New York City Marathon

It was my first and, so far, only marathon, the most famous. I knew I would have an unforgettable experience, and so it was. The fear was that I wouldn't make it to the finish line, but the perfect organization, the emotion, the cheering of the spectators, and the splendid sunny day made it happen. The only people who were indifferent were the residents of the Jewish quarter (I'm not anti-Semitic, it's a fact).

You won't find a bigger cheering crowd than in NY. This year's record heat/humidity didn't deter anyone. Biggest advice: this is a BIG race in a BIG city--pack your patience and prepare accordingly. You and almost 50,000 of your friends do have to navigate through pre-race transport and staging. There were some lapses with the ferry/bus options but the bus-only option at the library was easy as always. Uncharacteristically, they ran out of cups at 3 water stations--most likely because runners used water to cool themselves because of the heat. All waves started on-time, plenty of water stations/medical aid along the way, course marked in KMs and miles, and the music and party never stopped until post-race. Great medal, recovery bag, thick poncho, and easier exit out of Central Park this year. Expo had huge New Balance area but the rest still underwhelming--likely due to economy and supply-chain challenges. Medal engraving and finisher's stuff available on Mon and Tues in Central Park. Online pics and results came quick, app very helpful and updated. NYC checks all the boxes--plenty of hotel options, too. Come early, stay afterwards, and enjoy the camaraderie of 50,000 runners and millions of the locals--you don't want to miss this fall tradition!

Trained and Trained but nothing could have trained me for the atmosphere on race day. Staten Island Ferry past Statue of Liberty with NYC skyline and hundreds of runners on board.