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RACE REPORT: 168 NYC Marathon – 3:08:40 

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MARATHON 25

For me, the New York City Marathon is what started it all… running it on a dare from the CEO of Rolex in 2008. It changed my life. 

Running the New York City Marathon is hard, it’s a challenging course with bridges and the weather is very un[predicable but most times hot. The alternative is to ‘not’ run it and watch all your friends being the center of everyone’s attention. So I choose to run.

BY LAND OR SEA

This year for the first time ever, I opted for a bus to Staten Island versus my usual ferry ride. I was awake by 4:45am (Emily made me some oatmeal to go) and I was out the door by 5:05. It was 42 degrees and looked like it would be a great day to run with a high of 62. I had on a winter hat, gloves, long sleeve sweatshirt and sweats as my ‘throwaway clothes.’ 

Our Upper West Side bus left around 5:30am and I was sitting with a few of my fellow Manhattan Track Club runners, which made the ride all the better! 

We were dropped off outside of base camp around 6:30am (not bad) and waited for over an hour is a ridiculously unorganized security line (very bad). I actually ran to my corral area after we were through to be safe.

CORRALS

I waited for Rowland and D, then we all entered our coral to hang out. When the corrals close, they take it quite seriously so there’s a chance of a lock out. We made a few friends while waiting before we made the energizing march out onto the highway to the start line. 

After some standard issue Frank Sinatra we headed out over the mighty Varazzano. The discussion we had as a group was to go out conservatively, with the aim of having a great race and trying to enjoy ourselves. I was game. 

As we hit the apex of the bridge in a flying vee, I looked out towards Manhattan, always a gorgeous sight and a shining reminder of why I live here. My heart leapt and let out a yell to my comrades as we made our descent into Brooklyn. 

WHERE BROOKLYN AT?

Brooklyn comes hard with the party vibes. They always have. 

Once you clear the highway and wind onto Fourth Avenue, you can fall into a steady rhythm for the next 5-6 miles as you cruise along the mostly straight route. We were rocking a 6:55-7:00 pace and I felt good, not particularly speedy, but smooth. I didn’t have to pee, so that alone was a major win. 

At Mile 6 I saw my cousin Morgan and her boyfriend Reed (Miller Music) cheering, which boosted my spirits. Then, around Mile 7 I saw teammate and major speedster Carly (who dropped a sub3 in Chicago a few weeks prior). 

SEE YOU AT THE CROSSROADS

Mile 8 takes runners through a historic convergence of transit and traffic, now dominated by the Barclays Center. The sky opens up and the cheer squads increase exponentially as you take the hard right onto Lafayette and into Fort Greene. This is where I lost D and Rowland.

Miles 4-8 were a squeak under 7:00 per mile and I was still feeling good.  

DEATH STAR RUN

Lafayette in Fort Greene up through Williamsburg on Bedford Avenue are where the streets get narrower and the crowds thicker, it’s mayhem and if you’re having a good race a lot of fun. I could also feel my pace quickening ever so slightly as my excitement grew. 

I got to see my friend Jenn and her boyfriend Curtis around Mile 12, right before we left Greenpoint for Long Island City.

TIME TO JUICE UP

At Book Club the week prior to the race my friend Amanda and I reminisced about how in 2018 she and her husband Stephan passed me a Redbull at Mile 14. I would go on to run under 3 hours that year. So we decided to try it again this year! 

As I left the miserable Pulaski Bridge and descended into Queens I got excited. Sure enough, her, Stephan and their kids were cheering hard and had a Redbull ready. It got all over me. Have you ever tried to open a soda while running at race pace? It’s tricky. 

I also got to see my friend Chip and his family right after which rocked! 

CHASE THE HIGH

It was getting pretty hot out there at this point, nearing 65 degrees with no shade, so I was looking forward to the dreaded Queensboro Bridge and its cold darkness. I no longer fear it as I know how good the payoff on the other side is. 

I plodded along on the far right, head down, laser focused on steadiness and breathing while my body cooled down. I was running a 7:20ish pace here all the while getting excited. As we crested the span and started to make our way down I lengthened my stride and shook out my body. As soon as we start to run over the island of Manhattan, my home, my ears perk up. Quite possibly my favorite moment in any race is here, when the roaring sound of thousands of spectators begins to stir, the white noise slowly increasing. 

I yelled out to my fellow runners, “Here we go! Come on, get pumped!” Many other runners ‘whooped’ out at this. 

