James and the Big Apple

My blogs are usually about me and my running experiences. This post is going to be a little bit different because I want to share a recent story of a friend and his relentless resolve to run a particular marathon. I was very fortunate to have been able to share his journey, from entering the race to collecting his post-race kit bag at the side of Central Park. I wanted to write about his story and on top of this, how could I not write a blog post about running the largest ever and a World Marathon Major?

This is a story about my friend James and his determination to run the 2025 New York Marathon, arguably the best marathon in the world, certainly the BIGGEST marathon in the world, with 59135 runners finishing the event this year. This story starts back in the summer when James, who lives in Belfast rang me up, to ask how to enter the New York marathon. This wasn’t a surprise to me, as he has talked about the event before, over the years. I told him there are 3 ways to get in, a ballot system and if he is very lucky, he might get a place, a charity place where he will have to raise a certain amount of money or lastly buy a place through Sports Tours International. I explained he was far too late for this year and as he didn’t really run much, maybe the best thing would be to start running a bit more regularly, with the hope of doing it in 2026. I also sent him an email with the details of Sports Tours International and then didn’t think much more about the conversation. Well, that is until the beginning of August when he rang me out of the blue. He told me that Sports Tours had rung him up, I thought this was very strange, why would they ring him? He goes on to explain they had a cancellation and 2 places had become available and wanted to know if I would like to join him to do the New York Marathon on 2^nd November this year! My reply was “I’m OK to do it in 3 months time … Are you!?”

Training

On the 6^th August James sent me an email “That’s the confirmation through now (attached)…no turning back!” This meant James had a mere 12 weeks to get from doing the minimal of running to marathon distance! He embarked on a basic plan of running twice a week, one shorter run and one run that he would build up into his long run. Even the most seasoned regular runners would be daunted with the prospect of getting marathon ready in 12 weeks, never mind somebody with as little experience as James. Over the coming weeks James stuck to his plan steadily building up his long run. All very commendable but fraught with danger as he pushed the distance far quicker than any coach would recommend. We regularly discussed his progress, considered the risks but James’s unfaltering mindset was impressive.

Through September his long runs jumped up to 15 miles and then on to 18 miles. Then on the 5^th October he hit 21 miles, in an impressive 3 hours 15 minutes. His dream of a sub 4 hour marathon could well be possible. But the next day disaster struck, his risky accelerated training program was starting to take a toll and his right knee was sore. He couldn’t run for a week, was his dream of even completing it all over?

At this point most people would rest, take some painkillers and anti-inflammatory tablets and sulk. Not James, he paid for a scan on his knee, chased madly for a consultant to look at the results. Then hassled to get an injection in his knee, which he managed to arrange in less than a week! For many this would have helped but not for James, he had a rare reaction to the injection. This put an end to his ridiculously limited training plan and it was all going to rest on what happened on the day of the race.

The Marathon

On the day of the race, Sunday 2^nd November 2025, we were blessed with the best possible weather, sunny, mild and calm. Perfect for running and enjoying the day, not only for the runners but also for the 2 million spectators that lined the route. Due the huge number of runners the race was split into 5 waves, starting roughly 30 minutes apart. The first wave went off at 9:10am with the elite runners. We were in the 5^th and final wave, starting at 11:30am. It is quite staggering the think the elite runners had finished before we had started. That led me to ponder that at the moment we started, there were runners the whole length of the course from the start to the finish, which I found mind boggling.

I had a mild hope to complete the race inside 4 hours but realistically expected to fall a bit short of this. James dreamed of the same, but it was going to be a tall order for him, considering his short build up to the event. We agreed that I would pace for just inside 4 hours for the first few miles and see how it went on from there. The first few miles over the Verrazzano bridge and through Brooklyn were fine, we had only a little bit of chat, which was unusual for us but I think James just wanted to concentrate on getting into a steady rhythm.

