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I Love New York

November 7, 2025 by Leave a Comment

There are probably thousands of blogs out there on the NYC Marathon, and here is mine. As a running coach and New Yorker, I want to share my thoughts and experience as I ran this race for the first time on my own (I’ve only ever done it before as a coach and pacer) and my first time running it in 10 years.

The New York City Marathon is a bucket-list experience for runners and non-runners around the world. NYC is iconic, inspirational, and an energy unlike anywhere else. I often refer to NYC Marathon as the “Coachella of all marathons” because it’s an experience that’s above any other marathon. For one thing, just getting to the starting line is an ordeal, and most marathoners are awake for a solid 5-7 hours before their race even begins. The logistics can feel overwhelming. Then toss in the reality of 59,000 runners on the course, all of the volunteers and millions of spectators, and it can and often feel like sensory overload. This can feel magical and like a true “high” all day, and for some runners it’s a little overstimulating. Regardless of opinion, we can all agree that the NYCM is a large, energetic day that is otherwise unmatched. Whether it’s one you return to or not, it’s definitely a once in a lifetime experience everyone should experience.

The majority of my roster runs the NYCM every year. Statistically, that’s just the way it goes. often 30-50% of my roster, and some years I’ve had the additional responsibility of leading official charity teams of 30-60 runners. As you can imagine, this means the weeks and days leading up to NYCM are very busy for me. The emails, multiple video chats with each athlete – I love it, but it also means I usually get to race weekend exhausted. The idea of being race ready that same weekend is just unrealistic. So I’ve historically planned my own race schedule to usually race a marathon in the weeks or months before NYCM, allowing me to truly pour my energy into my athletes and their needs and goals. I’m then on the course cheering on marathon day, bouncing around with nervous energy and shouting words of support to runners on the course after the sun has set.

Getting into the NYCM is hard – general lottery, 9+1 (local runners), charity, or time qualifier. I had a marathon time qualifier, and decided on a whim to apply with that time in 2024. I figured I could use it as a fun run, and I’d be able to track and cheer most of my athletes after crossing my own finish line. With entry confirmed, my 2024 plan was to race the Berlin Marathon and then fun run the NYCM. But thanks to multiple bouts of covid and then an additional respiratory illness, my health and training spiraled. I decided to defer both for 2025.

Life happened again in 2025 in a few ways. One, I have a super senior cat. He’s 20 years old and truly my best buddy. He continues to have mostly good days, but has had some tough weeks. I just couldn’t commit to flying 8 hours and being on a 6-hour time zone change. I couldn’t live with myself if something happened and I wasn’t able to get back quickly. So I deferred Berlin (again) to 2026 and instead pivoted to a state-side goal marathon. I was accepted into the elite field for the St. George Marathon and while it would still mean traveling from my kitty kiddo, logistics would be much easier. My new coach (we began in April together) and I were on a roll, and I was building some incredible momentum by early Summer. Enter my right hamstring. Suddenly I was sidelined with tendonitis. My left hamstring has been a chronic problem over the years, and now that it was happy apparently my right one needed some attention.

Long story short, I had to pause all running for a few weeks. I worked hard in the gym doing leg day and PT work, and lived on an elliptical whenever I could. By early September, I ran 10 miles within a week. Peanuts compared to where I should be. I canceled St. George, as there was no way I could go from barely running to a marathon within 4 weeks – especially one with so many hills. And I honestly didn’t know if NYCM would be a good idea. I took things one day at a time, and was slowly able to get back to running 6 days per week. I got in two long runs, a 15 and an 18 miler. I got up to two 50-mile weeks. I was confident I could complete the NYCM if the hamstring continued to feel good. I was in it for a fun time and not a fast time, and took that decision to heart. It felt like such a milestone to pick up my first NYCM bib in 10 years. It felt surreal given the previous months that this was possible. And NYCM was my return to the marathon since 2023.