I always get a little choked up descending and making that hard left onto 59th Street seeing the crowds, the roar hitting you like a sonic wave. Everything leading up to the New York City Marathon is about this moment to me. So fleeting, so perfect.

STAY COOL 

As the smile on my face grew, I tried to maintain my pace while steadying myself to the right side of the course as I always do. My pace was still in the 7ish range along 1st Avenue.

I saw numerous friends cheering along this stretch, which is always thrilling. At 93rd Street I spotted the massive gold CB balloons my wife (and Cheer Squad Leader) Emily had in tow. There was a huge crowd of friends as I passed by – I even managed to get a solid high five from my father-in-law, Len. 

I held a solid pace up until Mile 20 as we were headed into the Bronx, where I felt my energy kind of sputtering. 

BAKER IS BURNING

The sun was kicking my ass. By now it was pushing 11 o’clock and it was high in the sky doing its thing, which meant increasing our body temperature as we ran. I had been fueling properly with gels, gatorade and salt tabs so I wasn’t sure why I was feeling this way. I stopped and stretched for 15-20 seconds which did help.

Mile 21 was a 7:52. Yikes.

As we came over into Manhattan again I was still a mess. I didn’t want to stop to walk, but I told myself I’d do it at the next aid station to slam some gatorade and get my bearings. I was very concerned that the rest of the race would continue like this.

THAT’S BANANAS

Of course I randomly decided to stop at the one aid station where they were serving up bananas! It was so delicious. Did you know that I love bananas and eat them almost daily? I even brought 2 to Staten Island (the extra one is always in case a friend is hungry). 

Mile 22 came in at 7:58. 

As I took off running though, I had a new found energy and lift! I knew everything was going to be okay. That was my final walk break of the race. 

MANHATTAN TRACK CLUB CHEER ZONE

I knew I had one mile to go before my team’s cheer zone, which is always electric. They were out in full force with megaphones, signs, and high fives, lifting every runner who passed.

Mile 23 came in at 7:09. I was back.

From there I spotted Emily and my cheer squad up on 93rd, right before I entered my backyard: Central Park.

ANY COLOUR YOU LIKE

Cruising down the straightaway in the Park, where so many of my team workouts have taken place Wednesday mornings leading up to the race, felt like home. The colors in the park were also spectacular, with the sunlight piering through the trees in yellow, orange and red bursts.

If you can make it to the park, you can make it to the finish line. Many friends had been cheering for me along the park but I missed all of them as I was in the zone, knowing I had a few miles to go. The crowds in the park were the wildest I’ve ever seen in all the years I’ve run it.

59TH STREET SUCKS

As you leave the sanctity of the park you hook a right and are confronted with a long steady 3 avenue incline up 59th Street. It’s never a great time. I just plodded along. 

Coming into the park I was holding a 7:15 pace but I was pretty spent. I crossed the line in 3:08:40, which I would have liked to say something closer to 3 flat, but I was happy. 

After collecting my medal and my pretzels, which were life saving, I waited for my friends on Central Park West. 

BURGERS AT A TACO JOINT

I met Emily, Liz, Len, Quinton, and Kristin at Playa Bettys right after for lunch, one of our neighborhood taco spots a few blocks from the Finish Line. And yes, I ordered the burger. 

I had an hour at home to chill and shower before heading out to Manhattan Track Club’s team celebration. It was great catching up with the crew and hearing war stories about everyone’s individual races… their struggles and accomplishments. 

RACE REPORT: NYC Marathon – 3:09:25

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I always do this. I run a race and when it comes time to sign up for it again I hesitate – thinking I’d be sick of it. Then, I go running with all my friends who are like “Woo hoo, the New York City Marathon in 2022 is gonna rock!” and I get FOMO. 

For those of you who aren’t psychotic runners, if you miss the sign up deadline for a race you’re pretty much not running it.

Unless… 

ACCESS GRANTED

One morning I was out with BW doing an easy 6 miler and we ran into one of his pals. After they heard of our epic 2021 NYC Marathon, coming in under 3 hours, great weather, etc, they asked if I was running it this year. “I forgot to sign up, so stupid.” They then say, “I can get you a bib (legitimately); email me.”

And the next thing I knew, I was registered for the 2022 NYC Marathon. Big thanks M, drinks are on me.

SUMMERTIME ROLLS

Guess who got injured 3 weeks after race confirmation? Me. 

