but that she still looked great. I hope I lifted her spirits before she crossed the finish line.

 

• The finish was emotional. Every one of the volunteers was so gracious and kind. They were excited for and uplifting to every runner that came by them. There’s a long walk to get out of the park and I spent that time calling and texting some friends and my family. The support I received that day was humbling. I could now call myself a marathoner.

 

The city of New York, the volunteers, and the crowds make this race the best marathon in the world.  I am forever grateful for the experience the gave me last year and I cannot wait for another one. Last year was such a special moment for me and I know 2014 was just as special for my dad when he ran his first marathon and crossed that Central Park finish line. But, I know this year will top it all. I have shared before that one of the reasons I love running so much is because I get to do it with Adam. Well, I love running with the rest of my family just as much and I think the New York Marathon is the BEST place to share that part of our lives together. Training will be tough, as the peak weeks are during a very warm time of year, but I have no doubt that we will all succeed and have an awesome experience. It will truly be a memorable race and one for the books.

I CANNOT WAIT!

 

 

 

  

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