"The Marathon of New York"

4.30 am: the alarm goes off...I had a good sleep, feeling great, nerve racking, making me ready for the big day, race day!
Today I am going to run the marathon of New York, the biggest event and I will run in it, crazy.

Having breakfast, I take a banana, a bagel and coffee. Choosing clothes is easy, I will wear the personalized t- shirt made by Krista, you can see my outfit on the picture taken in my room of the hotel, a white t- shirt with the letters "Marathon of New York for the Animals" on the back, black short and high socks.

Yes I am ready.

Special thanks to "Sukho Thai Massage Healing" because the day before I went sightseeing in New York on my high heels (not such a good idea....), so I was pretty tired and my body was in pain and feeling the need of healing, having a panick attack for the big day, I decided to book a last minute massage session (ok do not look for the price it was quite expensive) BUT it was the best decision I have made BECAUSE it was one of the best massages I have ever had in my life (and I have had a lot of them :-)), after the delicious massage, I really felt like,

YES I AM READY TO RUN THE RACE!

So mentally totally ready & physically totally ready to rock this race!!!!

7.00 am: the bus brings us to the place to be,

"The Brooklyn Bridge", the bridge where the race will start.....

Starting in the Orange Coral, wave 3, searching for the right spot, meanwhile the only thing I can see is police, security, helicopters, guns, more guns, more police,... So the safety check is ok, I feel very safe now!

Around 9.00 am, I think I've arrived the Orange Village, with my bag of personalized things, just enough time to eat a bagel, a bar, drink water, eat a banana and use the toilet.

We have to give the bag away and go to the next place, the Orange Coral, one last time to go to the toilet and to warm up. The weather is perfect, not too warm, not too cold.
The tension rises, all people are excited, the race is getting closer as we can hear the starting canon for the other waves.

10.30: ok, the time has come to walk trough the crowd going to the bridge.

Starting time 10.40, oh yes I am ready, feeling great, feeling awesome, just to be here is MAGIC.

10.40: BANG!!!!!
The start sound: slowly the race begins....

Hell yeah I am running The Marathon of New York.... THIS IS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Brooklyn Bridge, no sound, no music, no supporters, just runners and the bridge = MAGIC,

the adrenaline you feel is crazy!!!!

After the bridge, entering Brooklyn, wowy, the crowd is amazing!!!!!

Music, people are screaming, yelling, coaching, supporting all the runners, no words, just enjoying the madness!!!!!!

During the race I take water on a regular base and sportdrinks. My first gel was at 15 km, not sure, in total I took 4 gels during the race, a lot of drinks, half a banana and at the end a package of dextro energy.

Running goes well, so the injuries, no pain.
After 30 km we have to stop, because of a fire and firemen everywhere, all the runners have to stop running, omg.

It is difficult to start running again after a stop, I have to find my pace again... and my legs hurt, I think my legs are sour ... auwch....

Mentally I am still very strong, physically also but my legs hurt so much I can't get my pace up, so I have to run slower than I want to.

During the race it is important to not look at your time because you are in New York, you have to enjoy the view, the atmosphere, the people, the crowd, all of it, every little detail is so precious.

When the race gets rough, the crowd surrounding you, will help you to get through the race!!!!

Really it is the people who will get you through, who will lead you to the finish line... They are amazing!!!

The last miles/ km were the roughest.

It was hard but it was all worth it!!!!!

It was giving your last energy, giving your last power, go with the flow, letting the supporters guide you through the finish line and.....

YESS I made it ... THE Finish @ 4.52.22

Not my desired time, but whatever, I stopped a lot to drink and enjoy and gave my body the rest and pace it needed to run the race without injuries.

I Accomplished my goal:

running the marathon of New York for the Animals!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Special thanks to: 

* Sukho Thai Massage Healing for the physical part (also my physiotherapists for the injuries)

* The Animals, who gave me the strenght to never give up and to fight for the rights

* All the people who believed in me

* My coach Kim Nuyens

* My runtastic competitors

* My own willpower

* The pain that made me strong

* The injustice in the world that has given me the power to prove the opposite 

* New York supporters

* New York City

* My body, my healthy lifestyle (vegetarian)

"Believe in Yourself & You will be Unstoppable!"

"If you believe you can, you've already won!"

Els

Xo