26.2 things to know about the New York City Marathon

The 2022 TCS New York City Marathon will be my fifth, going back to the first one in 2007. For those preparing now to live out the dream journey through the five boroughs of Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx and Manhattan, here are some things you need to know:

10 Years of Running

My 10 Favorite: Miles | Medals | Shoes | Bibs

Thursday marks my 10th runnerversary, and thanks to anyone who has been along for the ride. I never imagined I would still be doing this on that Friday of December 1, 2006. That morning, I moved into a new apartment on the Upper West Side of New York City, and it was freshly painted. While waiting for the movers to arrive with my stuff, I walked over to the bodega at 73rd Street & Columbus, to buy a few items. I stepped out, and was standing there at the intersection, with a full box of KOOLS in my hand, ready to light one. I had visited the apartment earlier that week, huffing and puffing up the steps to the third floor, overweight and a smoker for the past six or seven years, to meet the tenants who were moving out. They changed my world, without knowing it, because they told me they belonged to the New York Road Runners club and that they regularly ran and biked Central Park a block away. With that healthy thought in my head, I looked at that full box of KOOLS and I broke it in half, drawing curious looks from women who stood beside me. I went into my new apartment, met the movers, unpacked, and then immediately took the A train down to Times Square and bought a pair of ASICS at a Foot Locker. I went to NYRR.org and paid for a one-year membership. That week I started running hilly Central Park, and on that December 10th I ran my first race, the Joe Kleinerman 10K, finishing with a net time of 1:18:40 (12:41 pace).



I have thought about this moment for a long time, and in counting down the days to this special runnerversary I have been posting several top-10 lists of my favorite things over this past decade of running. Today, I am going to celebrate by running Central Park at 5 a.m., then running around the Washington Monument later in the day, then by popping a bottle of champagne and spraying it all over myself. I am also going to celebrate by posting my final top-10 list, so here it is: 10 unbelievable things that happened after I quit smoking and started running.

10. It taught me to be a finisher in life. Set a goal, work hard, persevere and finish. My first goal was to run the New York City Marathon within my first year as a runner, and I did that in November 2007. In the past month I finished my fourth NYC Marathon, and 17th full or ultra.

9. There are 137 bibs on my bedroom wall. They signify all the races I have registered for and then got up for early starts and put one foot in front of another until I crossed a timing mat. That has equated to thousands and thousands and thousands of miles I have run either in those races or in training. It means my heart has pumped blood in wonderful fashion amid all that activity. I owe a special thanks to the New York Road Runners, for conducting all those races I have run, and to the people who take care of Central Park and keep it so pristine and the best place in the world to run -- my track!

The 0BPPG Plan: Why and How I Changed My World

"Change your thoughts and you change your world." - Norman Vincent Peale

Please let me start by describing that dish above: One large grouper filet split in half, seasoned with turmeric and olive oil and steamed in aluminum foil on my grill; quinoa; and grilled squash. This was my first dinner after I changed my world last Thursday and I am not stopping. (Updated Aug. 10: 6 pounds lost in first 3 weeks, 2 pounds per week. Goal is 22 pounds total.)

Every runner knows that you don't look too far ahead when starting a major challenge. You focus on right now, the mile you're in, the present rather than the future. With that in mind, I don't want to get too far ahead of myself on my current challenge, but I wanted to share it as some have inquired.

On July 21, I decided to change my thoughts and change my world. I decided to quit consuming bread, pasta, pizza and gluten. I call it the 0BPPG Plan. My family was very helpful in advising how to go about it, and I evolved my thought process in walking down supermarket aisles. This is what I want to share: why I changed and how I changed, both equally important steps.

WHY I CHANGED

Rome Marathon Recap - 10 Things I Learned About Italy

Bonjourno, that's me zooming by Mussolini's Window at Palazzo Venezia in the photo above. I finished the Maratona di Roma on April 10, a major highlight of our dream trip to Italy. Lisa's father is from the Puglia region and she had not been to Italy since she was a little girl, so this was her trip and my only wish was to run the marathon and then go along for a second honeymoon.

