Thanks to New Balance, a group of Charm City Run team members will be training and running the New York City Marathon together on November 6, 2022. Leading up to the race, each member will share a blog post describing why they are running, how training is going, and what it means to run a marathon as a Charm City Run team. Will Murdoch, Charm City Run Events Director, shares his perspective on preparing for the New York City Marathon.
I can't tell you how excited I was when I found out I'd have the opportunity to run the New York City Marathon this year. As a seasoned veteran of the marathon (read: one attempt), I couldn't resist the allure of one of the world's largest endurance events and the chance to challenge myself again. My first (and only) marathon in 2019 was a combination of very lofty goals and questionably short training which culminated in a spectacular crash-and-burn that I refer to as the walk-jog marathon. Like many people, I was inspired watching Boston in the spring and told myself I had to give it a chance. It hurt, I didn't come close to qualifying, and the lessons I learned changed my perspective on proper training, the marathon distance in general, and the amazing athletes that push their bodies to do incredible things over such a grueling distance. I was drawn to NYC as a possible shot at redemption. Spoiler alert - random illnesses and injuries, a crazy work schedule, and the desire to actually spend time with my family have swiss-cheesed my original goals. I have never been the type of person to say "I just want to finish" so although my time goal has been gently adjusted I still plan to push myself to see what I'm capable of and finish on "E." This one is going to hurt. It might hurt a lot. It's supposed to hurt, and the hurt makes the finish line worth it.
As a Race Director, I was also drawn to New York for the chance to see the culmination of a year (and more) of work by one of the most prestigious organizations in our sport - the New York Road Runners. The sheer size and scope of the NYC Marathon presents so many logistical and public safety challenges that it's amazing to think the race can even happen. I'm the kind of person who goes to Disneyworld and thinks about how many cars can fit in the parking lot, or how they time the buses to come pick people up throughout the day, so I'll be geeking out over signage, expo layout, corrals, and a lot of the little things that many people might just gloss over. It takes incredible collaboration between government, private industry, and nonprofits to make it flow smoothly and deliver an athlete experience worthy of being a world major.
Finally, I was drawn to NYC for the chance to train and compete alongside my friends and coworkers. There is something special about sharing an experience that combines the highs and lows of running in the span of a few hours. It brings you together - the collective suffering, joy, and exhaustion. Checking in on each other's training, sharing stories about long runs gone wrong, and the general excitement and anxiety of a big race inspires me. Our group has first-timers, experienced marathoners, and everything in between. I can't wait to cross the finish line, meet up with everybody, and hear how everything went so differently than what was planned.
It's going to be great :)
