New York Moments
Since its barebones beginning 40 years ago, the ING New York City Marathon has attracted nearly one million runners to the streets of New York. For every person who has made the journey from Fort Wadsworth to Central Park, there are at least a dozen stories to tell about the experience. Some are funny, others touching, but they all echo that the marathon experience lingers long after you cross the finish line. Here, competitors from around the country reflect on their favorite "New York" moments.
E-mail memories@nyrr.org to submit your New York Moment.
"As with the NYC Marathon, I am 40 years in the making. Although I do not have a remarkable story, I feel I represent the ordinary runner. With that being said, no runner is ordinary. Back in the 6th grade, about 30 years ago, two of my friends and I said we wanted to run a marathon. On my first date with my husband, we both found out we had put our names in the lottery. He ran in 2005, but I didn't get in. I finally got in the 2008 race, but had to withdraw as I was pregnant. That pregnancy didn't work out, which makes me even more thankful for my 2 year old son. This year I reapplied and I am running Nov 1st. I read the stories of other runners and tears fill my eyes. I am filled with excitement and nerves as the date to my first marathon approaches. I am thrilled to be 40 with 40,000 on the 40th race, and there isn't anything ordinary about that!" -Lori Romano
"In 2006, I cheered along the sidelines as I watched my cousin run the NYC marathon and had the greatest time chasing her through the boroughs of New York. With easy access to subways, I was able to see her 4 times along the course. It was amazing to see so many runners in all shapes/all sizes. I became so inspired that in 2007 I joined her and ran NYC as my first marathon. Just thinking about it I get the chills. I can still hear the roar of the crowds yelling out my name. I remember the sign on the bridge that said 'if you think a 10k is easy, welcome to easy.' I took a deep breathe smiled and my eyes teared. I was going to finish a marathon. Not just any marathon, but the New York City Marathon. With excitement I am lacing my sneakers again to run on November 1 and though I'm sure I won't have the same experience, I know the journey to the finish line will be just as remarkable." -Roxanne Ayala-Conlon
"My greatest memory from the marathon was when I finished side by side with Fred Lebow. It was such a special thing because we weren't sure whether or not Fred was going to make it, and when we did finish, we were holding hands and we hugged and cried. I remember all of the times I finished the New York City Marathon and the times that I won were all special, of course, but they didn't have the same passion and emotion as that one." -Grete Waitz
"In 1975, when the race was still confined to Central Park, I started to get really dizzy after the mid-way point. Eventually, things got so bad that with less than three miles to go, [race director] Fred Lebow came by and gave me a ride to the finish line in his car. I've finished 33 straight New York City marathons since that day, but what I wouldn't do to get those three miles back!" -Dave Obelkevich, New York, NY
"I'm a diabetic, so I run with an insulin pump and a blood glucose monitor. Both rely on batteries. In 2007, the 40-degree weather at the start area took its toll on the batteries and nothing worked. Luckily, I found the second in command of Fort Wadsworth who took it upon himself to find batteries for me. Hours later, as I crossed the finish line, an NYRR employee instantly noticed that something was wrong with me. Before I even realized that my blood sugar was low, she had two bottles of Gatorade open and in my hands. After that day, all I could think about were all the strangers who got me from Staten Island to Tavern on the Green in one piece. That is the truest spirit of the New York City Marathon." -David Brinker, New York, NY
"While running in 1986, I began to suffer leg cramps around mile 20 in Harlem. I was really hurting when I saw a very tall and muscular man with the fiercest look on his face standing on the sidelines. As each runner passed, he would tell them, 'You ain't gonna quit now. I ain't gonna let you quit. You gonna finish this race.' With a smile on my face, I ran through the pain and finished the race." -Bob Baker, Hillsborough, NJ
"In 1976, my wife and I drove to the start in Fort Wadsworth, but I almost didn't make it. As I was looking for a parking spot, I hit another car, just minutes before the race start. My wife had to stick around to talk to the police so I could run to the bridge and go. I've since completed 33 consecutive New York City Marathons." -K. Tucker Andersen, Warren, CT