#NoResolutionsNeeded: Early 2016 @Marathoner Schedule

There's only one way to ring in a New Year: With a new race schedule.

2015-16 ASICS Ambassador - But Really For A Decade Now

ASICS is a way of life for me, ever since I traded a box of KOOLS for a box of ASICS and became a Central Park runner on Dec. 1, 2006. Now that I am about to start a year-long celebration leading up to my 10th runnerversary (!!!), I am PSYCHED to announce that my friends at ASICS have chosen me as one of 16 #TeamASICS Ambassadors for 2015-16.

What it will mean for you and friends who follow me here and @Marathoner on Twitter is...

"You Better Run" to the Runners World Half Marathon

That's me in the Pat Benatar concert shirt with runner friends Larisa, Karla and Kristin, and crossing the finish line. Below, that's my #FlatBenatar from midnight the night before. Here is what happened at the legendary 2015 Runners World Half Marathon & Festival..

Sports Medicine PT Stefanie Bourassa #runHMF Chat Transcript

The Hartford Marathon Foundation just ran a helpful #askHMF Twitter chat at @RunHMF with senior sports med physical therapist Stefanie Bourassa. Learn about Stefanie and her team at Hartford HealthCare Rehabilitation Network on their blog.

Flexibility and core strengthening can help Piriformis Syndrome. -HHCRN #askHMF

— HMF Events (@RunHMF) May 28, 2015

Idiots rock

Holiday Fitness Tips from Michelle Lovitt

ASICS Fitness Expert
Michelle Lovitt

From Thanksgiving through New Year's Eve, holiday traditions will bring us cherished memories of a lifetime . . . and some real challenges on the training front. ASICS & Pear Sports Fitness Expert (and NYC Marathon finisher) Michelle Lovitt is kind enough to share these important tips entering into this holiday season so you can make the most of a wonderful time of year and stay within your fit lifestyle.

Ready? Here goes:

1) Drink plenty of water before and after a meal. Water will not only help you feel more satiated it will help increase your metabolism and help your body burn calories more efficiently. Keep in mind that the increase in calories burned is modest, however the water keeps your body hydrated and functioning properly.



2) Don't drink your calories. If you partake in holiday festivities limit your alcohol (and eggnog) consumption to no more than two glasses. Drinking caloric beverages daily not only dehydrates you but also packs on unwanted pounds with extra calories.

ASICS Holiday Wishlist

I dropped in on my friends at the ASICS New York City Meatpacking District Store this afternoon and bought the new PR Thermal 2-N-1 Beanie reversable knit cap. I'll get plenty of use out of it as I start training through another tough NYC winter, this time for the Walt Disney World Marathon scheduled for Jan. 11. It's just $18 and a huge addition:

While I was in the ASICS store, I also took a barrage of photos of ASICS STUFF I WISH I HAD. Let's call it the ASICS @Marathoner Holiday Wishlist. If Santa wanted to drop any of this stuff under my Christmas tree or in a stocking next month, hey you're the jolly mon. Here are a dozen items that especially caught my eye on the "guy side" of the store, with links on asicsamerica.com.

Lookdown Survey Video: ASICS Dominates The Field

I have read in the past that one out of every two pair of shoes in the 50,000+ TCS New York City Marathon field is ASICS. I actually believe the percentage is higher -- 66% I think, so I decided to start putting this to the test in what will be a series of 2014 Lookdown Survey Videos on this blog.

Here is the first randomly shot iPhone video, while 8,000 of us were being herded toward the start of Saturday's UAE Healthy Kidney 10K, another weekly New York Road Runners event at Central Park. It is MORE than 66% ASICS shoes in my immediate area (7 of 9), including my own ASICS GEL-Cumulus 16s. I used the x2 slow-mo in youtube and captured stills below for further detail and comment.