As a theater kid who fell in love with NYC at 26 years old, it was always the place I saw myself. The energy, history, and diversity of it all. The possibilities and potential. NYC is tough. She’s gritty and unapologetic. She can lift you up or trample you. She doesn’t care who you are, what language you speak or how long you’ve been here. We are all insignificant yet necessary cogs in the wheel. Moving to NYC in 2009, it truly felt like I was where I belonged. When I fell out of love with a career in the arts and into a career in run coaching, NYC is where the career change happened. As a person and a runner, NYC has shaped me more than any other place. I owe so much of who I am and how I coach to this beautiful and chaotic place.

Walking through Times Square at 4:45am to the bus to the starting line, tears filled my eyes. I usually avoid Times Square like the plague – most locals do. But with it being lit up and alive with yet nobody there but a handful of people, this is the New York I love most. Those quiet moments that feel like a secret when everyone else is asleep. I told myself to truly feel NYC that day – every encounter, every mile and every high and low. To be present and lead with joy. To take in the course as though I may never run it again – this way I won’t have any regrets if that’s true.

I smiled for probably 24 of the 26 miles of the marathon. I played with the crowd, yelled words of encouragement to other runners, truly had the most fun. I also ran perhaps one of my most evenly paced marathons of my career. my hamstring held up, and this felt like a true victory lap after a few years of setbacks.

Here are three things I did this marathon that truly set me up for success:

  • I took my three-day carb load seriously, consuming 450-500 grams per day.
  • I ran with a handheld bottle for most of the race. I started with 1000mg of electrolytes in it, and then paused to refill three times at aid stations. The sun was warm, so holding onto my bottle was very helpful.
  • I manually lapped my watch every 5K. This allowed me to stay honest with pacing (especially early!) while also not looking at my watch much at all. This allowed me to take in all of the neighborhoods and crowds.

It felt amazing to be a part of the day as a runner and not just a coach. But don’t get me wrong, my mind went multiple times to my athletes, and wondering what kind of days they were having. With my phone in my back pocket and notifications off, I did my best to balance my own day while also eagerly waiting for the finish line so that I could pull up everyone’s data on the tracker.

I know it sounds cliche, but each marathon teaches us something new if we let it. My biggest takeaways from Sunday: this sport is such a gift. We get to do this. PRs are fun, and while I am itching to race fast times again, PRs aren’t everything. Joy, being connected with others and ourselves, truly soaking in memories, feeling and seeing the best in humanity – those are sometimes the real wins.

I love New York.

 

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5 Tips for Summer Training

August 10, 2015 by Leave a Comment

We’re in the dog days of Summer. While these days are perfect for sitting on a beach, favorite beer in hand, they make Summer training challenging. With so many marathon-bound runners this time of year, today’s blog is offering 5 tips for Summer Training.

  1. Be vigilant about hydration all day – not just when running. It takes some time for our bodies to process the things we drink, so only drinking right before you head out the door for a run is setting yourself up for failure. I recommend keeping a Nalgene bottle at your desk, and forcing yourself to drink and refill that bottle at least TWICE within a day. It may sound like a lot, but this is really only 64 oz. of water – the MINIMUM recommended for daily intake – not even factoring in your demands as a runner.

  2. If you can train at cooler times of the day, that can be hugely beneficial. Get up and out before the sun, or wait to start your training until 7-8pm – when the sun and temperatures begin to dip. If you must train in full sun, stick to routes with some shade.

  3. Gage your runs by effort instead of pace. Your body will begin to work in overdrive to keep core temperatures at a happy 98.6 degrees. The longer you are outside and running, or the harder you are running, the harder your body is working to regulate the heat. Therefore, don’t get caught up so much in the numbers. If you do, you may find yourself frustrated, burnt out, and perhaps pushing to the point where you will feel ill. Do the work now and when temperatures cool in a few months, your paces will drop. Be kind to your body and remember that heat and Summer training presents challenges we cannot beat.

  4. Refuel with cool post-run nutrition. Cold chocolate milk, Gatorade, yogurt, ice water, juice – this will help bring down core temperature while giving you some of the nutrients your body needs quickly. Avoid hot foods and beverages immediately after an intense Summer run.