For starters, I got plantar fasciitis. I think it happened from faulty shoes and constantly walking around barefoot inside the apartment. I ended up messaging all my runner friends, some of whom have run 60+ marathons and have had every type of injury you can think of. To add insult to injury, I got Covid in late August and it took me 3-4 weeks after to fully get my lungs back.

Huge thanks to my friend and fellow runner David Y. I ‘ran’ into him in the park and he heard about what I was going through. “Baker – you go fast all the time. Slow it down.” And so I did.

I basically stopped running at the end of June through July, only going out once or twice a week for slow easy runs. I was icing my foot every day all the time, stretching it, and using Powerstep foot insoles. Strangely enough, it worked and by mid August I was increasing my mileage. To my dismay, all of my running crew were way ahead of me in NYC Marathon training so I had work to do.

RIDE THE LINE

There’s a fine line between trying to up your mileage and speed and at the same time stay injury free. I ran my first 20 miler 8 weeks before race day, keeping my pace moderate. Over the next couple of weeks I was able to successfully execute 3 more 20 milers (some with my crew BW, Row, and D) and get in some speed work. I felt really fit and was pretty excited to race.

THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM

My friend Jenn from DC got into the marathon after 7 years of applying, so she was in town with her husband Rick (also an old friend of mine) and was very excited. We had lunch by their hotel in Times Square at Toloache for some tacos while we talked about race strategy. It was set to be very hot, so hydration was a main topic. 

I spent the rest of the day relaxing and trying to stay off my feet. Emily made us an amazing rib eye steak with sweet potatoes and green beans for dinner. “But Baker – where’s the carbs? What about the pasta dinner?” Thanks for asking. I’ve found that for my last 2 marathons, this meal in particular has worked wonders. The sweet potatoes provide a ton of carbs. 

Flat Baker

I was in bed by 10.

CURTAIN CALL

I awoke at 5 am easily as it was really secretly 6am since we turned the clocks back. I felt supercharged and ready to fly. I’ve recently been making oatmeal with sliced apples and honey pre-running, so I made some of that to go! I also loaded my goodie bag with water, gatorade, bananas (for sharing) and lots of gels.

I jumped on the train at 72nd Street, something I’ve never done in my previous 6 New York Marathons. I normally take a cab to the ferry, but this was way better as the subway was filled with runners! My peoples! 

I easily caught the 6:30am ferry and stood outside on the very front balcony. Another first, as normally it’s like 40 degrees out. But today it was 65.

Hi Lady L.

IN LOCAL ELITE SUPER-SECRET BASE CAMP

The last few years I’ve gotten to start in the Local Elite corral. Upon entering, you find yourself in a smaller camp with your own set of port-o-potties, coffee, snacks and all of your local speedy friends! It was like a Central Park reunion and I was loving it. The warm weather made it even more fun as everyone was comfortable and not chattering about. I found BW, D, and Row easily and we geared up.

Me and Seb. He’s way faster than me. In 2009 we ran a 37 mile ultra together.

BATTLE STATIONS

After the party it’s the marathon. We marched up in front of all the other corrals and took our places. We were about 30 feet from the start line and I was surrounded by not only BW, D, and Row, but many other local running friends. It was fantastic. 

A little Frank Sinatra, the canon sounded, and the herd bolted off.

THE NARROWS

The bridge felt great as we were on the bottom level – out of the sun – and it was breezy. Our group held a tight 4-man position and moved steadily. Mile 1 of the race is straight up the bridge, so you need to stay cool. 

The descent, on the other hand, is fast so you also need to maintain control. 

As we turned onto 4th Avenue in Brooklyn, the crowds were thick, it was just Row and I together. We had lost BW and D somewhere back there and were sure we’d see them again.

WHERE BROOKLYN AT?

I have and continue to love running 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. It’s Miles 2 through 8, the crowd support is fantastic. it’s a straightaway and the first chunk of the race, so generally speaking you feel awesome. Row and I plugged along taking note of things, like the guy running barefoot and the guy in full-body Incredible Hulk paint.

MORE SALT PLEASE

At Mile 4 I was getting dizzy – like bad dizzy where my vision was jumpy. I even thought that I might have to end my race. But that early, no way I would accept defeat. After many years of running races and triathlons, one of the things you learn to do is quickly problem solve on the fly, before things turn ugly. Thankfully, D had given us all a Ziploc bag full of 5 salt pills in base camp. I knew that would help and I took one followed by some on-course Gatorade. 