After 4 miles both me and James had dropped into a steady pace just under 9 minute miles, which was bang on for getting under 4 hours. James was hanging a few yards behind me. I was conscious not to pull him along too fast with the possibility of ruining the end of the race for him. I felt good so continued the same pace which James had asked. After about 8 miles James had dropped off further and I could just about see him at times in the distance. In a way I was glad, I felt it was time for him to find his way at his pace and for me to do the same. This would allow us both to do our own run and not have me pulling him along at a pace that was too fast. I think my work had been done and it was now up to James. Sadly, that was the last I saw of James during the race. I continued with the hope of a sub 4 hour run.

I got to halfway in 1 hour 55 minutes, just where I wanted to be but I was starting to feel the effort this was putting on me. I ran over the massive Queenboro bridge made of its many steel girders at mile 16 into Manhattan and I could feel the pressure growing on me to keep the pace and I still had 10 miles to go. Through Manhattan I got tired and by the time I was at the mile 20 point and in the Bronx, I was starting to slow, not alot but enough to question a sub 4 hour finish. The last stretch of the route took us back down into Manhattan and finally into Central Park for the last couple of miles and the finish, which is up a short incline, making you really have to dig hard to finish. Finally, I got over the finish line in 4 hour 4 minutes 18 seconds. Not quite what I dreamed for but an expected result, which I am completely happy with. I have got to mention the crowds, they were completely FANTASTIC, huge numbers lining the roads the whole length of the route, shouting and screaming, their energy created an atmosphere that was like no other marathon. At times the noise was completely deafening.

James went on and finished in 4 hours 50 minutes 46 seconds, not the sub 4 hours he had originally wished for but considering his short-term training plan, which got truncated further by injury, a finish on its own was a stunning achievement. James unwavering, blooded minded determination to complete this marathon makes it such an impressive achievement. I take my hat off to him. It goes to show, that to run a marathon how important having the right mindset is. I have seen accomplished club runners struggle at this distance. Yet James with his very little running experience, battle against all the odds, using his strong determination, prevailed over this demanding distance and still finished with a very commendable time.

On finishing the marathon, we picked up a lovely large gold medal, and were then handed a lovely, fleece lined, orange hooded cloak before being guided in our thousands out of Central Park and south on to Central Park West. It was like a slow procession of weird and weary orange penguins wobbling along the road. We had both got a little change bag at the finish on Central Park West, I got mine and waited there for James, as I knew exactly where his drop bag was so I couldn’t miss him. I was there for quite a while and ended up, chatting to the lovely helpers as they kept handing out the bags and helped guide a few runners to the correct place to get their bags. Finally, James turned up, I could see the mix of emotions he had, relief it was over, tiredness, happiness on completing the marathon but also a bit of misplaced disappointment at his finishing time. We slowly walked the mile or so through the crowds back to our hotel at Times Square, I can’t believe it was dark by the time we reached Times Square, what a long but rewarding day!

The Verrazzaro Bridge

For me completing this marathon was mainly about being involved in James’s journey and supporting him as much as I could. It has given me great pleasure and satisfaction in doing so. I did also complete a goal which had been with me for 26 years, since last time I completed the New York Marathon back in 1999. The race starts at Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island and immediately takes the runners over the Verrazzaro suspension bridge to Brooklyn. This bridge is a huge road bridge, far greater than anything you would find in the UK. 26 years ago, unknown to me, and for someone in the UK there is no way you would expect this but not only is the road on it, a multi-lane dual carriage way but it also has two decks. Back in 1999 at the start, I followed where I was told to go and funnelled onto a carriageway that took me onto the lower level of the bridge. I was so surprised by this and gutted not to be able to look up at the sky and the huge towers that support the bridge. It was like running in a tunnel, albeit you could look out at the sea on both sides. That day I vowed to return and run on the top deck to take in the views. This year me and James were put in different start pens but given the option to drop back to the last wave so we can run together and be on the top deck of the bridge. It meant a 11:30am start but I so glad to say we got the opportunity to do this. We took photos of ourselves on the bridge in the lovely sunshine, a moment for us both to cherish, certainly for me.