News of my Marathon Majors challenge has spread since my Team 50 designation two weeks ago and that has led to the inevitable comparisons. I’ve been asked, “Which of these races was your favorite?”
The question came up several times before running in New York City yet my answer was that I expected that this last one would be the best. I had heard so much about how awesome New York spectators were and the weather forecast called for a cool 51 degrees at race time, far more favorable to running than what I experienced at any of the others.
Turned out I was right about NYC being the best. But as has been the case many times these past six weeks the details surprised me. In fact, the whole experience just blew me away.
All of the Majors this year had their strengths in terms of logistics and operations in view of the ongoing pandemic.
New York was very efficient. I especially liked the race packet pick-up process wherein each runner was told to select a one hour time slot for their visit to the Expo thus huge crowds were avoided. I had my bib and finisher’s shirt within 10 minutes of arriving.
And all of the volunteers at the Expo, on the course, and at the Start and Finish lines were unfailingly polite and helpful.
I would have preferred, though, to have the bus to the starting line deposit me on Staten Island a little bit closer to my wave start time. I was warned of this by other runners but, still, I couldn’t help but think that the four hours of shivering that I did leading up to the start was eating significantly into my glycogen stores.
All of the races also arrange for some kind of escort for the elites. This helps to protect them from the crowds while also providing valuable on the spot information as to the position and separation of the lead runners. In New York City the escort is provided by well-trained bicyclists.
My brother, Bob, has been a bicycle escort for the marathon for years now. Pretty cool to have him performing that critical role only just a few hours ahead of where I was pounding the pavement.
The Public Relations arm of New York Road Runners arranged media coverage for their Team 50 runners. I think of Laura Paulus and Samantha Miller with NYRR Public Relations as my “agents”. They set up print interviews with Runner’s World and The Seattle Times and a live streaming interview with the new Fox Weather channel on Friday evening two days before the race.
I’m happy to report that Fox Weather is not like Fox News. Fox Weather, though clearly seeking to entertain, is not opposed to science and has serious segments related to climate change.
Originally they pitched to me the idea of my reporting on how the weather effects a marathoner’s performance. That did not actually come up in the interview and the focus was more about a runner doing six marathons in six weeks despite having Parkinson’s.
I’ve no prior experience with TV and, having not yet seen a clip of my segment, I have no idea how I came across. But I very much enjoyed the adventure and the attention.
As was the case with all of the Majors, thousands of locals turned out to cheer on the runners.
Team Fox set up three cheer stations on the course. I did not spot the one in Brooklyn at about mile 7 but I understand that I was seen by them yet was oblivious to their rallying cries.
Maybe that was due to the distraction caused by the overall awesomeness of the spectators lining the course. I wore my name on my shirt and throughout the race I was urged along with a steady stream of “You got this Joe!”, “I see you Joe! Looking good!”, “Keep it up Joe, almost there!”, and so on. It’s easy to feel as if everyone there came just to see and help you.
The cooler temperature was a welcome gift and I was still going at a relatively strong pace coming up to the second Team Fox station on 1st Avenue and 86th (about mile 17.5). Strong, that is, until I crested 86th and came upon the sight that took my breath away and nearly stopped me in my tracks.
My family made up eight “Joe Heads” (photographs of my face attached to yardsticks) and were displaying them merrily as I approached the cheer station. My wife, Lynn, was in on it but I had no idea.
I slowed down long enough to give high fives to everyone and I hope I managed to choke out how awesome they all were. Then off I went towards the Bronx wishing someone would hand me a tissue so that I could wipe my eyes.
The inevitable wall came at mile 21 and I decided to walk mile 22. Knowing that there was another Team Fox/Team Drake cheer station coming up at 5th Avenue and 93rd (about mile 23.5), I felt that a short rest would help me look good for this next one.
As planned, my family and friends moved over to 5th Avenue in time for my arrival but this time there was no way I was going to pass by without stopping to take a photo. It’s a classic that will live on in Drake lore for generations.
