NYC Marathon Race Report 2011

In getting ready to run in this marathon I have read so many other "race reports" from random people about their own experiences so I could better prepare myself for what lay ahead.  In short however, reading blogs could not fully make me comprehend the magnitude of this race and the enormity of people running next to you and also cheering you on.  At some points I felt like it was "sea of humanity" all joining together as one.  Other times I felt this is such a clusterf*ck of people and I wish they would all go home. 
There were really no problems with the logistics of getting to the race.  I hopped on the subway no problem.  Then it was time for the Staten Island Ferry.  After that it was a bus to the staging area to wait around before the race.  The one thing that I thought was so amazing was how many international runners there were.  On the subway I sat down next to a runner from Italy.  Another Italian woman later sat down across from us and they talked to each other in their native tongue the rest of the ride.  As I was waiting for my wave start I laid out my garbage bag next to a fence where I would sit for an hour or so waiting for my wave start.  I sat in between one guy from Denmark and another from Vancouver.  Maybe it was because most international runner indicated they were international by either a flag on their shirt or a flag painted on their face, but it made me wish I had an American flag because I did not see any of those throughout the day.  Both of the guys I was sitting down next to ran in wave one so they gave me their sleeping bags and foam pads they were sitting on.  I kind of felt like I was the king of the bums with all my stuff I had to keep me warm and comfortable while sitting on the ground waiting around.      
I was in the very start of wave 2 right in the front.  The race started promptly at 10:10 and there was maybe only 20 feet in between me and the start line with the horn blew.  I thought I was going to run relatively hassle free for the first 8 miles or so before all the other runners joined together.  Within about 1 minute of starting the race an older runner next to me was trampled by a woman.  I don't know how it started but I felt really bad for the guy.  Over the Verrazano Bridge was smooth sailing.  The weather was sunny and not cold so I shed my jacket somewhere in the first mile.  My plan was to run slow the first mile, around 10 minutes, then average out around 8:50 miles much of the rest of the way until mile 21 or so.  I also had a plan to take a gel starting at mile 4 and every 4th mile then on with water and Gatorade the other miles with along with salt tablets (so I don't cramp) every 4th mile starting at mile 6.   This plan quickly got lost as it was difficult to think straight among so many people.  I always felt boxed in while running and felt like I literally had to push my way through people at every mile in order to get fluids.  I would figure I was losing 10 seconds every stop.  A some point early on in the race I also lost my salt tablets that were in my pouch.  This I think was a big reason why I started to cramp around mile 22. 
Aside from all the issues surrounding getting fluids, going through Brooklyn was amazing!  This was by far my favorite part of the race.  The crowds were so lively and I loved the random people who set up their bands on the side of the roads, the DJ who was playing Vanilla Ice underneath an overpass and the church choir that was out there singing away. 
Early on I adjusted my time for both how long it was taking to get the fluids and also for the fact that each mile on the course was really 1.02 miles on my Garmin and I was hitting all of my splits.  I hit the 13.1 mile mark at 1:57:19 which was right where I was when I PR'd 4 years ago in the Rock n Roll Marathon in San Diego with 3:57:14.  I really wanted to beat that mark and at that point in felt 100% in my grasp.
A few miles later was the (supposedly) dreaded Queensborough Bridge.  I read all kinds of horror stories about this on people's blogs, but I did not find in that difficult at all.  The only hard part was the fact that so many people were walking at this point.  I cruised up and down and entered into Manhattan which was unreal with the amount of energy.  My dad was supposed to be waiting to cheer me on at the Starbucks on the corner of 75th Street.  Sadly there was about a million other people there too.  That did not stop me from running by yelling his name "Rod Taylor, Rod Taylor" trying to see if we could connect, even if it was for us to only exchange smiles.  I didn't see him so I kept moving along.
As we left Manhattan we crossed what the Willis Ave Bridge. This is around mile 19-20 and I start to cramp.  It feels like my hamstrings are knotted up the size of softballs.  I stop and quickly stretch, not wanting to lose too much time.  Here my splits go from under 9 minute miles to 9:16 and 9:35.  This was also the point where I hit the wall.  I put in so much time into my training I really did not want this to come as it had in my previous 2 marathons, but it as back.  In my mind I went from knowing I would not PR, to hoping to go sub 4 hours all the way to telling myself "just don't walk."
Around mile 22, Asics had a huge monitor where friends and family of runners could record messages and they would play on huge 40 foot screen over the course.  It was time activated by the chip runners were wearing as the crossed a certain point.  As I was running I looked up and Shelly is on the screen with Scooter cheering me on.  It was almost enough to make me cry... that or the chaffing, but I really don't want to get into that. 
Getting back into Manhattan was not as thrilling as I hoped it would be, mainly because I wanted to die.  I was running 11-12 minute miles at this point barely moving faster than the walkers.  As I hit one mile marker I accidentally stopped my a watch instead of hitting the split.  Everything at this point sucked. 
Despite the fact that I was creeping along, everything seems to be a blur now.  At mile 25 I did hear my dad call my name which was great.  I gave him a thumbs down sign with a smile to let him know that I was hurting but still in good spirits.  He had a big smile on his face which did make me feel great.  As I got closer to the finish line I thought, "I feel like crap, but I want to have a good finishing photo."  I made sure nobody was in front of me as I crossed the line and gave a good ole fist pump that was sure to catch the cameraman's attention.  I was not sure of my official time at that point, but my watch said I ran 26.1 miles in the time of 4:06:40.  My official time was 4:11:05.  I figure the course was more like 26.5 miles with all the turns and maneuvering around people. 
When the race was over I still had to walk about a mile to pick up my checked bag.  At the time this was the worst thing ever because I did not want to move at all. I honestly thought to myself "I would pay somebody $1000 to go pick up my bag and give it to me right now."  In the long run however it was great because if it wasn't for that long trudge I would have sat down and then my muscles probably would not have let me move again for a long time.
Despite the fact that I totally fell apart of the last 6 miles, this was quite an experience that I will never forget.