I dreamed of visiting NY for years but never got around to getting there. Then one day in late November of 2003 another IF client asked me if I would do the NY Marathon with her in 2004. I immediately said yes (because I never say no) and because I just wanted to go to NY even though I was not really particularly interested in doing a marathon. Actually I didn't even know how long a marathon was and I did not have a clue how difficult just training for it would be.

I started running for the first time in my life in the spring of 2003 - when I was 53. At the time I agreed to do the marathon I had under my belt a couple of 10k's, one or two 5's and a couple of duathlon's. All of these events were very difficult for me however I always believed that I could do them if I just tried and I managed to complete them.

I never for a moment believed that I would not be able to finish the NY marathon. Although there were times during the 5 months of the training clinic that I wondered if my body would be able to hold up to the punishment of the impact on my joints and if I had the mental stamina to withstand the mind games that I encountered when things got really rough for me on the Sunday long runs. I had no idea I would face much bigger challenges than just being able to zone out the pain that I new I would encounter long before crossing the finish line.

I visualized myself crossing the finish line over and over every training run. I used visualization every time I encountered setbacks - of which I had quite a few. When I was injured and unable to run outdoors I learned how to water run and I added bike riding as a cross training tool. At times I would have to shorten the long runs by using the ½ marathon training schedule and then as soon as I could I got back on track and into the full marathon schedule.

I love riding my bike and so I started riding approx. 27k to work in West Vancouver from my home in North Burnaby every Friday all summer. Occasionally I would add one lap of Stanley Park before going over the bridge to increase my mileage, I would ride with co-workers up Cypress as far as I could get or from my office to Thunderbird Marina in West Vancouver and back or over the Lions Gate Bridge and around Stanley Park on the road and back.

I spent a great deal of time and money utilizing the benefits of physio and massage to reduce inflammation and to help keep me injury free or to deal with the ongoing injuries that I had. I booked regular 1 hour stretches at IF. I struggled with joint pain, problems with my IT band and SI joint and low back pain all summer long. Not to mention the additional obstacles I had from being overweight, asthma and lupus, notwithstanding that my lupus is in remission.

The long runs were so hard. God, it took me so long to do them. I would be out anywhere from 5 to almost 7 hours every Sunday morning. It makes me laugh at myself now when I think back at joining a running group so that I could have someone to run with. There was no one in the clinic with as little experience in running or as slow as me. I can't believe I actually thought I would find someone at my level to run with by joining a marathon training clinic. I would get so frustrated with myself that I would push myself too hard and then get injured. So I just got used to being slow. To keep my sanity I listened to music for most of the time or just played games in my head. I always had my cell phone, money and a credit card with me so if I needed to I could call a cab or hop on the bus just in case I couldn't make it. I distinctly remember a couple of times when I saw a bus stop and decided I had had enough and was going to take the bus. On one run of 20 miles I arrived at the bottom of Keith Rd. and Fell which was about the 18 mile mark. I was so tired and I saw the bus stop and decided I had had enough and stood waiting for the bus to come along. After a few minutes I just started laughing at myself and I knew that having gone all that way I just couldn't not complete the run and feel good about myself so I started walking up the hill and before long I was done. I was always tempted to take a shorter route or just wait for a bus but I always managed to complete what I set out to do. I always seemed to struggle the hardest at about 15 miles but once I pushed myself over that I would seem to get a surge of strength. On the days that my joints were very sore I would have to water run or combine my run/walk program on land with a water run to complete the run.

Initially I had hoped to be able to run 10 and walk 1 or 2 for the marathon however I had to stop and start so many times that I was only able to get to run 5 and walk 2 in time for the marathon.

I thought I was ready to handle any setback that I encountered and I really got good at working through the pain and the mind games that invariably popped up when I got tired or bored or both. This became an expected part of my runs and I learned to push through it. I was as ready as I could be for the marathon. I knew I would be able to do it and I knew I would be able to overcome the obstacles I had encountered throughout the training. I never, ever, considered I would have to face unexpected obstacles during the marathon and I was completely unprepared when it happened. It would be the first time I had someone to run with. I was a bit nervous about running with someone. Mostly because I felt self-conscious that I was so overweight and so slow and I was worried that I wouldn't be able to keep up.

When the big day arrived I was very excited and a bit nervous. I could hardly sleep the night before. I was able to remain quite calm because I had Dylan to support me and to ensure that I made it across the finish line. To help me do the very best I could and to prevent me from pushing myself too hard, getting caught up by the spectators or whatever or not pushing myself hard enough.

The plan was to start out walking and get a good warm up and then run 5 and walk 2 to the finish line. I knew that would be hard to do for that long but I was sure I could do it and if I needed to I could take longer walk breaks. I had all the new sights to see and the spectators along the route which I anticipated would keep me going.

