Well – I did it!
What an amazing experience and probably the hardest thing that I have ever achieved. Boy did I have to dig deep to complete the course but complete and finish I most certainly did!
Finish with foil sheet and FINISHERS medal
My first time in New York and we made an early start, 5.30am to walk to the bus to take us to the start. The sun was just rising and to see the orange to purple hues rising slowly in the sky which was the backdrop to the city that never sleeps, the Chrysler building stood as an Art Deco monument in the clear morning.
The bus ride took forever! Not a good sign when travelling to the start! The Verazzano Narrows bridge was lit up in flame red by the ever rising sun and the pulse quickened as we crawled over it knowing that the next time we crossed it we would be embarking on a gruelling 26.2 mile run.
Waiting for the start at 10.10am was hard, it only served to worsen the nerves and raise the heart beat but it was clear and bright, all looked good. I had contemplated changing my start for a later one but stuck with my Green start in the second wave. I couldn’t bear any more waiting!
We were called to our start corral with half an hour to go, just time to get chatting to some of the other runners who were in theory similarly paced to yourself. As we walked to the start the tension built, we had seen the first wave take off and now it was our turn.
Boom! a great thunder-crack sounded the start which must have been audible back in Manhattan – a big cheer went up followed by Frank Sinatra belting out New York, New York from the p.a. – party time had started!
It’s two miles just getting over the bridge and then only another 24 miles to go… It all felt good and as we came off the bridge the first road side fans started cheering. The New York Marathon is a really big deal – the first cheering had started when we collected our running numbers on Saturday from the marathon Expo, now the people of New York were showing their appreciation too.
This was only the start and I wasn’t really prepared for what came next even though I had been told. New York became a 26.2 mile linear street party and boy what a party! 130 bands, 2 million spectators and 47,500 runners.
With my name emblazoned on my running vest
Running vest Front
all I heard was ‘Go Tim’, ‘You got it Timbo’, ‘You can do it Tim’, ‘Keep it going Tim’, ‘You’re amazing Tim’, ‘looking good Tim’ for the duration of the race – truly uplifting in every sense – “if you can make it in New York…” then there is the “high fives” – the spectators don’t just want to watch they want to “be a part of it” too.
The banners and placards also feature with everything from offers of marriage to something a little more seedy… Some that stuck in the mind were “Pain now, wine later” (or should that be whine???), “black toenails are sexy!”, and the best – “I love a man with stamina”. 
You run through 5 boroughs in what is almost a straight line (compared to say the London Marathon) – in one section I recall looking up and seeing around 20,000 people running up a hill for as far as the eye could see (around 3 miles).
In my dreams I had hoped to get a time of around 4 hours 10 mins, in reality it was a full hour slower. Everything was going well until mile 10 when a call of nature stopped me – restarting I realised that my legs – in particular my quads had partially seized up. Not having a physio to hand and unsure of the best course of action I just carried on running – slower and slower, with more and more pain at every step. Even running downhill became unpleasant and uncomfortable.
16 miles to run when your legs are working is hard work, when they don’t, you know that it can only be painful. I was in tears, should I stop or carry on? Big questions to ask of yourself at any time but even more poignant when you are running for a charity.
I must have asked myself the questions more than 20 times – should I walk or run? Could I look myself in the mirror if I stopped? How would I answer the doubters when I said I did’t do it? How much pain can I tolerate? Will the crowd continue to lift me? Where are my wife and cousin (both there to support me round)?
Desperate times! There is one thing though that made the answer easy in every case. I asked myself – what was I doing this for?
Running vest back
Simple. The power that gives you is immense, unimaginable and overwhelming. It brought me to tears every time, but I carried on. When I reached the finish I barely had the energy to move, but I raised a half smile and my hands barely above my shoulders.
Elation, exhaustion, excruciating pain – I am the winner!!!! Yes I have won – not the race obviously! I have just won. There is no feeling like it – ever.
You can just make me out in the middle!
They patched me up in the first aid tent – when asked if I was feeling OK, I looked at the nurse and collapsed… actions speak louder…I had nothing left inside – I had truly given everything over the last 26.2 miles. Yet I had gained so much.
Over the next few days everyone in NY wore their finishers medals with pride, receiving much acclaim on the street, in restaurants and from fellow marathoners. The party continued.
When you get so emptied by the run, emotions certainly run high and I frequently “fill up”, the support I have received has been amazing from my wife and children, family and friends and everyone who has supported my efforts.
My brother-in-law had me at it when he encapsulated his thoughts as directly as usual!!! “Never believed you were going to start let alone finish, the cynic in me thought holiday! Well done that man……unbelievable…….”
Thank you all for your huge support – simply amazing.
Tim
ps – some facts…
I finished in 5 hours 10 minutes and 15 seconds
To date (11.11.11) I have raised an gigantic £2,272.00 – thank you x
I got sunburnt during the race!
I didn’t get any blisters
I am overcome with emotion every time I think of what I have achieved
26.2 miles is a very long way to run!!!!!
I’ll be back for more…
Links
www.justgiving.com/TimMatcham-NewYork
Professional pictures and videos!!!
Cool. I really enjoyed reading that! Well done mate. Chris
Thank you Chris – I have a couple of pictures that I will email to you later that will make you smile!
What an amazing account Tim. Hugely well done!
Thanks Julian – much appreciated
Well done Tim – sounds like 5 gruelling hours, not to mention the 10 minutes and 15 seconds…
Thanks James – yes but such an experience – just about ready to start considering what I’ll try next….
“ma-gic mom-ents” da da da da da …..
thanks for letting us be part of it. Well done!
Thanks Nick
What can I say? I am in awe of your achievement Tim! Reading about it was very moving and inspirational. I was really wondering if you could make it when you had had so many setbacks during training, but I hadn’t reckoned on the power of sheer bloody mindedness… and of course your commitment to the cause you were raising money for. Very well done.
Thank you Rose – really appreciate your comments – I still get overwhelmed
Well done Tim from the Reckless Gardener team. You deserve to feel elated. What a great blog posting I even got emotional and i’m just Reading it, couldn’t imagine trying to run it. When the cause is just you find inner strength from somewhere and the time you ran is really immaterial it’s the taking part and completing that matters. Respect!
Thank you Sandy – certainly do feel elated, it lifts you right up!
Lovely account and well accounted that man !
It’s a wonderful thing that you will never loose the enormous sense of personal acheivement/satisfaction you now feel. Carry your “gold” with great pride !
It’s a brilliant race, and it sounds just like 15 years ago when I competed running for Whizz Kids. Thankyou so much for refreshing my own memories from a great city.
Also fab to see that you have passed your fundraising goal.
… everything is possible …
Thank you Richard – delighted that it stirred memories from so far back