(Almost) Eight years later and I’m still marveling at what a melting pot the NYC Marathon is – more than any other race I’ve participated in*. You see so many types of people and hear so many languages, all coming together to share one common interest (running!) and achieve one common goal (finish this damn marathon!).
My favorite personal cultural experience** during the race was struggling to the finish line in Central Park, and having a French runner, Olivier, help me out. He saw me starting to walk just over two miles from the finish, gave me the “no, we aren’t doing this” look, and ran the last 2.2 miles with me. We couldn’t communicate with one another, but we helped each other out by encouraging one another, and shared a big sweaty hug at the finish.
Do you see us? Hint: his name is on his top!
So why am I thinking about this today, when the 2019 NYC Marathon is still over a month away? Because Facebook reminded me it’s Olivier’s birthday! So I need to tell him joyeux anniversaire!!!
Writing about this makes me think I would LOVE to run the NYC Marathon again. I got in on lottery (first try!) in 2011, and I think tried again for a few years but never got in again. It’s such an amazing race, and overall experience.
But all marathon dreaming is shelved until I am running more and (more importantly) running stronger!
*Over 150 countries had participants last year!
**Note: that was my favorite CULTURAL experience, not experience in general at that race, ha
Oh wow! What a cool story! I still remember the guy I ran 14 miles with during my first marathon in 2013. Back when I used to run in the city more often, I’d see him on the trail every now and again, and that was always fun 🙂 I had never read your NYC recap before (or if I had, I didn’t remember it), so I just read it now and it made me really want to run NYC! It seems like such an experience (and slightly less logistically challenging than the other non-Boston Majors, since I wouldn’t have to go abroad to do it.)
That is so neat you ran in to him so often after running so much together at your first marathon! I wonder if he kept running marathons and what number that was for him.
Definitely enter the NYC lottery. It’s a truly amazing experience. Have you been to NYC? I can’t recall, I think, yes?
I have been to NYC! Just briefly, for like 36 hours two years ago. We hit up ALL the big Manhattan highlights (Central Park, Times Square, Empire State Building, WTC, Battery Park, Wall Street, saw a show on Broadway, saw the Rockefeller Center, saw Carnegie Hall), but we didn’t get much beyond there. The marathon (obviously) would help with that!
Ahh, yes! It would help, but you did really well with your short trip there too! Did you run through Central Park when you were there then?
Yes! That was all the time I spent in Central Park, actually. I LOVED it. I think I spent the whole time wishing we had a Central Park in Chicago, haha. I know we have Lincoln Park and Grant Park, but they’re not the same.
They aren’t 🙁 We do have the Lakefront Path! But again, not the same.
If you are ever in Louisville, there is a large Olmsted designed park there that is also enjoyable to run in, and has sneaky seemingly never-ending hills like Central Park does.
So when did you two finally connect on Facebook? Your original post said he hadn’t replied to you yet.
February 2012 🙂
Wow! That is so cool! I didn’t realize you connected with him on FB afterwards!
We never communicate but I love seeing stuff from him now and then since it makes me think back to how we met!
Awww, I love this story!!!
Thanks!!! 🙂
This is such a sweet story, I love it that connection! And yep, you got it with the translation!
Do you think entering the lottery would motivate you to run more?
Hmm, if I got in, I would make sure I was trained! But just entering wouldn’t make me. Hee hee.