"I ran for Fred's Team in 2008. When I passed Memorial Sloan-Kettering Hospital, I made eye contact with two young girls in wheelchairs bundled underneath big blankets. I smiled at them and pumped my fist twice in the air to send them hope and encouragement to push through challenging times. As they grinned back, I remembered that running the marathon was not about me. It was about a much bigger picture -- the people who were going to be helped." -Jaime Schneider, Hoboken, NJ
"When I ran in 1998, I was blown away by the incredible support of the crowds. Every step of the way there were complete strangers cheering for me, encouraging me, even feeding me! At one point, my running partner said, 'Kat, you can't keep eating all the food these people are offering you. Oreos are not going to help you at mile 22!' But I was so moved by everyone's generosity and kindness. Before I ran the marathon, I was terrified of New York City. But the warmth I felt from the people of that town on that day forever changed my perception and I've loved New York ever since!" -Kat Eden, San Carlos, CA
"I have run 26 straight New York City Marathons, and the one I will always remember is 1984. It was hazy, hot, and humid. I had my hair done the night before and my hairdresser had gone out of his way to give me a style like no other. It was very elaborate and he had to use a can of hair spray to keep it in place. Unfortunately, race day was so humid that it took barely five minutes to turn my elaborate hairstyle into a stringy mess. But my unruly mop of hair did not curb my enthusiasm. I ran my best time ever. I felt invincible." -Jillian Lazaridis, New York, NY
"I ran in 1995, three years after a car accident that resulted in the amputation of my left leg below the knee. I remember looking into the eyes of a woman sitting in a chair in Harlem, where crowds were thin, and seeing her break out in a smile as I ran by. Moments before that, I wondered how the hell I was going to run another five miles. And after crossing the finish line, I completely broke down in tears on a Central Park bench. It was a life-changing moment: Right then and there, I committed to a life of sports and have since completed 10 Ironmans, setting a world record in the process." -Paul Martin, Boulder, CO
"I ran back in 1984 after training for two years. On race morning, when I reached for my running top, it wasn't there. I panicked! Then, my boyfriend handed me a small package to open. In it was a purple Nike jersey with my name embroidered on it. He said it was so he could easily find me at the 21 mile mark. Funny thing is, purple just so happened to be the color of choice of thousands of runners that day. He never found me in the crowd running -- I found him!" --Lee Ann Kleinfelter, Lafayette, CA
"I'll never forget the hot 1978 race when I thought a carbo-loading party (mostly beer) the night before would be a good idea. The heat of the race, running a sub 3-hour pace and the inexplicable belief that I did not need to drink much water led me to crash to the ground with heat exhaustion in the gutter at Seventh Avenue and Central Park South. Paramedics revived me and took off my shoes. They'd only release me if I could answer a question that proved I was coherent. It seemed like all of humanity was running past me right to left yet the question the paramedics chose for me was 'which way is the finish line?' I just pointed left, demanded my shoes back, and jogged the last half-mile to the finish." -Rick Shaver, New York, NY
"In 2008, I dedicated my race for a young fallen Staff Sergeant named Matt. He'd joined the Army Reserves specifically because of September 11, yet he had never even had the opportunity to visit New York City. As I ran, I wore his photo on my T-shirt and felt as though I was taking my soldier on a five-borough tour of the city in which he fought and lost his life. When things got tough for me around Mile 19 in East Harlem, I repeated, 'Matt, Matt, Matt, Matt.' His bravery made it easier for me to undertake and finish the harrowing 26.2-mile journey." -Geneva Simms, New York, NY
"In 2006, my husband Marc and I were part of a team of Achilles guides for a man who is legally blind and mostly deaf. He couldn't enjoy the sights or hear the cheers, yet he was so happy to be in New York City, pushing himself to the finish. That experience made us rethink our personal limits and really showed us what humans are capable of. It was truly an inspiration and we were so honored to be running with him." -Leslie Gordon, Hoboken, NJ
