If you've been around my corner of the InterWebs for a while, you may remember my drama surrounding the New York City Marathon. If not (first off, welcome and thanks for finding me!) or you've forgotten, let me give you a brief rundown:
- I qualified for the 2020 (50th Annual) New York City Marathon by training my booty off and running a 1:32:50 half marathon at the REVEL Big Bear Half in November of 2019. {Read the race recap HERE}
- Qualifying for the NYC Marathon does not guarantee you a place at the starting line of the race. There are only a limited amount of spots for qualified runners and once they've all been taken, they're gone. On the morning of registration I was volunteering at one of our local elementary school jog-a-thons. I got on the website within 90 minutes of the registration going live and the spots were all gone. {Read about the heartbreak HERE}
- I entered the lottery for the NYC Marathon (for a FOURTH TIME) in hopes that even though I qualified for the race, I might be able to be one of the lucky few to snag a spot to the starting line through the random drawing. {Read about the crazy stats of how many people entered the lottery and how few got in HERE}
- While waiting to hear back about the lottery, the hubby made an off-handed comment about going to New York City and running a marathon even if I didn't get selected... Um, you don't have to tell me twice! I honestly pondered (and even started planning a bit) about doing a solo run along the official course, but on a different weekend (which would also be cheaper #FrugalCarlee ;)). {Read about the hubby's great idea HERE}
- Once I got the official "NO" from NYRR about the race, THEE Pavement Runner actually offered to fundraise on my behalf so that I could go and run. He wanted me to have the full experience and was willing to take on the LARGE fundraising goal for little ol' me! {Read about why Pavey is THE BEST EVER HERE}
- Before I took Pavey up on his offer, I tried one last option and reached out to my contact at New Balance (one of the title sponsors for the race) through the running store I work at to see if they happened to have any spare entries that would be willing to allow me to use. I was beyond stoked when NB came through and got me access to the race. {Read about how I finally got to register for the NYC Marathon HERE}
- Then, as you're well aware, COVID-19 hit, life as we knew it stopped and, along with everything else, the 2020 New York City Marathon was cancelled to try and help keep everyone safe and to stop the spread of the virus.
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- Once there appeared to be a "light at the end of the pandemic tunnel" NYRR decided on the next course of action. The runners who had registered for the 2020 New York City Marathon would be able to roll over their registration and submit their preference in running future races (picking between the 2021, 2022 and 2023 races). Preferences would be taken into consideration (runners were able to rank their top two years), but not guaranteed. I talked it over with the hubby, since he had never been to New York City before and this trip would be just as much about him as it would be about my running. He said that he would prefer we wait until at least 2022 (at that point we were not even sure if the 2021 race would go on as scheduled). He wanted to really "experience" NYC and was worried if we went in 2021 things he wanted to see/ do would still be closed/ limited. With that said, I submitted my preferences of 2022 as my first choice and 2023 as option number two.
- As of today, over 18 months after qualifying, I officially received word that I'm "in" for the 2022 New York City Marathon! Now obviously A TON can happen in the next 18 months (if the last 18 months are any indication), but I am hopeful and feel like we're moving in the right direction. NYC HERE I COME... eventually ;)
Wow. Who knew there would be THIS MANY twists and turns with a single race?! Whatever the case (and whenever I am lucky enough to arrive at the starting line) you better believe I'm going to make every moment as memorable as possible!
Have you ever been to New York City before?
