1st NEW YORK MARATHON – 3rd November 2005

We hope you all are well and dying to know what was happen of our Marathon last Sunday. We are sure that some of you already seen the news from the newspaper or website. We surely enjoyed ourselves with greatest experience on the trip to the New York Marathon.
A NY Marathon diary:

Toby and I was failed to meet up last Sunday 6am in morning for together to start line due overcrowd! However, there were over 40000 people to join the Marathon which it gives us great astrosphere also excellent on route of sightseeing via Brooklyn, Bronx and Manhattan also central Park. We find some surprised that New York Marathon route was hardest than we thought because there was many hills but even worst uphill was on 23miles. It was interesting to see mixed culture people living when we passed different of culture local areas like black, Jews, Chinese’s etc..

Diary of Marathon Day!

Oliver: I extremely to enjoy myself on marathon with mixed of runner people also grateful to seen many supportive at the different areas. It was my first time to join Marathon. I did run went well up to 20miles for 2hours 37minutes which I was impressive it but it was sadly that 20miles my left knee was happen to injury. I cannot run any more so I was end up to walk and little run all the way to finish line of 26miles! My finish time was 3hours and 57minutes… Never mind but at least I’m glad that I did it to reach the finish line with received a beautiful medal that I’m deserve it also had a little treatment little massage and packed of ice on my knee from the Red Cross area… Best overall of sightseeing was local of Jews people like their style and culture which are hard to describe it. Afterward, I decided last minute to need a give me a good big treatment myself and end up went to the 5 star of Mandarin hotel Spa. It was worth it! Let me give you a wee advice about Marathon – It’s not easy than you thought which its murder on the marathon than you watch on telly! Still have sore left knee at moment. Next is London if I’m selected!

Toby: Doing my 2nd marathon and choosing New York City was very special to me because I had always fantasised rambling the Manhattan streets during my childhood when my father did it in 1986. This time I had trained harder and focusing on strategy instead of speed to ensure I get the stamina to run the whole marathon without injuring myself or walking as I did in London marathon in 2004. For 6 months it was hell because most of the training was during the crazy summer heat… However, running all the way through the 5 boroughs of New York City (Staten Island, over the 2miles Bridge to Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx and Manhattan) was so stimulating and amazing experience as you would see local people coming up in masses to cheer you up as you torture yourself for 26.2 miles… As I did 3.57 for London, my target was to do a Personal Best but NYC was much harder due to 95% humidity & usually high temperatures (for November) and worse of all is tainted with hills (even on the 25th mile when you have absolutely no energy) but somehow I prevailed and got through the “Wall” as they say it when everything were against me to carry on running – and I have lost count how many times I said myself “NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER EVER AGAIN”… the sight of finishing line was ever so exhilarating and made it worth the pain! Now I am thinking…. Paris, Berlin… why not??! And I am glad I have found a competitive partner in Oliver but I need to keep up with my training as he is very capable to challenge my personal best next time…

We haven’t to be confirming how much we did to raise all total for NSPCC but we sure it’s over £3000 toward to the NSPCC! We want to tell massive thanks to you all for your greatest supportive us that we cant raise that amount without your! We shall never forget this on our lifetime with fantastic experience of NSPCC organisation!

We’ve enclosed three Marathon photos attach this email for you to check it out. We will tell you more when we see you some day!

Many thank once again.

Oliver and Toby