I did it!!

Yesterday was the most intense, physically challenging experience of my life. I woke up at 4am to get to the buses at 5:45am. The Emilys and I figured out a wake-up call chain and Liz and I shared a cab--gotta love that team support! The bus ride was fun, full of nervous energy, crying, and lots of photo opportunities. When we got to the start, I imagined that it looked something like Woodstock. We were told to sit down and to conserve energy, which we did (when we weren't waiting in the bathroom line). We moved to the corrals at about 8:30am, which meant another hour and a half of sitting before moving to the bridge for a 10:10 start. Oh, the energy--Fort Wadsworth really did look like Woodstock when the crowds started moving and shedding their layers...

And then we were off! Commuting, of course. I was with Nancy, Pam, and Sarah L. I felt great over the Verrazano (how weird, running on a suspension bridge), through Brooklyn (where I saw Cait!) and into Queens, where I saw the family for the first time. Mom, Dad, B and Tanya were holding a sign that said "Moira the MAINE-IAC." It perked me right up (though Nancy wouldn't let me speed up!)I found Diego about 100 yards later standing in the median of the street and holding a big sign. That was awesome, right before I had to go over the dark, quiet Queensborough bridge (which is a HILL) at mile 15.

I could hear first avenue before I got there. The crowds were crazy! We made sure to stop every few blocks to take pictures of each other's families and friends. By the time we hit Harlem and the Bronx, I was losing a little steam. My feet started to hurt around mile 19/20, but Nancy wouldn't let me stop. Mentally, I was done--I hadn't run any more than 18 miles all season because of my injury, and the thought of doing another 8 made me want to cry. Everything felt ok except my feet, but that I was all I could think about! Thank god for my family at mile 21--what a surprise, there they were with the signs again! I was actually able to hug all of them this time and I think that pushed me to fifth avenue. Coach Alem met us when we came off the bridge and said a few words of encouragement. The crowd kept yelling my name (it was written on my shirt) and urging me on, but I wanted to stop running. Then at 96th and 5th I saw a huge group of CUSSW friends and then my family again 1 block down. Coach Danielle saw that I was having a hard time and she jumped in right next to me and ran the next 4 miles, up to mile 25 with me.

The last few miles felt endless. Into the park, up Cat Hill, out of the park, down to Central Park South. Coach Danielle had to leave me there, but she told me to use the crowd and just go. So I pushed and I pushed and the crowd yelled and yelled. I stared at Columbus Circle ahead so hard I thought my eyes would pop out of my head. Then it was time to turn into the park and face that last .2. I didn't know if I could make it up the last hill, but Narisa was there with a sign and she yelled right in my ear. The finish was right there and then I was on it, kind of in shock. One of the volunteers asked if I was ok, and I said I was, "Just give me the medal!" My time was 5:27:20, which meant that Lance Amstrong was home, showered, and resting by the time I finished, but whatever.

I found Nancy and Sarah, who finished one minute ahead of me, and we took a group picture with our medals and blankets. Then I walked (slooowly) in a daze toward the Cherry Hill area. Sarah D., who is so wonderful, took good care of me while I changed into warm clothes and discovered my bloody right sock from a toenail issue. So that's what hurt so much!

I'm moving very slowly today, and my hip is tight, but I am so happy that I finished and am so proud to be a TFKer! The whole time, I had the support of my teammates and the help of all the family and friends who came out. It was amazing. Today I've gotten so many emails and phone calls--Pop-Pop seems to think I'll be running Boston in April 2007. We'll see. One marathon at a time!