  5. Know the signs for heat illness and heat stroke, and check in with yourself during your run to make sure you are okay. Sometimes these things can spring up quickly. I know I’ve gone from feeling awesome to suddenly feeling clammy, light-headed, or nauseous. If you begin to feel ill, bail on your run, find somewhere cool to sit or lay down, and hydrate.

Summer training can make you incredibly strong for a race in Autumn. Just be aware of how to help your body and brain make the most of the conditions. Safety first. Always.

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Bad Bandits

May 12, 2014 by Leave a Comment

2014bostonAt the 2014 Boston Marathon, history was made. If you haven’t heard, American Meb Keflezighi won the Boston Marathon. He is the first American male to win the iconic marathon since 1983. I should probably mention that is was also a few weeks shy of his 39th birthday. The female race ended with the first three women beating the current course record – with Rita Jeptoo smashing the course record by almost 2 minutes. It was a great day for America and for the sport of marathoning. I know I was a ball of emotions as I watched live coverage of the race on my laptop, screaming for Meb to run faster over the last few miles as his pursuers closed the gap, coffee mug in hand.

In the wake of a beautiful race day, news hit the running community of many accounts of people duplicating race bibs and running the Boston Marathon by cheating. Bandits (runners who unofficially run a marathon, often by hopping in without a race bib), have been part of road race culture for a very long time. The Boston Marathon is famous for its bandits. However, with this being the first Boston Marathon after the 2013 bombings, security was planned to be heightened and bandits were strongly discouraged. Registered runners were not allowed to check bags for post-race, and the entire course to Boston was protected like never before. When stories broke of folks stealing bibs by printing them off of photos runners posted on social media of their official race bibs, the reaction was hardly positive. In an attempt to not get into the self entitlement and selfishness of folks who decide the rules do not apply to them, let me put on my coaching hat for a second….

Do NOT run bandit. If a race has rules, follow them. Simple. If you cannot play by the rules, don’t play.Yes, its totally unfortunate and sucks that if you purchase a race bib and months later cannot run the race that your bib must go to waste and your entrance fee goes up in smoke. Sure, your buddy could use your bib if you can’t, right? But what does it matter who is running if you aren’t going to win? Look, I get it. I’ve been that runner who couldn’t use her race bib because of an injury. I’ve also been offered friend’s race bibs when injury gets in the way of their race. Its tempting to accept it, but so far I have never taken another runner’s bib. It may sound silly that a bib that may cost $70-$250 will go to waste, but once again – rules are rules.

Here are reasons to NOT bandit/steal bibs:

  • Safety. Every bib has an identity attached to it and emergency contact and medical info. If you run bandit and something happens to you, no one will know who to call, or if you are diabetic or are on blood pressure medication. If you steal someone else’s bib and something happens to you, that person’s emergency contact will be contacted. You may say “I’m healthy so who cares?” Okay, fine. Do you know how many “healthy people” DNF because of dehydration, cramping, injury, fainting, cardiac arrest, etc? Don’t assume you won’t be part of that list at some point. I know I have. And if something crazy like the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings happens again, none of us can assume we are going to be the lucky ones.
  • Consideration. Rules are rules. If you want to run a race, enter it officially like everybody else. It’s unfair to everyone lined up beside you who PAID good money to run that race. That money goes towards permits to shut down roads, race-day equipment, refreshments on the course, race medals, medical support, and more. You are stealing from everyone around you if you run bandit. If you are simply too poor to run a race (I get it, some of them are VERY expensive!), sign up for a charity and raise money. If you raise the amount of money required by your charity, you won’t need to put a single dollar of your own towards race fees.
  • Fueling. Race organizers plan to support the amount of registered runners. Period. Sure, there is some wiggle room, as they often try to overshoot the numbers to make sure they are over prepared. But if you steal a bib and run bandit, you are a person the race director wasn’t counting. If you think its okay, do you think you are alone? Nope. There are far more self-entitled bandits out there than anyone has taken the time to track down and count. Have you ever run a race where they run out of water or Gatorade? Or race medals or mylar sheets? Guess what, it sucks. If you bandit, your actions may mean a runner behind you won’t have the supplies they paid for and are expecting at the water station. When you are dehydrated and tired, the WORST thing is getting to a station that has run out of supplies. You want to cry. What gives YOU the right to take that from the runner behind you? That runner has probably trained hard for this race, paid their entrance fees, and played by the rules.
  • Ethics. Look, we all have different moral codes. We’re human. But I would like to think that we as a running community can all agree that PEDS, cheating, and running bandit are all wrong. If we don’t hold ourselves to those simple standards, how can we be happy with ourselves? How can we feel that we truly accomplished something great? I don’t think anyone with a moral code who stole bibs, finished the Boston Marathon, and claimed their medal can ever really feel good about that race, can they? Perhaps I am wrong, but I don’t think the race would have the same meaning to me as qualifying or running for a meaningful charity, and doing it the way the race rules state.

