The Allure of the Big Apple Marathon, by Laura Jones
With the new year quickly approaching and the thought of New Year resolutions swirling in your mind I thought it perfect timing to put out a temptation…
If you have ever thought that you may want to tackle the conquest of 26.2 miles then choosing the New York City marathon is for you. Not only is this an amazing feat but you get to experience the thrill and wonder of running one of the world renowned marathons in one the most incredible cities in the world! You are bussed out to Staten Island and begin your journey by running over the Veranazzo bridge with breath taking views of Manhattan off in the distance. You then weave our way through Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, Bronx and back into Manhattan and finish running through the epic Central Park. All the while you are running, they are millions (literally) of adoring fans cheering you on, offering you bananas, Kleenex, oranges, sweet treats. There are hilarious signs that make you laugh (“this is the worst parade ever” and “black toe nails are sexy” were 2 of my favourites. And there is tons of music to keep you grooving. Not to mention all the infamous sights of NYC including the Empire State Building that seems to pull you along Park Ave as you dig deep for those last 5 miles!
Having recently returned from my 4th personal running of the NYC marathon (and NSA’s 9th trip) my enthusiasm over this event is still flowing! There are few greater feelings than sharing the thrill of a first time marathoner complete this epic event in NYC. This year we had 10 ‘virgins’ and to hear their stories over post marathon drinks while overlooking Central Park was so exhilirating (oh, and the grapefruit basil martini wasn’t too bad either… and oh, so well deserved!!)
NSA has once again secured guaranteed entries for this spectacular marathon and will be taking deposits to secure the spots we have been allotted. To ensure you don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity you will want to head down to NSA and pay your $150 (+hst) non-refundable deposit that guarantees YOUR entry on a first come first served basis. This deposit pays for your training program with NSA that runs mid June to November 4th (day of the 2012 NYC marathon). NSA works with Marlin Travel and to obtain the race entry you must purchase either airfare, or an airfare and hotel package. The latter ranges in price from $2000-3000 for a 4 night stay (Nov 2-6 2012).
I already have 12 people on the waiting list for this excellent adventure and look forward to meeting some new faces who are ready to take on the challenge of running the NYC marathon. IF you have any questions please don’t hesitate to send me an email. Keeping you interested in being FIT!
Laura Jones