THE FINISH

This was the best part!!!! I exit the door, it’s a brand new world, almost like being born. Cold and snow against my skin feels like heaven after that sauna-like 19 minutes in the bowels of the building. My legs are now alive, fresh, and cool, and this jog felt just like flying: all I could see was sky, not a common sight here!

I don’t think I could have been any happier!

I run a few seconds around the observatory and I see the finish line (and there are like 20 photographers stacked on top of each other).

This is definitely one of the most exciting race finishes, quite similar to the New York City or Boston marathons.

After laboring in the middle of all those columns and steps, hot and sweat, panting and coughing, you see the light, the sky, the fresh air, and the whole city is at your feet.

You literally rise up from the cement guts of the biggest icon in the city, to the top of the world. It feels like you just conquered the monster of steel and the city as well.

And I owned it, it was a fantastic moment, and I was ready to cry, my face ready to burst. I didn’t. I was too happy and high (literally!!!).

THE PARTY

After seeking King Kong to no avail, I tried to wait for Luciano before heading down among a bunch of coughing up-runners. It felt just like when I raced the mile, or you race indoors (or so they say…); but we are promptly shown to an elevator. I found Luciano and a couple of other friends on the second elevator and soon enough we are on the 60something floor. There was a great spread of food and I was out of control. I was so hyper I was eating as if I just run a marathon… though we all know no one is hungry after a marathon.

Anyway, we stretch for a bit, catch up with every one again, we see the winners get their awards and hear about the charity organizations involved in the Run Up. If you ever decide you have to do this race, that is a great option.

We were all just having too much fun to leave. I did a few wall sits to prove I wasn’t tired… I really felt fantastic. I knew I could have done better, and I was barely sweating when I got to the top. But… I am onto “enjoying” races so I decided to take it easy and it was too much fun to ruin it… I really think I lost my competitive mojo (well, did I ever even had one???). I ended up with a run up in 19:38 (mind you, the men’s winner did 10:10 and the women’s did 13:03). Age placing: 27 out of 57… ehem! Oh well, fun has a price!

Now that it’s all said and done… the first floors were hard for me, but the rest was amazing. I loved it. I want to do it again, and I want to do it justice. I would love to be able to train for it, if we could know we are picked with a bit more than 3 weeks’ notice. If I knew, I wouldn’t have done the Manhattan half and focused on this!

 

The race is increible… and getting to the top is just priceless… Now, would you ever want to do it, or do you think it’s crazy??? NYRR’s video of the race is here.

 

We were all to excited to just go home and stretch or shower, so we hang out until late… By 6 pm I felt some twinges on my shins when I was heading home… At around 8 pm, I started getting a bit sore. Did an ice bath ASAP. It was insanely cold and I was shivering… eeeeek. But I felt a ton better afterwards. I wore my compression socks to sleep (sexy, I know!) and now… all good!!!! Woke up with barely any soreness, and definitely no pain! I will do a slow recovery run in the treadmill as it’s totally horrible outside: sleet, ice and rain AGAIN… Now back to marathon training… with another glorious day under my belt.