Running From New York City to Kaua'i

  Two weeks from today we will be in Kaua'i for me to complete my 50 states quest of running and finishing a marathon in all 50 states, a journey primarily started in 2001 with the Baltimore Marathon.  I saw primarily because my very first marathon was in New York City in 1994 but the true journey of running marathons year after year with this goal in mind started in Baltimore. In April 1994, I remember receiving the post card from the NYRRC in the mail stating I was accepted.  I thought, "oh my, now I have to do it."  Known as the "wrong way Silva" marathon at the elite level due to German Silva following a police officer off the course yet still winning, for me it was known as the "anything can happen in a marathon no matter how well trained you are" marathon.

Although NYC is a life experience marathon that every marathoner should run, it is hard on a first time marathoner.  The logistics are challenging, the sheer number of people is staggering, the course is difficult and the weather can be unpredictable.  In 1994, it was a warm November day with the temperature edging just above 70 degrees, humid and light rain showers.  Of course, with New York, you need to take an early bus from the public library to Staten Island and sit around for hours and then stand in your corral for an hour or so prior to taking your first step.  I truly didn't know what I was up against.  I had planned on running 8 minute miles (yes, I could actually do that back then with some of my 5K and 10K times sub-7 minute.)  I was right on task through the first half-marathon not only enjoying the pace but the entire atmosphere, neighborhoods, sights, cheers, etc.  With so many runners, getting to a water table was like fighting through a gauntlet. Near the half-way point, I felt the pop in one of my calves.  With that, I struggled the rest of the way to a finish time of 4:28.  Although it was an experience of a lifetime, I was deeply disappointed.  After months of training (during this time I was also working in NYC and commuting from central NJ) the marathon just didn't go as planned.  After nearly everyone's first marathon the general feeling is, "I will never do that again" and I didn't for nearly 7 years. Part of the reason I didn't was due to a non-running injury in 1995 where I ripped up my hamstring playing softball at a company outing. But truly, I thought, the marathon is a different animal.  It is a long journey and anything can happen, peaks and valleys, challenges to overcome, pain to endure, exhaustion, yet joy and fun, smiles and an overall sense of accomplishing something hard. It has been said a million times, the marathon is a metaphor for life.  For me, it has not only been a metaphor but ironically it has also been the one constant over the last 15 years of my life that it has taken me to get to Kaua'i.

I hope to write more over the next few weeks and beyond about my marathon adventures through the states.  Each marathon experience has been different and certainly etched in my mind.  kaua'i will be no different.  I didn't save an easy marathon for the last state.  I saved the essence of the journey, a difficult but beautiful experience.