It was a beautiful sunny day, quite warm, going over the Verrazano Bridge listening to them play New York, New York (Frank Sinatra), looking at the skyline of Manhattan in the distance and watching runners all around us. We did as planned and walked for the first ½ hour then started into an easy run 5 and walk 2. I was able to maintain a 15 minute mile pace until just after 6 miles. I started to feel very tired and dizzy. My HR was high (180). This was too high for me - we had planned on keeping it at 155 for as much of the time as possible. It took along time to bring it down to a level where I could run again and then it would shoot up quickly. The dizziness worsened until I had to stop running completely and just walk. Still my HR would not settle down. I had to walk until I felt better. Then I felt my chest tightening and pain in my bronchial tubes. I took some ventilin to help however I had not had to use it in so long that I experienced the shakes (a side effect of ventilin) and then swelling in my hands. I could hardly close my hands from the swelling. The ventilin relieved my chest discomfort. I had not even thought of checking the air quality even though I remember looking at the skyline of Manhattan and seeing the yellow/brown haze on the bus ride over to Staten Island that morning. I just wasn't thinking and I should have known immediately when I saw the haze that it would trigger my asthma. Air quality is one of my biggest triggers and I had put off starting my weekly allergy shots until after the marathon. After awhile I started having stomach cramps and felt like I had to pee frequently but when I tried I could not go and when I could it hurt. My legs were cramping as well particularly my calves. My hands were still very swollen and my mouth was really dry and I felt a little bit of a headache. I didn't have any idea what was happening to me. Things seemed to be hitting me one after the other. Dylan told me I had to walk until I felt better. He wanted me to stop at an aid station a couple of times but I insisted that I was ok and pushed on. Finally because I was not feeling any better I agreed to stop because Dylan thought I should get checked - blood pressure etc.. They didn't provide that service. They said I could lay down if I wanted but I declined. They gave me a couple of packages of salt to take and we left. I was taking gels and water with eload. I tried gatorade but it made me feel sick. It was hard to keep going with the waves of cramps in my stomach. It made me feel like I just wanted to double over. For awhile I thought maybe it was the stomach flu but I never felt like I was going to throw up and I didn't have diarrhea. I took a package of the salt that they gave me at the aid station - god it was awful - that made me almost throw up. I'm not sure what that was supposed to do but Dylan told me to take it, so I did and just continued on. I was close to tears a couple of times from the pain but mostly because I could not believe this was happening to me. For the first time I thought I was not going to be able to get to the finish line.

During this period I tried to listen to my music but couldn't. I couldn't talk much or at all - I don't really remember much of it at all. I had to completely zone out to get myself through it. Dylan was constantly encouraging me. I do not believe I would have been able to endure it without him being there. Everytime I thought I was about to fall apart he would talk to me and encourage me. I can't remember when I was able to start running again but I think it was at about 15 miles or just after.

We went through Harlem in the dark. It was pretty scary when someone would make a comment pointing us out and I remember a group of young girls trying to sell us chocolate bars to raise money for their church. Dylan told me to pick up the pace so we could get out of there fast. Also, by that time the cleaning crews were ahead of us cleaning the streets and the water and aid stations were being taken down. It was very hard to keep going when everything ahead of you is being taken down. I don't think Dylan ever experienced that before but I have almost every event I have entered so it wasn't as devastating for me as it might otherwise have been. Even at that, I kept thinking, what's the point - I just wanted to stop and I struggled not to give in. Dylan made all the difference in the world at that time. He kept reminding me not to think about anything except to concentrate on getting to the next corner, the next light, lamp post or whatever object I could find within a small distance. We finally got out of Harlem. A relief for both of us.

Throughout the route we encountered some wonderful people, spectators handing out candy, gum, fruit, tissue, paper towels, spritzing us with water and words of encouragement and other runners who would walk or run with us and just talk abit. They were great but unfortunately, I couldn't handle talking to anyone, not even Dylan. It broke my concentration and made the pain almost unbearable so I would either speed up or slow down to get away from them so that I could regain my focus.

When we entered the jewish orthodox community lined with neat brownstones it was like going back in time. It was a world of its own. Incredible.

I remember going over the Queensboro Bridge from Brooklyn into Queens. God it was a long bridge and very high. Uphill most of the way I think. I had to pee the entire way and once off the bridge we had to go a long way before I could find somewhere to go. We finally found a restaurant that would let me use the washroom . I was starting to feel a lot better by this time until I went pee and saw that I was peeing blood. That really alarmed me and I initially thought I would have to ask Dylan to call an ambulance to take me to the hospital. It took me awhile to pull myself together and to decide that I did not want to do that yet. Dylan asked me if I was ok and what took me so long and I told him I just couldn't seem to stop peeing. I was feeling ok so I decided I would just keep going and see how I felt. I didn't want to alarm him so I didn't tell him. I wasn't sure if I had been whining to him about everything that I was feeling and anyway it just didn't seem to serve any purpose to bring it up. I decided I would just tell him later but I didn't get around to it.

