Last long run in NYC before the marathon

I went down to NYC again this Saturday to do one last long run with Fred's Team before the marathon.  Today we ran on the last 1/2 of the course which I really wanted to see before the big day.  The weather was perfect for running and it was great.  I met the other Fred's Team runners at 1st Avenue and 61st.  We started by running over the Queensboro bridge to Queens and then back to Manhattan.  Then we followed the course up 1st Avenue, into the Bronx for a bit, and back into Manhattan to finish in Central Park.  It was "only" 13 miles today and I can't tell you how that actually feels like such a treat after running longer that that over the past few weeks. 

It was so fun to run the course and try and picture what it will be like on race day with all of the crowds.  Most of the Fred's Team runners had on their orange shirts so we were easy to recognize.  About 5 or 6 times in the Bronx and then Manhattan, random people on the street let out a cheer saying "Go Fred's Team".  It's not even the marathon day and there are people already cheering for us.  One woman rolled down the window of her car and cheered out the window.  How cool is that?  I have to say that the second part of the course definitely has it's hills.  There's no heartbreak hill like the Boston marathon, but running south on 5th Avenue for a few miles definitely has a gradual incline.  There is also one hill just before the finish line just to stick it to you one last time.  We finished the training run with a few of the Fred's Team coaches standing on the location of what will be the actual finish cheering with pom poms.  It was great.  They are already setting up the bleachers for the finish area too even though the race is still two weeks away. 

My training schedule listed a 12 mile run for next weekend, but the coaches said I should actually only do 5.  Only 5 miles...awesome.  Looking forward to it.

When I got home, my Dad had gone to Dunkin Donuts and got my signature "post long run meal". 

Boston Creme donut and an iced coffee.  I have the best Dad in the world! 



Lisa