It is my hope that more and more races will allow official bib transfers, which are starting to happen in some popular races. Race directors realize that runners cannot always use their bibs, and official transfers means the original runner can get their money back and the new runner will have their information (including emergency info) on record. However, this isn’t common practice for all races, so read the fine print if you are debating signing up for a race months down the road.

Perhaps because the Boston Marathon is a very special race, requiring its participants to qualify or run for charity, that bandits left an even more sour than normal taste in everyone’s mouth. it’s a race that avid runners spend years trying to qualify for. Its the closest thing many of us will ever see to the magic of the Olympics or the Olympic Trials. It is a race that so many runners put blood, sweat and tears into getting to, that printing out a bib someone else posted online seems so incredibly wrong. Of course its really not more wrong than cheating your way into any other marathon, or is it? I suppose that’s up for debate. Regardless of reason, the bandits in this year’s Boston struck a chord.

*** Now, there are always grey areas and exceptions to rules. Here’s how to handle those areas in a way that protects your safety and doesn’t take (much) away from everyone else out there:

  • If you buy/transfer a bib from someone unofficially, (NOT stealing a photo of a bib off the internet!!!), wear a Road ID in case you need medical or safety help. Remember, the bib will have the official runner’s emergency info attached to it. Also, write on the back of the bib your own info. List any important info and write clearly.
  • If you are unofficially using a bib from a friend/transfer, for God’s sake make sure you are NOT going to win an award (top finish, age group or otherwise), and that you are NOT qualifying the original registered runner for Boston or Olympic Trials.
  • If you are hopping into a race to pace a friend for a few miles, DO NOT take any of the refreshments on the course. It’s common practice for a buddy or a coach to hop in during those tough miles, but taking away from paid participants is wrong. Be sure to hop OUT before getting to the finish line. (Due to security post-Boston 2013, it may be difficult to do this in the major big-city races.)

To me, running and races is about becoming a better person and a better athlete. Putting challenges in front of myself and working hard to rise to said challenge. Cheating is a sour, ugly, awful toxin that poisons this sport. If you couldn’t get a spot in a race for whatever reason, there will always be next year. be a grownup, and play by the rules. I guess if you wondered what my thoughts are on bandit runners, now you know.

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Feel Good, Get Inspired, Cheer!

November 11, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Start of the Harrisburg Marathon. Yes, those are my arms!

Start of the Harrisburg Marathon. Yes, those are my arms!

I remember the first time I watched a marathon in person. It was two weeks before my first marathon, and an extremely moving, exciting, inspirational, and somewhat scary experience. Standing near the “1/2 mile to go” mark, one witnesses humanity at its most raw, human state.

I had goosebumps as the wheelchair athletes and elites flew by, somehow making it look so easy to work so hard. I yelled words of encouragement as runners dug deep, some bowing their heads, as they pushed toward the finish. Some athletes stumbled, fell, or held onto the fence or NYPD officers as their legs cramped and buckled underneath them. Other athletes ran in costume, carrying their country’s flag, or wore pictures of family members on their backs, running in their memory.

There was also an indescribable energy coming from the crowd. It’s perhaps the one sporting event where everyone is cheering for everyone else to succeed. No one is cheering for a team to win or lose, we all want to see everyone do their best. [Read more…]

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