The first glimpse is of a flash of purple-hued ASICS, along with my black ASICS GEL-Cumulus 16s (you know what they look like from my previous blog posts here). . . .

Brooks on the left, I believe, and the other two are ASICS...

The green ASICS on the left are already counted above. Immediately to my right are Nikes because I could identify the red swoosh. The aqua-hued shoes on the far right were unidentifiable to me after looking at the frames over and over, possibly Sauconys, so I was going to list those as undetermined...

...until I looked at my frames on the iPhone, which was clearer resolution. So I blew this up in Photoshop and sure enough, those are also ASICS:

The blue on the left are already counted in the second photo above. Immediately ahead of me in the black capris is an ASICS runner. And I initially listed the dark shoes in the upper left as undetermined although I suspected they were ASICS. . . .

...and then again I took a closer look at the iPhone frame by frame and it was clear as day. Those dark shoes in the upper left are indeed another pair of ASICS -- maybe Kayano 20s like mine:

So that's 9 runners, 7 ASICS, 1 Nike, 1 Brooks. And in this case we were going to start running very soon so I urgently took this at the last minute and on the move. It was very clear looking around me that almost everyone seemed to be wearing ASICS.

Again, I don't claim this to be scientific but I will be doing these Lookdown Survey Videos occasionally throughout the year at our NYRR races and I think it will become clear. ASICS provides me with running shoes to test from time to time, some I buy. The company has nothing to do with this video series; it's just something I want to do out of my own curiosity. I went through a long stretch of only Brooks Glycerins for a few years, and I've tried all major types. I'll wear ASICS for my 100th race this Saturday.

Undoubtedly the numbers are more spread out at the head of the pack, where there are many runners endorsing various shoes, but I am focused on the field in general and don't feel that the elites at the head are representative nor relevant to this type of survey in terms of runner volume. If you want to know what shoes runners are wearing in races, look at all the corrals and just compare.

I think two out of every three runners is in ASICS at our NYRR events year-round, including the TCS NYC Marathon. Look around at the feet around you and see for yourself.

@Marathoner Gear Review: ASICS Cold Weather Combo

Last week I reviewed the new ASICS Storm Shelter Jacket during one of the harshest running days of the past decade at Central Park. On Friday morning, I completed the whole package with the addition of the new Storm Shelter Pant, plus the Thermopolis LT Half Zip and PR Tights as base layers.

It was Week 4 of my 12-week ASICS LA Marathon training plan laid out by Andrew Kastor, who is coaching our ASICS LA Marathon Blogger Challenge team. It was our latest snowy and rugged day here in the NYC area, and I was headed for my regular trail that goes up the Hudson River through Nyack.



Interestingly enough, it was Coach Kastor's wife, the renowned Olympian Deena Kastor, who gave me the only inspiration I needed to get out the door on this morning:

Dear East Coast Runners, unless you're searching for a way to opt out of your run, NEVER look at the wind chill! Sincerely, #SunnyCalifornia
— Deena Kastor (@DeenaKastor) January 9, 2014

That was enough for me. All I needed was the right gear and I was off.



Let's start with the base layers:

Thermopolis LT Half Zip

I will wear this on its own from time to time going forward, but it was just right for me on this run. This half zip feels silky-soft against your skin, and it is practical as well. There's a sleeve zip pocket for your media with a cord loop, although I did not need it on this day as I was wearing the Storm Shelter Jacket. My favorite part was actually the thumb hole on both sleeves. I used that feature the entire run, making it easier for my sleeve to go inside of my gloves to avoid exposed skin. One note: If you use the thumb hole, make sure you wear your watch OVER the sleeve (lesson learned), so you can check your time as needed.





PR Tights

I am running with new ASICS tights after having gone six years rotating the same three pairs of tights. If I can pass on anything to newer runners, one thing would be to take good care of your gear. Since I started running in December 2006, I have never used a dryer and only use cold water and delicate cycle to wash. I used to wash all my gear by hand for the first few years, but delicate cycle is fine -- with a regular detergent gel, not the stinky running wash detergent that they still sell some places. And never use softener. I lay all my socks on the dryer to air dry, and I hang up everything else to dry. That's why my tights lasted so long.

