So Long and Thanks for All the Knee Supports

Final Total of Money Raised for WorldVision's SEE Solutions Project: $18 568.70!!
Final Total for Team World Vision: $126 041.06!!

Well, Sportsfans. I started this adventure referencing a Frank Sinatra song so it only seems appropriate to end it referencing a Frank Sinatra song...  

And now,  the end is near and so 'The New Walker' faces the final curtain. It's lived a life that's full and something something of which I'm certain/without redemption. Or exemption. Or whatever. Anyway, the point is that I've decided that this is to be the LAST New Walker post [insert stifled sob here].

It's been a grand year and, you'll be pleased to know, I do feel that I will keep on with this exercise lark. I went too far past the point of no return and it now feels really odd not to run on a Sunday. I'm happy to give up the mid-week treadmill runs frankly (BOOORING!) but have replaced those with a twice weekly swim and a yoga class on a Saturday afternoon. Good stuff.

One thing I have learned this year is that I do well with goals so I plan to do the 'Around the Bridges' run in April and the 'City to Surf' in August as well but see if I can improve my speed this time. I'm still pretty sure I won't do another marathon but who knows? I have, in moments of weakness, confessed to at least one person (the lovely Sarah, who now won't let me forget) that I might. I really hope to continue fundraising for WorldVision along the track (if you'll pardon the pun) so I can't rule it out entirely if that's what presents itself as the preferred option at some later stage. But, to paraphrase a Little Britain sketch, THAT'S not for here. Or now. I keep getting told off when people congratulate me and I say 'Yes, but it was SUCH a slow time' but if I ever do one again, now I know what is involved, it would be nice to whittle down my New York 'PB'.

I've enjoyed so much about this year; writing this blog, making new friends, seeing New York, fundraising for SEE Solutions and taking on and completing something I honestly NEVER thought I would do - I'm going to miss 2011 but I'm looking forward to the next adventure, whatever that reveals itself to be.

Thank you ALL so much for reading and commenting and for every single word of encouragement you've given me throughout the past year. It played a huge part in keeping me going and getting me to the finish line, literally and figuratively. Thank you and goodbye New Walker readers! It's been a pleasure having you along for the ride (run).

The Finish Line of Joy!  I'll never forget how good it felt to cross this baby.

Let's Hear It For New York

After a few post-marathon days of gentle recovery doing the touristy thing around New York City and a few gentler days with my lovely aunt, uncle and cousins in Virginia, I'm now at the airport in Dubai, waiting (and waiting AND waiting ....) for my connecting flight to get me home to my husband and babies in Perth. Goodness me, Australia. It's just as well you're such a nice place to live because you really are an AWFULLY long way from everywhere else.

Before I lose it completely (the memory, that is, not my mind. Although the latter can never be ruled out), I thought I would use the waiting time to record some of my favourite things about The Wonderful Marathon Day That Was.

First and foremost, finishing. Obviously. I really wasn't sure I was going to be able to. But I did! Hoorah!

And I have to say that starting was pretty cool too. You spend a fair amount of time hanging around at Staten Island and everyone had told me to bring lots of warm stuff because it can get chilly. And considering it had been snowing the previous week, we were expecting an unpleasant wait. Luckily it wasn't actually all that cold so we only needed was beanies and some black-market Qantas airline blankets (it was the least they could do, really).

Fortunately, my WVBFF Jane and I were in the same starting corral so we could take turns saying 'What the #*&! are we doing?' and daring each other to make rude hand gestures at the sniper stationed on the roof of a nearby building. But the BEST bit of all? As you are lining up waiting for the starting gun to go off, they actually play Frank Sinatra's 'New York, New York'. HOW FREAKING COOL IS THAT??? 

I've mentioned the groovy spectators in my last post and what a helpful bunch they were with all their verbal encouragement. A hugely fun aspect was all the signs people were holding up. There were lots of 'You can do it!' and "Hello complete stranger, I'm so proud of you!' encouraging ones but some brilliantly funny ones as well. I loved 'This is the worst parade ever', 'You think it was easy getting up early to make this sign?' and 'Because 26.3 miles would be just crazy, right?'  But my ABSOLUTE favourite?

Courtesy of WVBFF Jane

 I made the classic first-time marathoners mistake, though, due to those aforementioned groovy spectators. You can't possibly slow down when people are calling your name and cheering you on so I ended up running for a lot longer in the early miles than I had originally planned. It was a relief to get to the the wonderful hasidic Jewish area of Williamsburg in Brooklyn. There were very few spectators there so I took the opportunity to have a bit of a walk and catch my breath. (And wouldn't you know it, there was a fabulous Judaica shop open along the marathon route, just like in my dream. I'm embarrassed to admit for a split second I actually considered popping in for a quick shop.)

After crossing over the psychologically important Queensboro Bridge,  I caught up with Jane at the 18 mile mark. It was good to have a chum alongside to help get through those potentially wall/bonk-hitting next 4 miles. At about the 20 mile mark, a super cool funk band was playing and we found enough energy to have a bit of a boogie. I'm really not much of a dancer, I have to say and sadly, I believe the photo below captures me doing what Billy Crystal in 'When Harry Met Sally' referred to as the 'white man's overbite'.

It pains me to admit I actually did not know Jane's sister was taking my photograph at this point. So I can't even pretend I was mugging it for the camera.


After a couple of miles in the Bronx, then another through legendary Harlem, it was on to Fifth Ave for the final stretch before getting into the finishing zone of Central Park. Team WorldVision were stationed just before the park at Mile 23 to provide some much-needed encouragement. And it worked! Their cheers and hugs and the fact that it was almost over gave me a huge boost and I even managed to pick up my pace a bit.

And then, there it was. The FINISH LINE. I'm not sure I have the words to describe how it felt to cross it. It was relief/elation/exhaustion all at once - let's call it 'ex-re-lation'. (Because it's my blog and I'll make up words if I want to). And then, since my Assistant Coach wasn't there, I hugged the nice lady who gave me my medal. And she didn't seem to mind at all.

Thank you Nice Medal Lady, thank you Team WorldVision, thank you Jane, thank you New York Road Runners and thank you Groovy Spectators. That was a day I'll NEVER forget.