I was prepared for the second “Joe Head” forest so the emotion was not as moist as I headed into Central Park with nearly three miles to go. These last few miles were tough. I really wanted to finish strong but I just was not feeling it. I slowed to a walk a bit shy of the 25 mile mark.
And then the photographers showed up.
Race photographers, of course, are sprinkled about the entire route so that at the end of the race each runner has dozens of photos to commemorate the event. But Runner’s World sent two contract photographers to get my image for the article.
I knew that this was going to happen and even had Samantha Miller send them a photo of me in one of my other races so that they‘d know what I looked like. Naively, I thought that this would be something like a single shot as I ran by.
But that is not how it’s done. As I came into view the photographer would set up for some shots then as I got close they’d turn around and sprint up ahead to set up for some more shots.
And, certainly, walking would not do. I picked up the pace so that, once again, I would look good for the cameras. And smiles only, please. No need to advertise one’s pain.
The first photographer stalked me for about half a mile and seemed to get his fill at about mile 25. We high fived and then he left and I figured that was that; I could relax a bit to the finish. I had understood that Runner’s World was only sending one photographer to capture me on the course.
Then I came up on another one starting at about a half mile from the finish line. His job it seemed was to track me all the way to the end. Same deal: suck it up, look good for the cameras, repeat.
I’m actually grateful for their work. Because of them I finished faster than I would have otherwise and no doubt looked better doing it. The second one, Johnny Zhang, stayed long enough to document my receiving the medal. By the time he was done, though I ached, I was feeling pretty good about the whole day.
The elation took a darker turn as I made my way from the finish line to the AirBnB where Lynn and I were staying. As the crow flies my return path was less than a mile eastward across the park but due to crowd control and road closures my trip home took more than an hour as I was shunted westward then forced south to give the park, and runners still on the course, a wide berth.
Yet, even the death march turned out to have a surprisingly enjoyable angle. My finisher’s poncho gave me away and so random folks would shower me with congratulations, smiles, thumbs up, and what have you as I trudged along. When did New Yorkers become so pleasant?
I could not have imagined a better finale to my adventure than the way the New York City Marathon turned out. Besides the enthusiasm of the thousands of New Yorkers lining the route and the devotion of the Team Fox people supporting the runners, I also experienced the joy of having friends and family on the scene chasing after me.
Lynn, and our daughter, Kinsey, were there along with brothers Tom and Bob, and sisters Charlotte, Christine, Marcia, and Pat. Tom brought his wife Sue, Christine brought her daughter Samantha, Kinsey brought her friend Janet, and Kinsey’s friend Eric was ready for me in Brooklyn. And in a last minute appearance, our friend Rich bicycled in from New Jersey to join in the fun. And many, many others were tracking my progress from afar.
The fun did not stop with the race. I have seen countless photos of Joe Heads popping up all over the city: Joe Head on the subway, Joe Head in a floral display stopping to smell the roses, Joe Head being interviewed by a local TV crew, random parents of other runners cradling Joe Heads, dancers dancing with Joe Heads, etc. You get the picture. My family knows how to have fun.
And, seriously, I have Parkinson’s Disease to thank for all this. I’m a lucky guy.
Shalane Flanagan ran NYC in 2:33:32 to my 4:30:32 so I met this watered-down, factor of two goal of mine in five of the six marathons we both ran.
I also met Shalane the day before the race during some opening ceremonies of which she was taking part. She was very kind and gracious. More on this in next week’s (final) post.
I ran the London, Boston, and New York marathons this year as a charity entrant. There’s still time to contribute to my cause (assuming that you have not already done so).
If you share the passion that the Michael J Fox Foundation and I have for finding a Parkinson’s cure please consider contributing to any of the WMM I am running in as a member of Team Fox (links below). All donations are meaningful and greatly appreciated.
fundraise.michaeljfox.org/boston-marathon-2021/joesgottarun
fundraise.michaeljfox.org/londonmarathon2021/joesgottarun
fundraise.michaeljfox.org/tcs-nyc-marathon-2021/joesgottarun
