My New York Marathon 

FSID supporter Jane Mace claims her experience of running the New York marathon was simply amazing. Read her entertaining account of how she came to run for FSID, how she acquired her place and trained for the event and how the incredible day itself went.


Why I ran

I started running again two years ago as a way of getting back into shape after children. Andrew (my gorgeous husband) and I had always planned on going to New York to celebrate our 40th birthdays, but it was a very close friend who jokingly suggested that we should run the marathon while we were there. The seed was planted.

Tragically, a year ago the same dear friend suffered the most heartbreaking loss when her son died very suddenly and without warning and so it was in Sam's memory, to celebrate his short but wonderful life, that I dedicated this effort to raising funds for FSID.

Our trip to New York was entirely self-financed, so every single penny raised went to FSID.

How we signed up

We researched the marathon online and discovered that you couldn't apply directly to their ballot unless you were a member of the NY Road Runners. However, we did learn that they appoint one or two specialized sports tour operators for each country, and they are allocated a number of guaranteed places. So we got ourselves onto the mailing list of 2:09 Events Ltd and as soon as they dropped us news to say that entries were open, we applied through them. We had to pay a deposit and the race entry to reserve our places, and complete a health questionnaire. It worked on a first come first served basis.

How we arranged flights and accommodation

2:09 offered complete packages including hotels, or flight and race entry only. We chose the latter, as the two choices of hotels within the all-in packages were 4* hotels and made it costly. We took advice from previous visitors to NY and arranged a self-catering apartment instead and this cost us half the price of the hotels. Plus you don't get anything extra at the hotels, not even breakfast! We were lucky enough to get a recommendation on the apartments from someone who had stayed there, so it couldn't have worked out better. We were right on Times Square so we didn't suffer on location just by paying less. We booked everything in January, apartment as well, as we knew NY accommodation would fill up fast.

Training

The hardest thing for me was the commitment to training that was required. Until it came time to do it, we hadn't appreciated just how difficult it would be to fit it in around working full-time, running a home and looking after a young family. Andrew and I were like a tag team in the 18 weeks of serious program training that we did; I'd come home with the girls and get their tea sorted, as soon as he got in from work I went running, and then I would get home in time to put them to bed while he went out. Fortunately Andrew's mum was able to help on many Sunday's so that we could do the long weekly run together, but there were times when it wasn't possible so we would both go out and do a two hour run alone. That's lonely, even with a good radio show and nice scenery! It was difficult to stick totally to the program, it required us to run 5 times a week for the last 6 weeks or so, and it just wasn't possible every week. We usually managed 4, but then something would knock us back, like a cold, or Andrew going abroad with work, which made finding the time difficult. You definitely can never do enough training!


Race day

We did it! 5 gruelling hours and 11 minutes was what it took (an average of almost 12-minute miles). It all started at 5am on Sunday 4th. We had to get up early to have breakfast and to walk to the Central Library on 42nd St to get the bus to Staten Island. Everything was early due to the Bridge closing for the marathon, so while we got to the start at 7.30am, we still had to wait until 10.10am for the official start!

The sun was shining, but there was a cold bite in the light breeze. I couldn't stop shaking, but not from the cold. After a year of trying to get into shape, reality was hitting. We were really going to attempt a marathon! I even had a cry before we started. It took us 30 minutes to cross the start line; we spent that time waving and cheering the front runners as they crossed the bridge. That first mile was hard; it’s all uphill to the bridge summit to take you off the island.

We took good advice from friends and wrote our names on the front of our vests...I am so glad we did. The crowds picked up on names and shouted us on right from the beginning and it continued to the end. There was water at every mile, but not in bottles as you would expect....it was in paper cups!! We couldn't drink and run at the same time so it forced us to stop briefly to drink. Of course, the further into it we got, the harder it got to restart each time.

I hit the wall at mile 16. I'm sure it was Hadrian's Wall because it went on for miles. We walked/ran until mile 20...it took me that long to realise that it was actually less painful to keep running than it was to walk, and from that point we kept going pretty much non-stop, albeit very slowly. Maybe it had something to do with mile 20 starting in the Bronx!

The crowds were fantastic all the way, but they really were the best as we came back onto Manhattan. Anyone who shouted my name got a wave and smile, they really did lift me and the Americans being the positive breed they are, shouted great stuff, like 'looking good Jane!'...it was awesome, especially as I know I didn't, but I wasn't going to argue. There was a group of Andrew's colleagues at mile 24, and they went totally loopy as we passed, waving a Union Jack....they all had croaky voices when we met for dinner later!

We crossed the finish line hand-in-hand, with the largest stupidest grins over our faces. We didn't do a great time, but we achieved an amazing feat with sheer grit and determination, and we have wonderful memories of doing so.

Thank you

Thank you to everyone who has supported me, both online and off, for this much-needed charity. But most of all, thanks to Lynda for letting me run in Sam's name. He was on my back, quite literally, all the way. It was a privilege to run in his memory, and he is always with us.



We would like to congratulate and thank Jane and Andrew for their incredible achievement for our cause.

Feeling inspired? Now you too can run New York