One mile later I was feeling fantastic and my head was clear. Row and I had been hitting our mile markers in the 6:50 range and it felt right. 

I saw my cousin Morgan and her boyfriend Reed Miller Music cheering us on here as well!

DEATH STAR RUN

One of the parts of the run I hate is when you go from 4th Avenue by Barclays Center into Fort Greene on Lafayette. Here you are running on an avenue 8 lanes wide and then BOOM right turn onto Lafayette which is like 2-3 lanes across plus the crowds are all over the streets. 

Right before I turned I heard this blood curdling scream from across Brooklyn “Chris Baaaaaaaaker! Goooooo!” I looked back and my buddy Trevor (in town from Miami) was standing on scaffolding cheering at me. Impressive!

THE HEAT IS ON

Did I mention it was hot and humid as fuck out? For reference, the other 6 NYCMs I’ve run, I showed up to the start in layers of winter clothes… sweatpants, hoodies, gloves and a winter hat at minimum, only to shed them moments before I started running. This year I showed up in shorts and a tank top as if it was a summer morning.  

I tend to perform okay in the heat and humidity, but I definitely don’t function as fast as if it were 50 degrees. I think at Mile 10 it felt like 75 degrees plus humidity. This is where I lost Row. 

I also stopped looking at the course clocks and my watch, knowing that any PR was certainly not happening. I was running the rest of the race based on best effort.

A quick PSA about the photos I DID NOT purchase. I’ve bought plenty of race photos, and sometimes you want like 3, but these guys force you to buy all because individual images are $25 bucks! C’mon.

THE PULASKI BRIDGE SUCKS

What? It does. After going through WIlliamsburg and Greenpoint, you have to cross over into Queens by way of the Pulaski Bridge. It’s the halfway mark and the bridge is more of an extended overpass with zero shade and not much to look at. I hit 13.1 around 1:31 and change.

LONG ISLAND CITY

I have a soft spot for LIC because I started my real estate career there and have spent many days touring it with clients. The crowds were awesome. I ran by my friend Emily G. here and we chatted for a hot second.

59TH STREET BRIDGE OF DARKNESS

‘Rookie Baker’ hates this part of the race because it’s cold, dark and void of spectators but my older, more experienced self enjoys it. ‘Refined Baker?’ It’s a time to get everything in check. There are no distractions in regards to cheering crowds, so you can focus your pace and breathing back to where it needs to be. It’s a bit like meditation I guess? Slow and controlled up the bridge and then relax and open it up for the descent. It’s very exciting going into mighty Manhattan and definitely a highlight of the race to look forward to. I’ve been brought to tears (happy tears) in this moment.

I ran by this guy and he was like “Hey! Baker!” It was my friend Erik who I sometimes run with on Friday mornings.

STAY COOL

I love 1st Avenue but it’s LOUD! Like crazy loud if you’ve never experienced it. I like to stay to the right side which is less populated so I don’t get sensory overload in this crucial part of the race. 

At Mile 18 I saw Emily and her parents. I couldn’t miss them; Emily had 2 huge CB balloons! I also saw Bojo, Brian, Caitlin, and BH soon after, followed by one of my running partners, Jim. My pace quickened to a 6:57 here due to all the excitement. 

I also passed my friend and coworker Phil here who was pacing an Achilles runner.

Thanks for the pic BH!

RUMBLE IN THE BRONX

Miles 20-22 were my slowest of the race. The Willis Avenue Bridge going into the Bronx took a lot out of me. I was mentally getting beat up, too, and I tried hard to keep my feet moving. I was down to 1 salt pill.

FOUR2GO

Cruising up 5th Avenue I clocked my slowest mile (8:06) because I stopped to high five BW’s wife and say hi to their kids who were all out cheering. I was like “Where is he?” She said that he and D were like 10 blocks behind me. I thought for a brief second of waiting for them but realized that would make my situation worse. 

After I rounded Marcus Garvey Park, my pace picked up back to the mid 7’s. I saw Jim for a second time here cheering. I remember thinking, “How did he get here so fast?” I was getting excited knowing I didn’t have too much longer to go. I also saw my friend and fellow runner Jacqueline on 5th, which gave me a boost too! 

Soon after, I saw Emily and her parents on 93rd Street along with my pal Rick!

Thanks Liz!
Thanks Maura (heard here cheering).