The PR Tights, however, are a definite step up for me. They lock down on me perfectly, and my favorite feature is the elastic grip tape leg opening. The bottoms won't ride up on my ankle, again meaning no exposed skin. These tights also have flatlock stitching to minimize chafing, ideal for cold long runs.

Storm Shelter Pant

The last time I was this excited to pull on a pair of bottoms for the snow was those waterproof overall pants mom would give you to go sledding on a snow day with no school. You know that insulated feeling you got, knowing you could make snow angels and do anything and feel warm inside? Well, welcome to the Storm Shelter Pant.

This truly completes the best combo in cold weather running today. If you don't have these and know you are going to deal with snow and ice for part of your running calendar, then you are missing out. I pulled these on over my PR Tights and was pleasantly surprised by the almost tailored cut. They aren't big and bulky. They look good. They let me freely stretch out my legs, the only worry I had had.

From a functionality standpoint, the bottoms are an extension of the jacket I previously reviewed. It features zip-open vents and mesh-lined gusset to help you cool down when you heat up. I love the 360-degree 3M reflectivity, as I tend to run in the dark or dusk often. The waterproof zippers are another reason they bottoms are going to last a long time in my running future.

The Test

It didn't take me long to truly test out the Storm Shelter Pant. My trail was completely white.

I had no tracks on my soles so I was expecting adventurous footing. I looked for exposed vegetation -- the stuff I would avoid in the summer -- as that would give me a grip. Some areas covered solid ice. I hit one of those patches during my run, and went airborne for a complete wipeout. No problem, though. I was even tempted to do a quick snow angel before resuming. Just brush off the snow.

I ran five miles in an hour. I am supposed to take Friday off in advance of Saturday's long run, but have had to juggle my schedule this week for a few reasons. It was one of those #beastmode days where everything felt white, even the Hudson River as you can see here from my view atop the Palisades cliffs:

I'm inside the Storm Shelter combo and like I said before it feels like a fortress, but with the breathability and flexibility that lets you know you are training and pushing the limits unhampered. It makes you feel like:

How do YOU get through those cold-weather runs when there is no way you are staying inside?

7 Important Lessons For 7 Years Of Running

This week I celebrate my seventh year as a real runner. I have run 80 New York Road Runners races and 92 overall races, including 12 marathons or ultras, since I traded smoking for running on 12/1/06. The best advice I can pass along from that experience is at the very bottom of this post, a lesson for each year.

Here were my first shoes -- the actual ASICS I bought at a Foot Locker in Times Square:

And here they were after I retired them about 350 miles and many spectacular runs later...



They are hopefully being worn by someone in Africa now, as I donated them to Soles 4 Souls with many other pairs two years ago to mark my fifth runnerversary.

First race: Joe Kleinerman 10K on Dec. 10, 2006 -- nine days after I quit smoking. It was one lap around Central Park in the cold. My net time was 1:18:40. NYRR chief Mary Wittenberg told us at the beginning: "Start easy and finish hard."

First Half: Manhattan Half on Jan. 21, 2007 -- two laps around Central Park. My net was 2:30:03. I was planning to quit after the first lap, but a woman in line with me at a portapotty said, "Just go out there and keep running, you can do it." I did it, and she taught me that I can find more in myself.

First Official Marathon: NYC Marathon on Nov. 4, 2007. My net was 6:08.25. I raised funds for Team for Kids and struggled the last 14 miles with a bad case of plantar fasciitis. It obviously was not the time I was looking for, but it was my  maiden voyage and finishing was like nothing else as I ran the last 400 meters looking up at the sky at my dad and crying in joy.