Finally we entered Manhattan and were working our way to Central Park and the finish line. It had been dark for along time but at least I felt safe. It was hard to follow the route because of the darkness and most of the volunteers were gone but a few were left to guide us. I was able to run again but this time I ran 3 and walked 2 most of the time (I think). I was in so much pain and although I was able to run, I was running very slowly. My left hip felt like it was on fire and the pain was shooting down my leg and into my knee. My calves were screaming and my legs felt like cement. I could not feel my feet any longer. Generally every part of my body was hurting. My phone had been ringing a couple of times but I couldn't answer it so I gave it to Dylan. My husband Bill called. I know he was worried about me and my daughters called as well. Dylan let them know I was ok and how far I had to go.

Once we arrived at the 22 mile marker and I started to cry because it wasn't until then that I was sure I would be able to make it to the finish line.

We continued and finally we arrived at Central Park. Hills but not that bad - not steep from what I could tell in the dark, just not very thrilled about them at this point in the marathon. As Dylan and I were approaching the finish line I couldn't believe the relief of it all being almost over. I remember Dylan telling me to look up and smile but I don't know if I did or not. Once over the finish line I felt nothing really compared to how I felt in other events - just so glad I did not have to take another step and I remember thinking to myself, I am never doing anything like this again. Someone handed me a bottle of water and put a blanket around me. Dylan and I were hugging each other and then he sat me down in a chair and collected our belongings and left to take a cab home. It was so much more difficult than I had anticipated. I do not believe I would have completed it without Dylan. During the moments when I was ready to give up he always managed to encourage me. I don't know if he actually knew I was feeling that way but he just seemed to say something when I needed him to. I don't think I could have remained that strong without his encouragement.

Had a bath and showered, got dressed and went out for dinner. It was good to see and talk to everyone else about their experiences. They were all so inspiring. I was still peeing blood but I felt ok other than being tired and sore. I could not eat much dinner had a drink and went back to the hotel and went to bed.

The next day I felt surprising well. Sore and stiff everywhere including my ribcage which felt like I had been kicked or hit. Treya and I hobbled around Manhattan with Dylan. Took a bus tour and stopped at ground zero. I was still peeing blood. I told Treya about it and she told me it happened to her once as well in an event that she entered so I stopped worrying about it and decided to see my doctor when I got home.
When I saw my doctor - he ran a few tests just to be sure I was ok but said it was probably just the result of trauma on my body. Had a couple of long massages the week I got home and did as little as possible. It took me a couple of days to get my appetite back and felt like I could sleep forever.

All in all, it was an incredible experience. Would I ever do it again - oh probably. When I tried to find my splits on the NY Marathon website I found out that apparently I do not exist. I know that I took longer than the 8 hour cutoff time but I still thought I would be able to look my info up. Not so. So I emailed them to find out why because I saw times in the 9 and 10 hour ranges being listed. What I found out was that the cutoff time was not 8 hours it was 6:40 pm. (8 ½ hrs after our 10:10 start). They told me I should have requested an early start to avoid running in the dark and to make the cutoff however I was unaware of that option. If I ever do it again I will remember that. I missed the cutoff by 1 minute and 44 seconds. I just cried for a few minutes and then I pulled myself together thinking don't be so ridiculous Sharon. I finished and that was all that matters. Anyway not many people can say they went through Harlem at night, or day for that matter. I am sure Dylan and I will both remember that experience for the rest of our lives.

When I went to work on Wednesday my office door had a ribbon across it with finish line on it and signs on my door and inside my office flowers and cards and lots of hugs from co-workers telling me how proud of me they were.

I feel great for having been able to finish a marathon. It doesn't even matter that I had such a hard time getting through it. It only matters that I did it and it makes me very happy and very proud of myself. I keep thinking about what Dylan said to me at the airport on our way home. Something like when the unexpected happens don't let it disappoint you. I do not feel any disappointment. I know that I put forth incredible effort that resulted in success. I know that when I genuinely expect the best of myself, whatever it is that I have inside me will do everything possible to deliver.

One of the things that I have learned is that when things don't go your way, it's not the end of the world. There is always a way to move forward. I believe that when you fail to get what you want, it just might be a blessing because today's disappointment can set the stage for tomorrow's magnificent victory if you just keep trying. Because I believed I could do it and because I never gave up, completing the marathon was a magnificent victory for me.

So what's next for me?

I havn't done a ½ marathon yet so I'll try one or two next year and I can hardly wait to do a triathlon. I plan on bike riding as much as possible and am considering the ½ ironman in June (somebody asked me to do that with them while in New York - of course I said yes). For that I will need to learn to swim laps and will start this month.

My long term goals are to continue to inspire others to live well with whatever obstacles they have by sharing my struggles, my victories and best of all my return to health and vitality with anyone who cares to listen and to continue to work on me so that I can be the happiest person I possibly can be.