Finished!

New York

7th November 2004

I’ve never felt any inclination towards doing a marathon. I’m not a runner at all (the most I have done before is five miles in cross country at school when I was fifteen). Plus it obviously always looks like it is sheer hell. But in this year of doing challenges I thought I’d better give it a go. I entered New York as I thought running around streets I’ve never been down before would help take my mind off the pain I would obviously experience.

I was meant to start training in July and I did manage two weeks on a treadmill but then I went outside and did an 8 mile run, which seemed to go fine. The next day though, I couldn’t walk and it turned out I had bruised ligaments and a tight IT band through my right knee. I couldn’t even do one mile of running after that for another four weeks.

I managed to get in to see a great physio (Tara at Charing Cross sports injuries clinic) and she had some orthotics made for my incredibly large flat feet in order to give them some shape and take the pressure off my knees.

I then did my 10 day, 1,000 mile cycle ride from Lands End to John O’Groats and so didn’t get down to some serious treadmill training until only six weeks before the run.

What you don’t realise before you commit to one of these things is the amount of running you do have to do in order to build up your endurance capacity and the strength in your legs. I averaged about 30 miles a week for the six weeks leading up to New York. Which was still less than you are meant to do! You also have to reduce the miles dramatically in the two weeks leading up to the event.

In that time I only actually did one run outside, a seven mile Nike Store run round Regents Park.

So getting to New York I was obviously nervous: Would I suffer a re-occurrence of the knee injury within the first ten miles and have to stop? In New York I also picked up a cold so had to fill up with herbal remedies and loads of oranges.

On the day of the marathon though it all seemed to just come together. It was a brilliantly hot sunny day and as I made my way to the start buses I felt good.

Paula Radcliffe would call my preparation meticulous, while normal runners like you and me would call it insane. You are allowed to take one plastic bag of stuff to the start line to be collected after and that contains stuff you need for the few hours before the start.

I had the biggest bag! It contained anything I might need if I was to change my mind about anything at all at the last minute! It had spare inner soles - in case I decided to run without my orthotics in, spare hats, gloves, long sleeve and short sleeve vests, thick socks, thin socks, – what was I going to wear??

The food that I ran on – which I do so recommend, as I felt full of energy was:
2 New York bagels – filled with peanut butter – full of carbohydrates and the peanut sticks to your insides to make you fill full up for longer – it worked!
A small pot of honey
2 oranges and a banana
Cashews - in order to suck the salt off before we started
and cheerios.

I had six pees in the 60 minutes leading up to the start, each shorter than the one before, as I tried to make sure my bladder was completely empty. I still had to stop for a very brief pee after about 15 miles.

I also re-tied my laces about 6 times in the same period. Trying to get the optimum tightness – not too tight – not too lose. One of them still came undone after 19 miles. What was that about? Waiting 19 miles to come undone.

I was told by loads of people ‘Don’t do a Chris Ward’, which I think meant to rush off early and knacker myself out. Am I famous for this? The sponsors provide pace people, for every 15 minute period finish time, that you can run nearby to if you wish to aim for a certain finish time. I ran around the 4.00hr man.

The first eighteen miles were brilliant. It seemed to be an easy pace for me and I was very comfortable and enjoying the crowd and the views. It even crossed my mind that I’ll be able to speed up over the last six miles and finish well within four hours…..

….the naivety of a first time runner. It started to get hard – but a manageable hard. The water points were turning into a bit of a scrum and it was hard to motivate yourself to get running again as soon as you picked up your water and found yourself surrounded by walking runners.

Over the last eight miles it was hard – but a perversely enjoyable – battle against your own will. I stopped several times for around 30 seconds and over the last eight miles lost five minutes on ‘my’ pace man. I thought it was more, so when I saw after 25 miles that I was still under 4 hours I was very happy. At the last water stop I picked up the cup and simply threw the contents into my face, it was the only thing that was going to keep me going.

Very slightly annoyingly the New York Marathon ends with about three upwards slopes (hills!) that after 25 miles feel like you are climbing K2. That is when the battle with yourself is at its hardest – but when the crowd are at their best.

The supporters were absolutely fantastic throughout. There is a noticeable community feel about New York that doesn’t exist in London. People look after each other and appeared friendlier. I suppose this could be a positive outcome of 9:11.

I had put a sign on my front that said ‘Doing It For The Kids’ (to remind me of doing it for Molly, Bob and Rose) and it was great to hear it shouted by the crowd, especially over the last three miles where it really did help keep me going.

The top 11 highlights
1. Finishing!
2. Supportive txts from friends
3. ‘No Sleep Till Brooklyn’ booming out of speakers in Brooklyn and the whole crowd jumping along.
4. And just along, ‘YMCA’ being played and 37,000 runners doing the arm actions as they passed.
5. The crowd screaming support as we passed under very echo’y bridges
6. The view of Manhattan as we crossed the start bridge from Staten Island
7. The small words of encouragement from fellow runners
8. The crowd shouting at me to ‘do it for the kids’
9. The autumnal scenery and unseasonal high & sunny weather of New York
10. Tearfully talking to Helen and the kids at the finish.
11. Opening my ‘HERO’ letter from the family at the end


It really couldn’t have been more enjoyable for me. The worst-case scenario would have been having to stop through knee pain at about 7 miles. The best would have been finishing in under 4 hours. Everything seemed to come together on the day and I am happy to have finished in 4 hours, 4 minutes and 58 seconds – on a brilliant day, in a fantastic city with a two million strong crowd. It was one of the best things I have ever done and I can’t wait to do it again, though only quicker I hope….

Why don’t you join me next year? I’m in my forties and managed it well on six weeks good training. If you enter and train well you can have one of the best and most rewarding days of your life. I’m serious, let me know if you’d like to do a marathon and we’ll find a good one to enter in 2005.


My Stats

Finish time 4 hrs, 4 min, 58 sec
Finish position 11,281 out of 37,257
Finish position in my age group (40-44) 1,864 out of 6,613
10k time 56 min, 33 sec
Half marathon time 1 hr, 58 min, 59 sec
20 mile time 3 hrs, 4 min, 02 sec

From the letter the family sent me that I opened on the finish line.

Murray's Bagels in Chelsea - the best bagel shop in Manhatten and where I bought my 'fuel' for the race.

I arrived the day after the election - the day that Kerry conceeded and Bush won another four years

Counting Down.....

It's the day before I fly to New York, more importantly it's the day of the US election - so fingers crossed for John Kerry - although I feel the worst is about to happen....

Anyway, after a strong six weeks of 30-40 miles a week, a dodgy right knee, having physio, getting some othotics for my feet, grazing my knee on astroturf last week!, having some massages, I'm as ready as I ever will be.

I'm nervous about training this week but will do a couple of 4 mile runs.

I will be running from about 3.10pm (GMT) on Sunday 7th (10.10am in the states). Apparently you should be able to follow my journey on the NY marathon website.

this is my entry details
Chris ward
green start
race number 38699
(entry 83218)

please send me a txt if you can anytime after 5pm on Sunday - i know I'll need your support and the phone will be safely packed in my back pocket.

Here we go.......

slightly annoying knee injury the week before running 26 miles - at least I've got an excuse now though....