Life As A Marathon Runner
My name is Sarah and I LOVE to eat, sleep, and sweat. As a New Yorker, I see the city as my personal gym. River paths are running routes, railings are for pushups and benches were made for an impromptu set of box jumps.
You can say running flows through my bloodline. My parents combined conquered over 20 marathons and have been active in the NYC running community since the 90’s. I can still remember all the Saturday mornings, where my parents woke my brother and me up at 6 am, to trek into Manhattan for a 5 or 10 k run alongside them. I think this may have been where my love for naps developed as well.
I wasn’t much of an athlete in high school and I didn’t think much of running after a failed try out attempted for the cross country team. But post college, it became an outlet for me to better myself and socialize. I renewed my New York Road Runners membership and hit the pavement to complete my races for guaranteed NYC Marathon entry. In March 2012, I completed my first half marathon and was on the road to the NYC Marathon. I was excited to follow in the footsteps of my mom who calls the marathon “A 26.2 mile party” and began my training. But my mileage wasn’t where it needed to be and a hip injury sidelined me. Then, Hurricane Sandy hit and the 2012 marathon was cancelled. I was determined to stride into training for 2013 stronger than ever.
My 2013 resolutions stuck like glue: run more, eat well, cross train for a stronger body. I signed up for three half marathons within three months and my weekly mileage began climbing from a mere 20 to almost 35 miles a week. Through a local running group, I discovered a high intensity interval training gym that specialized in strengthening runners. This was the beginning of two a days. Morning miles and happy hour at the gym.
Marathon training is an experience unlike any other. It can be isolating, so making friends among the running and fitness community is key. You need someone to commiserate with about your chaffing and the woes of fall marathon training being during peak sandal season (not a pretty site). Many of my now closest friends I met on training runs and at running groups. We help push each other’s limits and cheer along with each medal they rack up. Having family ties to running fuels my motivation. My dad’s words always resonate so strongly with me. “The hardest part is getting to the start.” Besides the miles logged on the streets, preventing injury and fueling your body the right way are vital to success.
The 2013 NYC Marathon was an invigorating experience. I can honestly say I loved every mile logged and I’m excited to be embarking on my next journey. Currently, I’m training for Chicago Marathon, followed two weeks later by NYC Marathon. Follow my story as I continue my journey to be faster, stronger, inspire others to be better.
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