First Invented Marathon: Statues on Parade Marathon in July 2008. That is when I knew that I just loved running and would do anything to keep improving myself and see the world in a new way. I have loved creating my own unique races and routes. At Major League Baseball, we had 42 Statue of Liberty replicas positioned around NYC for All-Star Week, and I ran 26.2 miles to see each of them, stopping for a photo and to take notes with each one, running from the morning until 8 pm, even getting a hand from the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island Foundation to get me on a ferry fast to see the ones on those two islands.

First Ultra: Knickerbocker 60K on Nov. 15, 2008. It was 9 laps around the interior of Central Park, 37 miles. My net was 9:51:00. My future wife Lisa ran the last lap with me in the dark. I had PR'd in the NYC Marathon 2 weeks earlier, so I figured then was as good a time as any. It qualified me for Marathon Maniacs, and I am now member #6697.

First Time Being Supervised By Chinese State Police Guards: Running a half at one of the baseball venues at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. It was about 45 laps around the warning track and whole field, under the watchful eye of my two new friends, who were smiling and handing me water when I was done. It is amazing what running can do. I have seen time and time again that it cuts through diplomatic and ethnic boundaries, a very transformative experience.

Most Amazing Run: Pictured to the right here, it's me running the entire 2009 New Jersey Marathon in the rain, and knowing that my life would be changed at the finish line. With help from race organizers, I grabbed the ringbox at the Mile 25 fluid station, and ran with it to the finish line along the ocean. I crossed the finish line, got down on a painful right knee, and Lisa jumped on me as she said yes. It was just an unmatched moment for me that I will treasure always, and running made it possible. It gives you more confidence in your personal life, and for me that had meant meeting Lisa on match.com, meeting her for the first time at the Ocean Grill restaurant on NYC's Upper West Side, and hititng it off immediately. We are happily in love, and she runs with me sometimes.

I have passed on any lessons I have learned along the way, through MySpace and then with Facebook and through my @Marathoner account on Twitter. At this point, most of what I know is just infused into my being, so that instinctively I know how to train, run a race and recover. I know how much running carries over into my personal and professional life, making me want to finish everything and reach beyond my boundaries. I have seen the running community grow by leaps and bounds in these seven years.

7 BIG LESSONS:

1. You can do anything you set your mind to. Just schedule a race.

2. There is no such thing as bad weather.

3. Wash your gear by hand and hang it to dry or lay your socks out flat. NEVER put socks in a dryer. I did that once, a seam was raised, and it caused a huge blister ruining a Miami Marathon.

4. Support other runners. Don't go it alone. Be part of the running community, and the support you get back will help you through the hardest times. Talk with runners at expos and races. We are all in this together, even though we have different shapes and different finish times. Make it a team sport.

5. It's all about the shoes. I mean ALL about the shoes. I spent the first year or so scuffling my way through tick-tack injuries, plantar fasciitis, shinsplints, etc. Finally a Fleet Feet store saleswoman in St. Louis, a marathon runner, got down on her knee and put her index finger under my foot and said, "You have high arches." I never knew that. She put me in a pair of neutrals. That's all it took. I have been healthy almost the entire way ever since, save for a 2012 bout of ITB that was actually caused by a weakened left hip, which I strengthed in 14 physical therapy sessions. It's all about the shoes. Nothing else comes close. If you're battling injury it's probably because of your shoes.

6. Keep a running blog, so you can go back like I am doing now and recall things you now take for granted. It is mainly for your own benefit, and maybe others will get something out of it as well.

7. Motivation will come and go, and you should not fret over the days when you find yourself yearning for a sense of purpose in your miles. It is going to happen, guaranteed. Especially after a big race like a marathon. In early 2009, I was really struggling with that, worrying too much. Then before I knew it, I was running that NJ Marathon in the rain and proposing. When your running purpose seems diminished and you lack a charge to go out for a run, just relax, wait for tomorrow, make sure you schedule a scary race, go buy yourself some new ASICS gear and drink a lot of water. Running is for life.