MY BACKYARD

The park was gorgeous this year. The warm weather had stopped the leaves from falling and had in turn allowed them to get more vibrant. I was in pain here but nothing I hadn’t experienced before. And strangely enough it started drizzling, which was a welcome relief. 

I saw my friends Anna and Danny and their kids cheering behind the Met! 

The rest of the race was per usual, a bit of a blur. The last 2 miles were a 7:14 and 6:28.

THE FINISH

I completed the race in 3:09:25 with a 7:14 pace, although it felt like I was moving slower. I got to see my friend and fellow runner Susan who was volunteering at the finish too! 

I tried to wait for the guys at the finish, but volunteers tend to move you along so I had to exit.

FUTURE GENERATIONS

As I exited onto 76th Street, which was completely empty, I had one of the coolest marathon experiences I can remember. This mother and her son started clapping for me and yelled “Congratulations!” I smiled and said thanks and then the son, who I learned was named Noah, said “Can I see your medal?” As I walked over toward them, I said “Sure; in fact, would you like to wear it?” He smiled huge and looked at his mom as if to see if it was okay. “He said you could, go ahead!” I gave him the medal and after inspecting it, he put it on and had his mother take a picture of him. He then looked at me and said wide eyed, “We saw someone puke!” I laughed out loud and said yea that happens. 

As I walked away I turned back and yelled, “Hey Noah! I want to see you out there one day okay!” He nodded as I turned back heading toward Columbus Avenue. 

As if I couldn’t be riding any higher, a cop at Columbus asked to take a picture with me (why I have no idea). Then, my friend Juan popped out of nowhere and hugged me and said to the cop, “Oh, you want a picture with the famous Chris Baker!” We laughed and I explained to the officer that I was indeed NOT famous. 

I helped a few lost people cheering for their loved ones, like a good New Yorker, before heading finally to Playa Bettys.

TACO TOWN

Emily and her parents were already seated when I arrived at Playa Bettys to celebrate. It was around 12:30 and I was ready for some lunch! My friend Kiera also popped over to celebrate.

After a fantastic drawn out meal, Emily and I headed back home. We had some time before Jenn would finish and our next round of celebrating would start.

BURRITO BONANZA 

Back at Playa Bettys, this time at the bar, we waited for Jenn and Rick. She had a great race, although also felt the heat. We had a fantastic time recounting our individual experiences before calling it at like 8pm.

Me, Rick and Jenn and our wide variety of cocktails.

IN CONCLUSION

I’m a New Yorker and I love this fucking town. Why wouldn’t I want to run through the streets with all of my people cheering me on?!

I’m also thankful for my health. You never know what you have until you lose it and when I was sidelined this summer it was really depressing.

But here we are… put in the work and anything is possible. Running a marathon isn’t about me, it’s about you.

I see you. I believe in you.

I like this photo. I’m really happy.

22 down… and I’m not stopping anytime soon.

VIRTUAL RACE REPORT: 156 #TCSNYCMarathon – 3:13:44

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‘The Marathon’

This year would mark the 50th Anniversary of the notorious New York City Marathon. The running community everywhere, especially us New Yorkers, were pumped. 

But…

There is a global pandemic happening and so pretty much Earth was put in a time-out. 

Most race organizers worked to create virtual events since we couldn’t gather in groups. I mean, a race where 40,000 people pack tightly into corrals is basically a super spreader spree right? 

The NYRR decided to have the marathon run as a virtual race.

What’s a virtual race? 

Using GPS tracking… Garmin watch, Apple watch, iPhone, etc. you record your race and then submit it through the proper channels. You are given a window in which you need to complete the race in order for it to count. The honor system also plays a very large role in a virtual race. 

Once the media started exaggerating how NYC was doing in late summer I found myself needing to show the rest of the world that we as a city are working together and rebuilding our community and economy. So I signed up to run the virtual race. 

I registered on September 23rd, giving me plenty of time to train for my November 1st virtual marathon.  I’m kidding. I would have to bend time and space to get this thing in order. 

I also designed my route to be a ‘Circumnavigate the Island’ route, my favorite.

Training? 

For my training I ran all the time (obviously) and worked in two 18 mile runs. Not my usual training regimen, but it was very last minute. Most importantly, mentally I was feeling fiery. 

I was even interviewed by ABC News! Here is the link: NYC Marathon Goes Virtual

Food for Fuel

I actually worked on Saturday the day prior to my race. I’m a Real Estate Agent here in NYC now and the market is on fire. I made sure to drink a ton of water and sit down any chance I had. 

