The New York Marathon is barely three months away, and I am in the midst of making logistical arrangements for the trip. The main priority is lodging, and I am very fortunate that this has already been taken care of. It so happens that Bam has an uncle who lives in Staten Island. Walking distance from the starting line, to be precise. Talk about luck. So, on marathon morning, I will wake up, have breakfast, head out the door, and walk to the starting line. How's that for convenience? I have heard and read stories about how difficult it could be to get to the starting line, so this definitely erases a lot of potential hassles.
The second lucky break came in the form of very good friends who recently moved into their newly-purchased Manhattan apartment... right in the vicinity of Central Park. As fate would have it, their place is just couple of blocks away from the finish line. We'll be staying with them from the 6th until we fly out to Florida on the 9th. Another problem solved - no commuting after the marathon. And no hotel expenses, too. With a little help from my friends.
We've also already started looking for flights to New York. We plan to arrive in NYC on the morning of November 4th - two full days before marathon day. That will leave me with enough time to pick up my race pack and visit the marathon expo to pick up some cold weather gear.
Training-wise, I have no qualms about admitting that I am not doing anything special at all. Marathons, ultras, and weekday runs in between. No specialized training. No speed work-outs. I'm just enjoying my runs. There will be no attempt whatsoever to set a marathon PR in New York, and I plan to make a 42-kilometer fun run out of it. If I cross the finish line under 6 hours, I'll be fine. I will walk home in my finisher's shirt, with a medal dangling around my neck and a smile plastered on my face.
It might not sound like it, but I am not yet overly excited about the marathon. While I am looking forward to the trip and spending time (and getting drunk!) with friends and family, for some reason, I haven't really been giving the marathon itself that much thought. As a matter of fact, I am more worked up over the PAU Bolinao to Sual (Pangasinan) 65K Ultra Marathon, which is just a week away. Maybe it just hasn't completely sunk in yet that I will be running THE ING New York City Marathon. I'm sure I'll get there as marathon day draws nearer.
