I could write about the spectators I met along the NYC Marathon route, or the countless volunteers who took such good care of Steve and the other 40,000+ runners. But I’d really like to write about the women’s race. I only saw the top women runners for a few fleeting moments as they flew by my perch on the crowded street. Still, it’s a great story, the stuff of legends, and it reminds again that victory is within your grasp – if you don’t give up.
Mary Keitany, a 29 year old Kenyan, started the race at such a fast pace, she quickly left the rest of the field behind. The sportscasters were busy trying to calculate, not just whether she would establish a new record, but how crazy-fast that record would be. 2:19? ...2:18? …
Then, as she came across the Queensboro Bridge at Mile 15, she seemed to weaken. Her opponents were a half mile behind her ~ they couldn't see her ~ but they still had energy and spirit …
Finally, on Central Park West, the second and third placers, Buzunesh Deba (who lives in the Bronx) and Firehiwot Dado of Ethiopia pulled to the lead. It was like The Tortoise and The Hare, except that Mary Keitany was not giving up.
When I saw these three women, they were running a tight race and it was an open race to the end. Firehiwot Dado beat Buzunesh Deba by just four seconds, winning the women's New York City Marathon in 2:23:15.
During the fleeting moments that I watched the three women, I was most impressed that it was, really, anyone’s race. Each woman was flying fast - around 5:30 per mile! that's incredibly fast! - toward her personal goal. Each woman had competitors within sight, but each maintained her focus. I smiled as I considered the inner-strength and the drive and determination that each possessed in that moment. And like so many spectators, as they passed by, I turned my eyes from the street inward, and considered what I might accomplish myself, with that same spirit.
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