That night Emily came over and I made my version of Shrimp Scampi. Sidenote: After years of testing, my ‘perfect’ race meal is pasta with shrimp. If I eat this the night before I wake up satiated and full of carbo-energy. I think the meal was awesome… I haven’t made it in forever so it was nice to get back to a pasta dish.  

Race Day

I awoke feeling fresh, well rested and somewhat ready to tackle 26.2 miles. It’s different when you’re choosing to run the marathon distance on your own time, not under the constraints of a race director, so it feels really easy to consider bailing. 

I did not of course and after a banana and a cup of delicious Kona coffee I headed out. The weather was overcast and in the low 50’s, absolutely perfect running conditions to set it off. 

First Avenue Freeze Out

I started the run going south on First Avenue. I felt good, but not too speedy. My goal, since we haven’t talked about it yet, was to run around a 3:30, having fun and enjoying the moment.   

I saw many race packs headed north (they were running the actual course) and we cheered each other on which was awesome. The positive vibes all day would be amazing. I saw a few friends on First as well who cheered me on. 

East River Rendezvous

Once I cut over to the East River on 34th Street things were starting to click in. My pace began to drop into the 7:05/10 range and I felt solid. It was here that I noticed that the sun was piercing the clouds and trying to make an appearance. 

At mile 9 I was rounding the tip of mighty Manhattan and passed my friend Allison going the opposite direction. We yelled at each other and kept moving! 

Sharks vs. Jets

As I made my way up the west side I had a solid rhythm going. My legs felt the same, good. Keep moving, keep the fun going. 

I kept thinking of all the New York moments I’ve had along the perimeter of the island within each unique neighborhood over the last 20 years. The towers falling and utter chaos, years of rebuilding, old friends followed by new friends, and many sunset cocktails and celebrations on the waterfront. New York is still (and always will be) New York, the ultimate shape shifter.  

The sun was out full force now and it felt great. The positive vibes were high as I made my way north along the west side. I was loving it and still wondering why I was running 26 miles on my own accord.  

The Appearance of Maura

Around mile 15 I saw Maura on a bike waiting to aid me. She rode alongside me with snacks and water. Eventually we parted ways as I made a beeline up to Riverside. Thanks Maura! 

Crossing the Jungle

With my mask on I wound my way through the streets of upper Manhattan and finally injected myself into The Central Park… my park and my backyard. My legs were a bit sore but nothing like in past marathons. It was actually quite puzzling.

Central Park Serenade

I knew I had a bit of a battle ahead. 8 miles to go is far from over. I was running in the 7:05/10 range which seemed to be my sweet spot all day. 

Descending Harlem Hill I kind of said a goodbye, knowing I wouldn’t need to deal with her again and moved on quickly. The Park was crowded, but not like it would be on a crazy summer day. I was also watching for other marathon runners that I could chat with. 

Sure enough, this guy started passing me and I said “Hey! What mile are you on?” assuming he was a marathon runner. “2.5 miles but I’m only doing 12. Do you want me to pace you? What are you running?” I was like, “No way man, cool. Yeah I’m running 7’s!” 

Tim (as I later found out) and I ran 6 miles at a 7 minute pace during my peak 18-24 mile range like it was nothing. Just shootin the breeze. I saw many friends in the Park at this point which was so helpful. The most epic part of the Park was certainly passing by the actual finish line at Tavern on the Green. Massive crowds, including a huge NYRR cheer squad, were present.

As we passed Engineer’s Gate up by my place, Emily was there with a whole set of balloons that said ‘Chris 26.2.’ It was awesome and totally took me by surprise!

The End is Near?

After completing a full loop, I left Tim and headed back east into the Great Lawn with 2 miles to go. I also did a little loop in the Ramble and then headed back onto the main drag. Weirdly enough, I had a stupid amount of energy and my legs were fine. Why? No idea. On another note, I had forgotten to eat any Gels the entire race. 

Tim! Big ups man. Miles 18-24 went by so easily thanks to your pacing!

Mission Complete

Barreling down the straightaway I had the finish line in sight. Earlier in the week, a friend of mine from NYRR gave me an actual NYRR Marathon Finish Line Tape to use with branding and all! I felt very legit. 

My time was 3:13 and change which I was thrilled with as it was way faster than what my goal was.  

Maura had made it to the finish line as well, hence this great video. Thanks again Maura. Emily and I were sitting down looking through the amazing Race Bag she had made me (by my balloons) when a photographer from the NY Times (Jose) came and photographed us!

Feed Me Seymour! 

After a quick shower (I was freezing) Emily and I went to Third Avenue Alehouse, which is my local haunt. You can often find me there on weekend eating, reading and in normal times chatting with my friend Chloe who works there. We housed the nacho platter then ended the day in the true spirt of Halloween by relaxing while watching Ghostbusters.

In Conclusion

Damn, you know I love a good ‘In Conclusion’ section!

Today was a blast. Was it as epic and monumental as a normal NYC Marathon? No. But guess what? Shit is super fucked up right now. I’m impressed with the NYRR and their ability to pull off as big a virtual race as they did. Seeing so many fellow runners out there really made me remember all the positive things in life.

Runners! We have such a great community! As I ran today I saw all shapes and sizes of runner. A multitude of different skin tones and different nationalities. You all have wildly different jobs and talents outside of running. We sometime speak different languages! So Fuck yeah, I love you all! Unity through running.

New York (Fucking) City has been kicking ass since 1664. We ain’t going nowhere.

– Baker out.

A Thanksgiving thought

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I feel pretty blessed to have such a great community of friends. Lately though, there has been a lot of negativity and general dismay. It made me think of a story that affected my life forever and I want to tell it. No, it’s not a race report, but it’s my blog so I can get serious if I want to.

—

Three or four years ago I was getting ready to leave work. Winter had set in and I was bundling up, preparing for a crowded subway ride home. My mind was racing and I had to sit back down. The racing was more like a headache, creating a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach, and it had been there all day.

Without going into too much detail, let’s just say I had gotten myself into a boatload of financial trouble rather quickly. No, the mob wasn’t involved but it was still very stressful, especially for someone who likes to have his ‘ducks in a row’.

Leaving work and heading East across 53rd Street it was particularly cold and windy, the kind of weather that ironically burns so to speak. My mind was also burning for a solution to my problem. I felt like crying, like moving away and starting all over. Had New York City finally gotten to me 10 years later?

The Subway, although a shelter from the cold, was no treat on a night like tonight. Anyone who even considered walking home didn’t due to the frigid weather. The 6 Train was packed, not the kind of packed you get every day, but the kind where you don’t even need to hold onto the pole for stability. It quickly went from cold to hot and I wished I had the space to unbutton my overcoat. We slowly clicked forward, everyone doing their best to maintain some sort of composure. “Should I sell some of my things? How will I pay rent? Maybe take a night job?” I was somewhere else.

A few stops in a faint sound came to my attention. ‘Clang!’ ‘Scraaaaaape.’ ‘Clang!’ ‘Scraaaaaape.’ It was coming from the far end of the car. People on that end were shifting around and looking a bit startled. I went back to stressing out, but the sound was getting louder. ‘Clang!’ ‘Scraaaaape.’ ‘Clang!’ ‘Scraaaaape.’ People in the middle of the car were now sidestepping, still I could not see who was passing through the car. At one point I thought, “Who on earth would try and navigate through this crowded train? Seriously!”

Finally, a sight I will never forget, came into view. As I stood there, in my suit and overcoat heading to my apartment worrying about some financial troubles, a blind man with no legs was pushing a coffee tin full of change down the center of the train. He had a bandana covering his eyes, and as he swung his torso he supported himself with only his arms. His hands, dirty, were wrapped in strips of cloth to protect them. The entire car fell silent. ‘Clang!’ ‘Scraaaaape.’ ‘Clang!’ ‘Scraaaaape.’ I reached into my pocket for any money I had and put it in his tin pail. My mood quickly changed.

Exiting my stop and continuing on I almost broke into tears on the street. As I walked toward my warm apartment and my warm bed,  hot food waiting to be prepared, I worried about something so trivial.

It reminded me of a quote I read, excuse me if it’s not exact, “No matter how great your problems may seem, there will always be someone else with greater problems.”

New York City and its neighboring lands were devastated by Hurricane Sandy this year, some harder than others. Let us also not forget, many people all over the world have it pretty rough. Donate just $10 (or more) to Red Cross for Sandy victims, $10 to save a rainforest, or $10 for Lymphoma research (a cause dear to my heart) or just remember them this month in a toast.

What am I thankful for on this Thanksgiving? I was blessed with two strong legs that carry me swiftly across the land. I can run.